King George VI Chase 2025 Preview: Runners, Form and Verdict

In what should be a King George for the ages, the strength of the field is exemplified by the lengthy odds attributed to the first and second in the race last season. A huge Irish challenge - primarily from Closutton - will look to raid Kempton for a 4th season in five, but there are some awesome young chasers from Britain in their way. Billy Grimshaw is fizzing with excitement for this one and wants Christmas Day out of the way. Our editor previews the contest and gives his best bet here...

A decade on from one of the best King Georges of all time - when Vautour in the Ricci silks looked home and hosed for all money before wilting a touch on the run in and being edged out by the fast finishing Cue Card - we could finally have a race to match that epic. Coincidentally, a horse in the same silks as the vanquished Vautour could also be right in the mix come the finish in 2025!

Kempton's very existence is under threat right now and it would be poignant were the final King George at the track - which this year or next year's could well be - an awe inspiring race. With Willie Mullins sending two of his biggest guns in Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File across the water to challenge for this coveted prize, there will be no hiding places and Paul Townend looks to have a massive chance of winning the race for the second successive year on board the former. The horse and rider combo will be sporting the iconic pink and green silks and Gaelic Warrior has a formidable record going this way round. He has always been touted as a King George winner in waiting and after getting the better of Fact To File in an epic duel in the John Durkan over two and a half, battling back when looking beaten for stamina and speed,  I would be siding with him again here over three miles were this race simply a match.

Last season Townend rubber stamped his position as the best in the business with a masterfully patient ride on board Banbridge - who is back to defend his crown and an insultingly big price to do so, even with no Townend in the plate - running down the kamikaze front runner Il Est Francais and eventually seeing him off in style. Both of last season's 1-2 have a different jockey on this time and while Sean Bowen is having a season for the ages, it is hard to say Banbridge's chances have increased with him taking over from Townend. Il Est Francais, on the other hand, has arguably the best jockey around off the front end taking over in Harry Cobden and it'd be no surprise to see him put in another huge effort at the track he acts best at. This is a much, much tougher race though and both have it all to do to be in with a shout at the line.

I'd definitely rather have Banbridge onside than Il Est Francais, I suspect Cobden will try to get the lead early doors onboard Il Est Francais, but that could be complicated by Gaelic Warrior, although my suspicion is Townend will be happy getting a lead today on him, Djelo or The Jukebox Man. Djelo is a solid Grade 2 horse but not on my radar for this, and Ben Pauling's stable star The Jukebox Manhas done very little wrong in his career thus far but is untested at this level. He looks to me a horse who over time will emerge as one who favours tougher tests than the sharpness of Kempton, perhaps a Gold Cup. He could lead for a long way, run a career best but still be picked up by something with more tactical speed late on

He will almost certainly look to press on, and I suspect Djelo will too, which could scupper Il Est Francais's quest early. There is little doubt in my mind this year's King George will be run at the very least an honest pace and potentially a frantic one. Fact To File is better over the intermediate trip and people often make the case that three miles around Kempton is ideal for that type of horse, however I do not think there will be any hiding place for those without the stamina for a full three miles in here, so he is off my list. Strangely though, a horse who won at Cheltenham over two is right at the top of it.

JANGO BAIE won the Arkle last season from the clouds in a race that collapsed in terms of pace and stalked again in great style at Ascot last time out to claim the 1965 Chase. This horse has a wonderful story behind him and has the talent and heart to match. His price is getting skinnier by the day but nevertheless, he is still my idea of the winner. Should he be jousting for favouritism with the two Mullins stars on all known form? It's tough to make that case, but what is unquestionable is how well suited this Nicky Henderson trained six year old looks to be to this particular race.

He has always been a chaser the team saw as an eventual three miler and what better arena to step out into than this one? A solid pace to aim at, high class rivals around him and a jockey who knows when to push the button on this lad in Nico De Boinville means I am backing Jango Baie for another huge success before turning seven and he is the pick to win this late Christmas cracker of a race. Gaelic Warrior rates the chief threat, while Banbridge would be my each-way play to sneak into the three if pressed.