It’s finally here – the Christmas racing bonanza begins.

Four days of back-to-back Grade 1 action featuring some of the best racehorses in training will see them look to set down a firm Cheltenham Festival marker.

To kick things off, we have the Grade 1 King George VI Chase, where the supplemented Spillane’s Tower looks to give trainer Jimmy Mangan a Christmas present he will never forget.

You can get all the best horse racing odds, sign-up offers, and betting promotions right here.

King George VI Chase key trends

✅ 23 of the 24 winners this century had already won at least one Grade 1
✅ 15 of the 24 winners this century were French-bred
✅ 14 of the past 17 winners had finished first or second at Kempton previously
✅ Paul Nicholls has won the King George 13 time
✅ 18 of the 24 winners this century were in the top three of the betting
✅ 11 favourites were triumphant between 2004-2017
✅ 10 of the past 15 winners had just one run during the current season

❌ Only two of the past 19 winners had not previously won over three miles
❌ Only two of the past 33 winners were older than nine
❌ Only three of the past 18 winners were Irish-bred

King George VI Chase runner by runner betting guide

Now it’s time to take a in-depth look into runners of the King George VI Chase and the best horse racing bookmakers to help you make a winning bet.

🏇 10 Spillane’s Tower

• Age: 6
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 121-12
• Rating: 165
• Jockey: –
• Trainer: James Jopsph Mangan
• Odds: 7/2

The one many wished would get supplemented for King George after his second in the John Durkan, and JP McManus has not let us down.

Spillane’s Tower trainer, Jimmy Mangan, has been very patient with this horse, and he has already reaped the rewards.

Having started him over trips ranging from two-miles to two-miles-four-furlongs, it wasn’t until Spillane’s Tower was thrown into Grade 1 company at Fairyhouse that we saw what he was truly capable of with an effortless win.

He backed that win up with another Grade 1 success at the Punchestown Festival, this time over three miles, throwing his hat into this season’s Gold Cup picture.

This season started with a massive performance to finish second in the Grade 1 John Durkan Chase, splitting Fact To File and two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs.

Today, at least on paper, this doesn’t look as strong as what he faced at Punchestown, but the slight worry is the ground.

All of Spillane’s Tower’s best form has been with a bit of ease in the ground, and the current good-to-soft ground may not be to his liking around Kempton.

His Grade 1 win at Punchestown was on yielding ground, so there is reason to be optimistic that he may get away with the current going.

If it does not phase him, the Spillane’s Tower looks like a horse with so much more to offer over this trip.

His current odds look fair based on his potential and performance in the John Durkan, but if any rain were to arrive, it would enhance his odds even more.

Spillane’s Tower is a fascinating runner and we have yet to see the best of him.

✅ On a massive upward trajectory
✅ Has a turn of foot
✅ Jumps well

❌ The current ground is a slight worry

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️⭐

🐎 Bet on Spillane’s Tower with talkSPORT BET 🐎

🏇 6 Grey Dawning

• Age: 7
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 2113-2
• Rating: 165
• Jockey: Harry Skelton
• Trainer: Dan Skelton
• Odds: 5/1

Last season’s Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase winner’s trainer, Dan Skelton, set this race out as a main early-season target long before the season started.

However, plans seemed to have been put on hold after a gallant display behind Royale Pagaille in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, and you can see why they may have been.

That was a slog in the mud against a horse that revels in those conditions, but it’s fair to say that Grey Dawning is also best with a cut in the ground. But it was a race that visually looked to take a lot out of Grey Dawing after the way he made the mistake at the last and couldn’t get going again.

On the plus side, he has a course winner over hurdles, so we know he will handle the track, but there is still that slight worry that the Betfair Chase may have left its mark.

He is a talented staying chaser in the making, and if he is over his excursions from Haydock, he is a massive player.

✅ Grade 1 winning novice
✅ Has the right profile for this

❌ Had a very hard race at Haydock
❌ Would prefer softer conditions

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐

🐎 Bet on Grey Dawning with Sky Bet 🐎

🏇 7 Il Est Francais

• Age: 6
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 19-14U
• Rating: 156
• Jockey: James Reveley
• Trainer: Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm
• Odds: 5/1

Last year’s breathtaking Kauto Star Novices’ Chase winner has not been seen in the same form ever since.

His return to the track resulted in him being beaten over 55 lengths in a Grade 2 in Auteuil.

