Today’s Kempton Odds and Tips

Kempton Park racecourse hosts National Hunt and All-Weather Flat racing, and you can check out all the latest odds, races, results and tips here...

Kempton Major Races

Being part of the commuter belt to London the course in Sunbury-on-Thames makes Kempton Park an excellent horse racing venue in London, it is just 16 miles from the centre and is served by its own railway station.

A track that suits every face it has both a national hunt and flat course, along with an all weather track.  The course is best known for its National Hunt fixtures which include King George VI Chase which is ran annually on Boxing day.

The all weather track is the only right handed all weather course in the United Kingdom. It is oval in shape and the distance is either 8 or 10 furlongs depending upon the inner or outer bend being used. The surface of the track is made from synthetic polytrack and is believed to be deeper than other all weather tracks such as Lingfield and Wolverhampton and therefore not as fast.

The national hunt course is a right-handed flat triangular circuit of one mile and five furlongs which has a run in of 220 yards and each year the site hosts 16 flat racing fixtures.

On the oval course there the draw stall advantage on races of 8 furlongs shows that there is a slight bias towards high drawn numbers.

Big Races Run At Kempton Racecourse

With both an all-weather oval track and triangular circuit, Kempton horse racing is a top destination for National Hunt and flat racing alike. Here’s a preview of the top events to watch out for — don’t forget to check out our Kempton racing tips for each one!

King George VI Chase

The crown jewel of Kempton and one of the most prestigious races in the UK, the King George VI Chase takes place each year on Boxing Day. It’s a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase run over roughly three miles, with 18 fences to jump along the way. Hewick was first across the line in the 2023 instalment, while Kauto Star (5 wins) and Desert Orchid (4 wins) remain the most successful runners. 

Christmas Hurdle

Two miles long with eight jumps, the Christmas Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race that also takes place on Boxing Day. It’s open to horses aged four or older, and is the second leg of the Triple Crown of Hurdling. No horse has won the race more than twice, with Epatante most recently joining the list with 2019 and 2021 wins. The champion of the 2022 race was Constitution Hill and he backed it up once more in 2023. He aims in 2024 to become the first three time champion.

Kauto Star Novices’ Chase

Originally known as the Feltham Novices' Chase, this Grade 1 steeplechase is part of the Kempton Christmas Festival. It received its new name in 2012, paying tribute to Kauto Star, the King George VI Chase’s most successful horse. This three-miler is open to novice chasers and has 18 fences to jump. Lizzie Kelly made history on the course as the first female jockey to win a Grade 1 race in Britain, riding to victory on Tea For Two in 2015. 

Desert Orchid Chase

The Desert Orchid Chase is named in memory of the King George VI Chase’s second most successful horse, who died a couple of weeks prior to the race’s inauguration in 2006. This Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase is roughly two miles and has 12 fences to jump. It takes place each year during the Kempton Christmas Festival. Editeur Du Gite took the win most recently in 2023, defending his title. 

Lanzarote Hurdle

Two miles and five furlongs long, the Lanzarote Hurdle is run in January each year. This National Hunt hurdle race features ten jumps and is open to horses aged four or older. It’s named after Lanzarote, a racehorse that achieved much success as Kempton during the 1970s. The race was reclassified as a Grade 2 handicap in 2023, previously holding Listed status.

Adonis Juvenile Hurdle

The Adonis Juvenile Hurdle is open to novice hurdlers aged four years. The course is roughly two miles with eight jumps in total. Taking place in late February, it serves as a trial for the Triumph Hurdle, which is run the month after at Cheltenham. Nusret won the Adonis Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle in 2023, ridden by Irish jockey Daryl Jacob. 

September Stakes

Unsurprisingly, the September Stakes takes place in early September each year. It’s a Group 3 flat race of 1 mile, 3 furlongs, and 219 yards. Established in 1979, Frankie Dettori, Richard Hills, and Walter Swinburn have seen the most success over the race’s history with four wins each. 

Top Kempton Betting Sites

As a punter, you’ll get plenty of choice when it comes to bookies taking odds on Kempton racing. Many of these sites run offers and promotions too — here’s a quick preview of what’s up for grabs.

bet365

Another great spot for betting on Kempton is bet365, thanks to a great range of promotions including Best Odds Guaranteed, the bet365 Price Promise on all live UK and Irish races shown on ITV Racing, daily bet boosts, and enhanced places paid. The site is slick and user friendly, and new customers can bag £50 in free bets when they stake £10. bet365 also offers a top-notch mobile app, so you can bet on Kempton on the go. 

