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King George VI Chase
Steeplechase horse race in Britain
Steeplechase horse race in Britain
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| class | Grade 1 |
| horse race | King George VI Chase |
| location | Kempton Park, |
| Sunbury, England | |
| inaugurated | 1937 |
| race type | Steeplechase |
| sponsor | Ladbrokes |
| website | Kempton Park |
| distance | 3 miles (4,828 metres) |
| surface | Turf |
| track | Right-handed |
| qualification | Four-years-old and up |
| weight | 11 st 1 lb (4yo); |
| 11 st 10 lb (5yo+) | |
| Allowances | |
| 7 lb for fillies and mares | |
| purse | £250,000 (2025) |
| 1st: £142,375 |
Sunbury, England 11 st 10 lb (5yo+) Allowances 7 lb for fillies and mares 1st: £142,375 |} The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 3 miles (4,828 metres), and during its running there are eighteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year on 26 December, and features as part of the course's Christmas Festival.
The event was first run in February 1937, and it was named in honour of the new British monarch, King George VI. It was only run twice before World War II, during which Kempton Park was closed for racing and used as a prisoner-of-war camp. The two pre-war runnings were each contested by four horses. The winner of the first, Southern Hero, remains the race's oldest ever winner. After the war the racecourse re-opened, and the event returned in 1947 on a new date – Boxing Day.
Fifteen horses have won the King George VI Chase more than once, Desert Orchid won it four times and Kauto Star won it five times. The race is currently sponsored by the Ladbrokes Coral bookmaking firm.
Records
Most successful horse (5 wins):
- Kauto Star – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
Leading jockey (5 wins):
- Ruby Walsh – Kauto Star (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
Leading trainer (13 wins):
- Paul Nicholls – See More Business (1997, 1999), Kauto Star (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011), Silviniaco Conti (2013, 2014), Clan Des Obeaux (2018, 2019), Frodon (2020), Bravemansgame (2022)
Winners
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Southern Hero | 12 | Jack Fawcus | Gwyn Evans | |
| 1938 | Airgead Sios | 8 | Tommy McNeill | Charles Tabor | |
| 1939 | no race 1939–46 | ||||
| 1947 | Rowland Roy | 8 | Bryan Marshall | Fulke Walwyn | |
| 1948 | Cottage Rake | 9 | Aubrey Brabazon | Vincent O'Brien | |
| 1949 | Finnure | 8 | Dick Francis | George Beeby | |
| 1950 | Manicou | 5 | Bryan Marshall | Peter Cazalet | |
| 1951 | Statecraft | 6 | Tony Grantham | Peter Cazalet | |
| 1952 | Halloween | 7 | Fred Winter | Bill Wightman | |
| 1953 | Galloway Braes | 8 | Bert Morrow | Alec Kilpatrick | |
| 1954 | Halloween | 9 | Fred Winter | Bill Wightman | |
| 1955 | Limber Hill | 8 | Jimmy Power | Bill Dutton | |
| 1956 | Rose Park | 10 | Michael Scudamore | Peter Cazalet | |
| 1957 | Mandarin | 6 | Gerry Madden | Fulke Walwyn | |
| 1958 | Lochroe | 10 | Arthur Freeman | Peter Cazalet | |
| 1959 | Mandarin | 8 | Gerry Madden | Fulke Walwyn | |
| 1960 | Saffron Tartan | 9 | Fred Winter | Don Butchers | |
| 1961 | no race 1961–62 | ||||
| 1963 | Mill House | 6 | Willie Robinson | Fulke Walwyn | |
| 1964 | Frenchman's Cove | 9 | Stan Mellor | Harry Thomson Jones | |
| 1965 | Arkle | 8 | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper | |
| 1966 | Dormant | 9 | Jeff King | John Wells-Kendrew | |
| 1967 | no race 1967–68 | ||||
| 1969 | Titus Oates | 7 | Stan Mellor | Gordon W. Richards | |
| 1970 | no race 1970 | ||||
| 1971 | The Dikler | 8 | Barry Brogan | Fulke Walwyn | |
| 1972 | Pendil | 7 | Richard Pitman | Fred Winter | |
| 1973 | Pendil | 8 | Richard Pitman | Fred Winter | |