He managed to take a Grade 3 chase back at Auteuil in September, but he has since been pulled up in a Grade 1 back on the same course and bled.

That is a massive red flag for me.

If you back him at his current odds, you hope his return to Kempton will spark him back into life.

But I can’t have him after what he has shown since his comeback this season.

If Il Est Francais returns to the form that saw him win impressively last season in the Kauto Star, he would have a massive chase here.

But it’s a big if.

✅ Put in a massive performance over C&D last season
✅ Ground versatile

❌ Form this season has been nowhere up to the standard of winning this
❌ Bled last time out

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️

🐎 Bet on Il Est Francais with Paddy Power 🐎

🏇 1 Banbridge

• Age: 8
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 19-14U
• Rating: 165
• Jockey: –
• Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
• Odds: 6/1

Banbridge has been touted as a potential King George winner many times over the past 12 months, and today, we will find out if he is.

Although he is a Grade 1 winner over two miles, his running style suggests that three miles might be well within his range.

For a horse that is very ground dependent, he was in the process of running possibly the race of his life when he was about to join Energumene at the last in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork at the beginning of the month. But made a bad mistake caused Richie Deegan to be unseated.

The ground at Cork was officially yielding on the day, but times suggest the ground was riding slower. If that is the case, how much did that take out of Banbridge, who does not like soft conditions?

I worry that he may have left his King George chances at Cork.

It’s a quick enough turnaround for a horse who put in such a big effort, but the one massive plus he has is that he will relish the ground.

I rate Branbridge and think he is massively underrated, but as I said, I fear he has left his King George in Cork.

If he has come out of his run at Cork well, then he is a massive each-way player on a track where he has winning form.

✅ Will relish ground condition
✅ It always looked as if this trip would suit

❌ Looked to have a hard race at Cork
❌ Won’t want soft ground

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🐎 Bet on Banbridge with Midnite 🐎

🏇 3 Corbetts Cross

• Age: 7
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 2F13-2
• Rating: 165
• Jockey: Derek O’Connor
• Trainer: Emmet Mullins
• Odds: 12/1

Corbetts Cross is one of the most interesting runners here.

Last season’s effortless National Hunt Chase winner has had some jumping issues in the past. Still, he put it all together at the Cheltenham Festival and backed that win up with a creditable third in the William Hill Bowl at the Aintree Festival, being Gerri Colombe.

This season started with a second to Heart Wood at Wexford, where he looked as if he would need the run badly and come on plenty for it.

As I said, he has slight jumping issues, but Derek O’Conner, who won the National Hunt Chase on him, gets the ride on him today.

He has his quirks, but he also has plenty of ability. If they go off too fast up front, which looks like a high possibility given the number of front runners, he will be coming home strong at the depth.

He is a dangerous horse to rule out.

✅ The strong pace will suit
✅ Unexposed at this level

❌ Has jumping issues

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🐎 Bet on Corbetts Cross with Betfred 🐎

🏇 9 L’Homme Presse

• Age: 9
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: U/124-
• Rating: 167
• Jockey: Charlie Deutsch
• Trainer: Venetia Williams
• Odds: 12/1

The former Cheltenham Festival Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase winner L’Homme Presse comes in here a bit under the radar.

He was sent off the 9/4 favourite for the King George in 2022, but a round of jumping out to his left cost him dearly as he unseated Charlie Deutsch at the last, losing out on second place.

Last season, we saw that L’Homme Presse still retains a large part of his ability, but we also saw, yet again, that he is not at his best racing right-handed, and that is a massive issue here once again.

Even though L’Homme Presse is unbeaten on his first run of the season, there is enough evidence to show that he is not as effective when racing right-handed as left-handed, making this a risky betting proposition.

✅ A Grade 1 winner
✅ Unbeaten on his first run of the season in the UK

❌ Nowhere near as good on right-handed tracks

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️

🐎 Bet on L’Homme Presse with bet365 🐎

🏇 4 Envoi Allen

• Age: 10
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 3224-1
• Rating: 164
• Jockey: Rachael Blackmore
• Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
• Odds: 16/1

There are two tracks where you back Envoi Allen, none of which are Kempton.

Down Royal and Cheltenham are the tracks where he is clearly at his best, as shown when winning his fifth race out of six visits to Down Royal when regaining his Ladbrokes Champion Chase crown.

