Banbridge steals victory in King George

Banbridge overhauled long-time leader Il Est Francais at the last fence to claim a dramatic win in the King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Il Est Francais had been ahead under James Reveley for almost all of the three-mile Boxing Day showpiece, having a comfortable lead, and with two to go Banbridge was the only horse who looked likely to challenge.

At the last, the leader was less than fluid and the 7-1 chance jumped it better and raced clear for Paul Townend and trainer Joseph O’Brien.

Il Est Francais (9-2) held on for second, with L’Homme Presse (14-1) third for Charlie Deutsch and Venetia Williams.

Earlier, the 2023 champion hurdler Constitution Hill made a welcome return to action with a third win in the Christmas Hurdle.

Banbridge’s participation in the King George came after a discussion in May between O’Brien, the son of champion Flat trainer Aidan, and the horse’s owner Ronnie Bartlett following victory in the Champion Chase at Punchestown.

But after Il Est Francais, trained in France by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, had built up a lead of about 10 lengths, victory for any of the chasing pack, including Banbridge, seemed unlikely.

“I thought Il Est Francais was gone, turning for home,” O’Brien told ITV Racing.

“I grew up watching races like this, so to have a runner is special and to win a race like this is dream stuff.”

Townend added: “I felt I could catch Il Est Francais. I thought it was on, going to the second last.

“Stamina was a question mark, that’s why I rode him like I did.”

O’Brien was non-committal about the eight-year-old’s plans for the rest of the season and whether the Gold Cup or the Ryanair Chase would be his Cheltenham Festival target.

Constitution Hill’s win in the Christmas Hurdle came 12 months after his last run – when he was an impressive winner of the same race.

He missed the remainder of the season through issues including ground concerns, a respiratory issue and suspected colic, and had not run this season because he was lame and had a disappointing workout at Newbury.

But his big rival at Kempton, talented Irish mare Lossiemouth, seemed to struggle with the early pace set by Burdett Road, with De Boinville remaining motionless on Constitution Hill until they turned for home.

The pair made their move with two hurdles to go and pulled clear approaching the last, going on to win by two-and-a-half lengths to make it nine wins out of nine over hurdles.

“He felt fantastic and will improve for that,” De Boinville told ITV Racing. “It has been a long time coming but it has been worth the wait. That is some training performance.

“I was confident after a couple of pieces of work I did on him two weeks ago and since then he has been pleasing us. Fitness-wise, that will bring him on no end.”

And former Tottenham and West Ham manager Harry Redknapp was also celebrating when his horse The Jukebox Man won the Grade One Kauto Star Novices’ Chase.

Redknapp’s horse had been edged out at the Cheltenham Festival in March, but has bounced back with two wins this season for trainer Ben Pauling and jockey Ben Jones.

“There were days at Old Trafford when I’d watch a bit of racing before kick-off with Sir Alex [Ferguson],” said Redknapp, 77, who received the winning trophy from ex- Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit.