Kempton Park will surge with tradition and elite winter ambition on Friday, December 26, as Boxing Day Racing takes centre stage with the iconic Ladbrokes King George VI Chase Day. Running from 12:45 pm to 3:40 pm, the six-race programme will be anchored by Race 4 – the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase, the Grade 1 Boxing Day showpiece offering a commanding winner’s share of £142,375. Featuring historic Grade 1 contests, championship depth, and rising talent on Kempton’s right-handed circuit, the afternoon is set to define the mid-winter narrative of the National Hunt season.
The meeting will open at 12:45 pm with Race 1, the Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, a Class 3 GBB Race over 2m4f110y. Ten runners will confront 16 fences in a competitive opener worth £13,203 to the winner, a race designed to test developing chasers under early pressure and establish rhythm from the outset of the card.
Momentum will build at 1:20 pm with Race 2, the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (In Memory Of Nigel Clark). This Grade 1, Class 1 contest over three miles will feature six runners tackling 18 fences, competing for a winner’s share of £56,950. Blueking d’Oroux enters as a leading contender, partnered by Harry Cobden, the only current jockey to have won this race more than once, and trained by Paul Nicholls, whose dominance is underlined by a record 13 victories in the contest.
The quality will sharpen further at 1:55 pm with Race 3, the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle, a Grade 1 GBB Race over two miles. Six runners will contest eight hurdles for £74,035, with Rubaud carrying the expectations of the formidable Cobden–Nicholls combination in a race that often shapes the hierarchy of the two-mile hurdling division.
All focus will then converge at 2:30 pm for Race 4, the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase, the undisputed Boxing Day showpiece. This Grade 1, Class 1 championship will see eight elite chasers battle over three miles and 18 fences, chasing a commanding winner’s prize of £142,375. Il Est Français, ridden by Harry Cobden, will headline a race that demands relentless pace, precision jumping, and unwavering stamina, reaffirming its place as one of the most exacting tests in jump racing.
The tempo will remain uncompromising at 3:05 pm with Race 5, the Maiden Hurdle, a Class 2 GBB Race over two miles. Twelve runners will face eight hurdles for ÂŁ11,447, with Harry Cobden again in action aboard Heron In The Park, as emerging talent looks to seize opportunity on a high-profile stage.
The afternoon will conclude at 3:40 pm with Race 6, the Handicap Hurdle, a Class 3 contest over 2m5f. Eleven runners will negotiate 10 hurdles for £12,674, with the Cobden–Nicholls partnership represented by Emailandy, while fellow Paul Nicholls-trained gelding Paso Doble adds further depth to a finale that promises sustained intensity to the final stride.
With six races, multiple Grade 1 centrepieces, and the enduring prestige of the King George VI Chase, Kempton Park on December 26 is poised to deliver a Boxing Day meeting that blends history, authority, and competitive edge, reinforcing its status as one of the defining days of the National Hunt season.
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