2026 race details

The 2026 King George VI Chase is scheduled for Saturday 26 December 2026 at Kempton Park.

Detail	Value
Race date	Saturday 26 December 2026
Off time	TBA
Going	TBA
Field size
Distance	3 miles
Obstacles	18 fences
Prize fund	~£250,000

Trials and build-up

The road to the King George runs through two key autumn trials:

• Betfair Chase (Haydock Park, late November) — Grade 1 over 3 miles. The traditional King George prep for stayers.
• Tingle Creek Chase (Sandown, early December) — Grade 1 over 2 miles. Produces contenders who drop back to the minimum trip, but the stamina test at Kempton catches most out.

Five-day entries for the King George close around 21 December. Final declarations (48-hour) are published two days before the race. This page reflects the confirmed declared runners once they're posted — check back the morning of Boxing Day for the final field.

Ante-post markets

Bookmaker ante-post books on the King George open in the summer and firm up through the autumn trials. The race has produced short-priced favourites in recent years but also some notable upsets — Bristol De Mai's 2017 win (15/2) and Hogan's Height's 1998 shock come to mind. Each-way value is typically strongest in the 14-20 November window after the Betfair Chase gives a clearer picture of the stayers.

History and notable winners

First run in 1937, the King George VI Chase took its name from the then-reigning monarch and was established as the centrepiece of Kempton Park's Christmas programme. It was moved to its current Boxing Day slot in 1947 and has run every year since (bar a handful of weather-related cancellations), making it one of British racing's most reliable annual fixtures.

The legends

The roll of honour reads like a National Hunt hall of fame. Desert Orchid is the most decorated winner with four victories (1986, 1988, 1989, 1990) — Kempton's fast, flat track suited him perfectly and his grey frame crossing the line on Boxing Day became the defining image of 1980s British racing.

Kauto Star matched Desert Orchid's four-win tally between 2006 and 2011, the crowning achievement of Paul Nicholls' career and one of the most remarkable National Hunt returns of all time — after losing his 2009 crown to stablemate Long Run, Kauto Star reclaimed it in 2011 at age 11.

Other multiple winners include Wayward Lad (1982, 1983, 1985), Silver Buck (1979, 1980), and in the modern era Bristol De Mai (2018) and Clan Des Obeaux (2018, 2019).

What wins the King George

The Kempton track rewards a specific profile. Three miles on flat, fast ground suits horses who:

• Jump slickly at pace — 18 fences on a tight, turning course with no respite
• Travel on the bridle — the pace is genuine and the field doesn't bunch
• Have class at 2½m to 3m — too much stamina and they can't live with the pace; too little and they don't stay the final half-mile

NH horses bred for Cheltenham's Gold Cup don't always translate. Kauto Star did, Desert Orchid did, but plenty of Gold Cup winners have been beaten here and plenty of King George winners have been unseated at the top of Cheltenham's hill in March. It's its own race, with its own specialists.

Recent roll of honour

This section updates after each year's running — see /racing-news/ for the most recent race result article.

TV coverage and how to watch

The 2026 King George VI Chase is live on ITV1 (free-to-air in the UK).

UK terrestrial — ITV1 / ITVX

ITV Racing's Boxing Day coverage typically runs from approximately 12:30 on Boxing Day afternoon, carrying four races from Kempton plus cross-course action from Wetherby, Wolverhampton or Sedgefield depending on the meeting roster. The King George itself is usually off around 3:00pm–3:15pm; the exact off-time for 2026 is TBA once confirmed.

ITVX carries the coverage live and on demand after the event, free to UK viewers.

Racing TV

Racing TV carries the full Kempton card (six to seven races) with extended pre- and post-race analysis. If you want pre-race parade-ring detail, the returning-to-unsaddle walk-offs, and the post-race interviews, Racing TV is the richer feed. Subscription or day-pass required.

Sky Sports Racing

Sky Sports Racing does not hold rights to Kempton's King George card — coverage across UK courses on Boxing Day follows the BHA-negotiated split, with Kempton on Racing TV and ITV.

International

• Ireland: Racing TV (via UPC / Sky Ireland) or ITV if local rights apply.
• US: Racing TV's American feed and some OTB providers.
• Australia: Sky Thoroughbred Central carries selected UK Boxing Day races; confirm with your provider.

Replays

ITVX (free) and Racing TV (subscriber archive) keep the race available on-demand. The Racing Post and ITV Racing's own YouTube channels usually post the race video within hours of the result.

Off-time reminders

Boxing Day racing often has tighter-than-usual off-time discipline because of the TV schedule. Expect the advertised TBA to move by no more than 1–2 minutes unless a stewards' delay intervenes.

Raceday at Kempton

Getting there

Kempton Park is at Staines Road East, Sunbury-on-Thames, TW16 5AQ — 14 miles south-west of central London. The nearest station is Kempton Park (South Western Railway, two minutes' walk from the enclosure), served by direct trains from London Waterloo via Staines. Expect additional services on Boxing Day.

Drivers: Junction 1 of the M3, free on-course parking. Traffic around Sunbury can be heavy from mid-morning — allow extra time or arrive early and have lunch at the course.

The enclosures

Three tickets for the Christmas Festival:

• Premier Enclosure — best viewing, covered seating, access to parade ring and winner's enclosure. Dress code applies.
• Grandstand & Paddock — main public enclosure with good rail views and access to the paddock pre-race.
• Family Enclosure — budget option with children going free under 18.

Tickets for the Christmas Festival sell out fast — book by early December at the latest through kempton.thejockeyclub.co.uk.

On the day

• Gates open around 11:00am.
• First race is usually 12:15–12:30.
• The King George is race 3 or 4 on the card, typically off around TBA.
• Parade ring is busy 30 minutes before each race — worth being there for the King George to see the runners go through their pre-race routine.
• Parade of legends: Kempton often walks out retired King George winners before the main race as part of the Boxing Day tradition. Worth timing your return from the bar for.

Dress code

Premier Enclosure: smart casual (collared shirt for men, no ripped jeans or sportswear). Grandstand & Paddock and Family: no dress code — warm layers are the priority. Kempton in December can be genuinely cold; pack a scarf and gloves and don't skimp on footwear.

Food and drink

Multiple food outlets on-course from traditional pie-and-a-pint to hog roasts and street food trucks. Bars across all enclosures. No restrictions on bringing your own sandwich to the Grandstand & Paddock.

Betting

Tote facilities and on-course bookmakers across all enclosures. ATM cash machines on-site but expect queues — bring cash if you plan to bet at the rails. Our bookmaker comparison guide covers online alternatives if you'd rather place from the stand via your phone.