He does not run to his best away from those two tracks for whatever reason, and I’m sure Henry de Bromhead would also love to know why.

I would love to see him prove me wrong today, but at the age of ten, it’s highly unlikely that Envoi Allen will add to his Grade 1 collection today.

✅ Multiple Grade 1 winning chaser
✅ Back to winning ways last time out

❌ Nowhere near his best away from Cheltenham and Down Royal
❌ Beaten 51 lengths in this in 2022

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️

🐎 Bet on Envoi Allen with SBK 🐎

🏇 2 Bravemansgame

• Age: 9
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 256-23
• Rating: 159
• Jockey: Harry Cobden
• Trainer: Paul Nicholls
• Odds: 20/1

Even though Bravemansgame won the 2022 King George Vi Chase and was placed in it last season, you would be brave to back him today.

His recent form has been nowhere up to winning this today, and to add to his lack of recent form, Bravemansgame’s last win came in this race in 2022.

For me, he looks like a horse who is no longer a Grade 1 performer and will struggle to make a real impact at this level in the future.

For all that he has a two-of-three record on this track, he is easily overlooked today.

✅ A former winner of the King George
✅ Two from three at this track

❌ No win since 2022
❌ Looks to be on the downgrade

Star rating: ⭐️

🐎 Bet on Bravemansgame with BetMGM 🐎

🏇 8 Juntos Ganamos

• Age: 5
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 11-U13
• Rating: 152
• Jockey: Felix De Giles
• Trainer: D Cotton
• Odds: 22/1

The second of the three French runners, Juntos Ganamos, likes to get on with things from the front, just like Il Est Francais.

He was sent off a warm favourite for the Grade Steeple-Chase de Paris in May and was lobbing along out in front until his race ended at the tenth fence when a bad mistake shot James Reveley out of the saddle.

A win on his comeback in October was followed by a third-place finish in the Prix la Haye Jousselin, where mistakes ended any chance of winning again.

The other worry is that all 14 of his starts have been at Auteuil, so he has yet to race right-handed, adding to the question around Juntos Ganamos.

He will need to eliminate the mistakes if he is to have any chance of fighting out the finish here, and even if Juntos Ganamos does cut out the mistakes, he should not be good enough to win.

✅ Should have more improvement in him

❌ Has yet to race outside of Auteuil
❌ Has never raced right-handed
❌ All wins have been on very soft or heavy ground

Star rating: ⭐️

🐎 Bet on Juntos Ganamos with CopyBet 🐎

🏇 11 The Real Whacker

• Age: 8
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 2P5-U1
• Rating: 159
• Jockey: Gavin Sheehan
• Trainer: Patrick Neville
• Odds: 33/1

The former Browns Advisory Novices’ Chase winner hadn’t returned to the winner’s enclosure until finally getting his head back in front when taking the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby last month.

He ran in last year’s renewal, where he could only manage a fourth-place finish, and it is hard to see him better that position this time around, given the likelihood of a pace burn-up

He is a good horse on his day, but he will need to return to his peak and find even more improvement to win here.

✅ A confidence-boosting win last time out
✅ Jumps well

❌ Will not be left alone out in front
❌ Could only manage fourth in this last season

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️

🐎 Bet on The Real Whacker with Spreadex 🐎

🏇 6 General En Chef

• Age: 8
• Weight: 11st 10lb
• Form: 1-3134
• Rating: 148
• Jockey: Benjamin Gelhay
• Trainer: Noel George & Amanda Zerrerholm
• Odds: 100/1

No current form gives General En Chef any hope of placing, let alone winning, a King George VI Chase.

He’s easily overlooked here.

✅ No to be found

❌ Out of his depth

Star rating: ⭐️

🐎 Bet on General En Chef with Ladbrokes 🐎

King George VI Chase Verdict

Irish runners have come away with two of the last three runnings of the King George VI Chase, and they have a strong chance of doing it again with Banbridge and SPILLANE’S TOWER, with a narrow preference for the Jimmy Mangan trained runner.

He has shown that he can already mix it with the best staying chasers out there, as seen when splitting the now Gold Cup favourite Fact To File and the two-time Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs.

That form gives him an edge on his rivals here, and if the ground doesn’t get too quick, this fast-improving staying chaser could be about to bag his first Grade 1 open chase.

You could make a case for many places here, but Banbridge and Corbetts Cross can fill the places.

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