King George VI Chase Tips: Banbridge To Light Up Boxing Day

Despite the enormous alure of the race preceding it, the King George VI Chase is still the Boxing Day headline attraction at Kempton and as always it looks a fascinating race to attempt to crack. Billy Grimshaw is very sweet on the Irish challenge this season, particularly Joseph O'Brien's good ground loving raider...

In the immediate aftermath of the John Durkan, I was torn between revelling in what a phenomenal race we had seen and wondering if Spillanes Tower could have got past Fact To File were the absolute kitchen sink thrown at him. There will be some who will have seen the race and at first glance cried foul, with JP's less well fancied runner not going by his perceived first string. Watching the race back a few times since, however, I'm fairly sure Fact To File was always in charge and with Spillanes Tower coming from a small yard like Jimmy Mangan's there is not a cat in hell's chance the horse won't have been all out to win that prestigious prize.

So, we are taking it on merit that he was at his absolute peak when getting so close to Fact To File - what does this mean? It means he's a seriously talented and tough horse, as in my opinion Fact To File is this year and potentially a good few years in the future's dominant staying chaser. I'd be surprised were he not to win the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March, so with Spillanes Tower pushing him so close he has a right chance in here. I was set to tip him up truth be told had the rain arrived, however the ground at Kempton always dried out remarkably well and there hasn't been much rain in that part of the world. His trainer has often intimated Spillanes Tower is no fan of a quick surface and as such, despite him bringing the best form on paper to this race, I am sidestepping him at odds of 3/1 or shorter.

He is the chief threat I think to my fancy BANBRIDGE, although I do think yet another JP staying chaser in Corbetts Cross could be a big player. Grey Dawning has also been disregarded unfairly in some quarters on the back of his brutally tough first time out run this season at Haydock in the Betfair, but he's a hardy horse and I'd be shocked if that race has bottomed him out. The reasoning for my support of Banbridge rather than any of those that I think are big dangers is multifaceted, with the good ground obviously a huge positive. He has been lightly raced due to his preference for good to soft ground at worst, and I believe good ground over three miles at a tight track like Kempton could be Banbridge's absolute nirvana.

He is yet to be tried over three miles but his run style and indeed the intentions of connections have always hinted that this sort of test is what he wants, and I'm delighted to see the cheekpieces have been refitted (they were missing for his seasonal reappearance when running well for a long way before unseating his rider against Energumene in the Hilly Way). My guess is that Energumene would've had a bit too much speed for an 80% Banbridge that day, but he ran a fine prep for this nonetheless and hopefully the cheekpieces and elite jockey booking mean he is sharp and accurate at every fence here.

To say the booking of Paul Townend is big would be an understatement in a race like this. He had the impossible job in following Ruby Walsh, but make no bones about it - Paul Townend is an absolutely top class jockey in his own right and I think his style could eek out yet further improvement from the eight year old Banbridge. Finally, this race looks set to see a real pace burn up with Bravemansgame. Il Est Francais, The Real Whacker and plenty more all likely to attempt to either front run or sit prominently. This could be exactly what Banbridge needs to keep him focussed on the task in hand all the way round on his first attempt at this trip. I think he has a stonking chance and while 5/1 looks a nice price for more conservative each-way players, it'll be a confident win only bet for me.

It would be remiss of me not to mention a few more contenders in detail and the one arguably who could blow the race apart is the most fancied French raider Il Est Francais. He came over this time last year and stunned the British racing public with his wonderful all the way win in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase, and while he has disappointed a few times since if he can reproduce that effort here he could have everything that tries to go with him on the front end waving the white flag.

He is not really a horse we can trust, however, and I expect this will be a race fought out between the Irish trio I mentioned earlier and perhaps a resurgent Grey Dawning. A case can be made for a lot of the contenders in here and barring accidents it should be a thrilling spectacle, so get your leftover turkey sandwiches polished off nice and early and settle into the sofa for this one!