William Hill

William Hill’s site may look a little dated, but it remains a solid choice for Kempton racing thanks to BOG, Pick Your Places, and enhanced odds. Got a highly specific bet in mind? You can Tweet it with #YourOdds to receive a price from the team. There’s also 3 x £10 free bets up for grabs when new customers bet £10 at the site. 

Betfred

Free Bet if 2nd or 3rd, extra places, BOG on all UK and Irish races — Betfred is another top destination for horse racing bettors. Of particular note are the boosted payouts on Lucky 15, 31, or 63 combination bets, available for ‘all correct’ or ‘only one winner’. As for new customers, there’s a flexible Bet £10 Get £30 offer which can be used on Kempton horse racing. 

Payment Options For Kempton Betting

Before you can bet on Kempton horse racing, you’ll need to make a deposit at your chosen bookmaker. There are a number of payment options for doing so — here are the most popular.

Debit Cards

An option familiar to pretty much everyone, debit cards like Visa and Mastercard are the most widely available payment method at betting sites with Kempton racing. Simply key in your 16-digit card number, expiry date, and CVC before confirming the deposit amount. Simple! Debit cards are always eligible when claiming a betting bonus too. Withdrawals tend to be slower, however, taking around 3–5 working days.

e-Wallets

PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller are a few of the most popular e-wallets you’ll find at Kempton betting sites. These digital wallets let you store payment details and hold a balance, allowing for seamless deposits and withdrawals using just your email address and password. There’s no sharing of bank details with the bookmaker, making e-wallets highly secure. Withdrawals are usually fast, sometimes landing instantly — although e-wallets are often excluded from claiming bonuses.

Paysafecard

Paysafecard is a prepaid voucher that can be purchased at participating retailers in denominations from £10 to £175. You can then instantly transfer the balance to your betting wallet using the printed 16-digit code. This payment method is perfect if you want to keep a close eye on your spending or don’t want to share bank details online, but it normally can’t be used for withdrawals.

Trustly

Running on Open Banking, Trustly is a payments intermediary that lets you make instant transfers between your bank account and betting site. To get set up, you simply log into the secure portal using your online banking credentials — it’s free and there’s no need to sign up. This method is usually eligible for bonuses and withdrawals are typically fast.

History Of Kempton Racecourse

Kempton racecourse first opened in 1878, after businessman SH Hyde leased the grounds of Kempton Manor and Park. Today, it’s owned by the Jockey Club — the largest commercial horse racing organisation in the United Kingdom and owner of other renowned courses like Aintree and Cheltenham. 

In 2005, Kempton closed for a little under a year while a new all-weather synthetic track was built. The new polytrack course is an oval of 8 or 10 furlongs, depending on which bend is used. Flat racing at Kempton has taken place on this track since it opened in March 2006. 

As for jump racing at Kempton Park, the course is a right-handed triangular circuit of 1 mile, 5 furlongs, with 220-yard run-in. There are also a number of polytrack crossings where the flat course intersects.

Responsible Gambling

While gambling remains an entertaining and exciting hobby for many, it can easily become addictive. Understanding the ins and outs of responsible gambling is essential before you start betting. Here are some of our top tips.

• Set Budgets - Whether it’s daily, weekly, monthly, or just for that session, it’s vital you set a budget beforehand — and stick to it. Once you’ve hit the limit, it’s time to call it a day. 

• Use Account Limiters - All licensed bookmakers provide limiter tools within your account. These can be configured to meet your own needs, such as deposit and loss limits that refresh after a certain window. You can also set limits on how much time you spend gambling, and enable helpful reality checks that remind you when it’s time to take a break.

• Don’t Use Gambling as a Way to Make Money - There’s always the risk of losing when you gamble — nobody is guaranteed a win, full stop. You should never treat gambling as a source of income or way to turn a profit. Only gamble what you’re comfortable losing. 

• Self Exclusion - If you feel like it’s time for a longer break from gambling, you can self-exclude using a free tool such as GAMSTOP. This prevents you from accessing your betting accounts or creating new ones until a specified period of time has elapsed.

Responsible Gambling Organisations

Thankfully, there’s plenty of help out there if you need further support or advice with gambling. Here are some places to start:

• GamCare runs the freephone National Gambling Helpline and offers helpful tools like MyGamCare to keep track of your gambling.
• BeGambleAware.org is a fantastic resource for support and advice around responsible gambling.
• Gamblers Anonymous runs group meetings around the country where those negatively affected by gambling can share their experiences and find fellowship.