| 1974 | Captain Christy | 7 | Bobby Coonan | Pat Taaffe | |
| 1975 | Captain Christy | 8 | Gerry Newman | Pat Taaffe | |
| 1976 | Royal Marshall II | 9 | Graham Thorner | Tim Forster | |
| 1977 | Bachelor's Hall | 7 | Martin O'Halloran | Peter Cundell | |
| 1978 | Gay Spartan | 7 | Tommy Carmody | Tony Dickinson | |
| 1979 | Silver Buck | 7 | Tommy Carmody | Tony Dickinson | |
| 1980 | Silver Buck | 8 | Tommy Carmody | Michael Dickinson | |
| 1981 | no race 1981 | ||||
| 1982 | Wayward Lad | 7 | John Francome | Michael Dickinson | |
| 1983 | Wayward Lad | 8 | Robert Earnshaw | Michael Dickinson | |
| 1984 | Burrough Hill Lad | 8 | John Francome | Jenny Pitman | |
| 1985 | Wayward Lad | 10 | Graham Bradley | Monica Dickinson | |
| 1986 | Desert Orchid | 7 | Simon Sherwood | David Elsworth | |
| 1987 | Nupsala | 8 | André Pommier | François Doumen | |
| 1988 | Desert Orchid | 9 | Simon Sherwood | David Elsworth | |
| 1989 | Desert Orchid | 10 | Richard Dunwoody | David Elsworth | |
| 1990 | Desert Orchid | 11 | Richard Dunwoody | David Elsworth | |
| 1991 | The Fellow | 6 | Adam Kondrat | François Doumen | |
| 1992 | The Fellow | 7 | Adam Kondrat | François Doumen | |
| 1993 | Barton Bank | 7 | Adrian Maguire | David Nicholson | |
| 1994 | Algan | 6 | Philippe Chevalier | François Doumen | |
| 1995 | One Man | 8 | Richard Dunwoody | Gordon W. Richards | |
| 1996 | One Man | 8 | Richard Dunwoody | Gordon W. Richards | |
| 1997 | See More Business | 7 | Andrew Thornton | Paul Nicholls | |
| 1998 | Teeton Mill | 9 | Norman Williamson | Venetia Williams | |
| 1999 | See More Business | 9 | Mick Fitzgerald | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2000 | First Gold | 7 | Thierry Doumen | François Doumen | |
| 2001 | Florida Pearl | 9 | Adrian Maguire | Willie Mullins | |
| 2002 | Best Mate | 7 | Tony McCoy | Henrietta Knight | |
| 2003 | Edredon Bleu | 11 | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight | |
| 2004 | Kicking King | 6 | Barry Geraghty | Tom Taaffe | |
| 2005 | Kicking King | 7 | Barry Geraghty | Tom Taaffe | |
| 2006 | Kauto Star | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2007 | Kauto Star | 7 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2008 | Kauto Star | 8 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2009 | Kauto Star | 9 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2010 | Long Run | 6 | Sam Waley-Cohen | Nicky Henderson | |
| 2011 | Kauto Star | 11 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2012 | Long Run | 7 | Sam Waley-Cohen | Nicky Henderson | |
| 2013 | Silviniaco Conti | 7 | Noel Fehily | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2014 | Silviniaco Conti | 8 | Noel Fehily | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2015 | Cue Card | 9 | Paddy Brennan | Colin Tizzard | |
| 2016 | Thistlecrack | 8 | Tom Scudamore | Colin Tizzard | |
| 2017 | Might Bite | 8 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson | |
| 2018 | Clan des Obeaux | 6 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2019 | Clan des Obeaux | 7 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2020 | Frodon | 8 | Bryony Frost | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2021 | Tornado Flyer | 8 | Danny Mullins | Willie Mullins | |
| 2022 | Bravemansgame | 7 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls | |
| 2023 | Hewick | 8 | Gavin Sheehan | John Joseph Hanlon | |
| 2024 | Banbridge | 8 | Paul Townend | Joseph O'Brien | |
| 2025 | The Jukebox Man | 7 | Ben Jones | Ben Pauling |
References
- Glasgow Herald
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- Racing Post:
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- kinggeorgechase.com – King George Chase Winners.
- pedigreequery.com – King George VI Chase – Kempton Park.
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