Founder & Editor · Last reviewed 2026-10-09
King George VI Chase 2026
The King George VI Chase at Kempton Park is the Boxing Day highlight of the jumps season: the mid-season three-mile chasing championship, second only to the Cheltenham Gold Cup among Britain's staying chases. It shares the card with the Christmas Hurdle, a Grade 1 for the top two-mile hurdlers, and this page covers both.
For 2026 the King George is scheduled for Saturday 26 December 2026, the first day of Kempton's two-day Christmas meeting. The off time, the going and the declared runners are confirmed in race week, and this page adds the off time and going as they are published.
At a glance
- Course: Kempton Park, Surrey
- Grade: Grade 1
- Distance: 3m
- Age: 4yo+
- First run: 1937
- Also on the card: the Christmas Hurdle, Grade 1 over 2m
Below: the 2026 details, the recent winners of both races, how to watch, and the day out. Our King George course guide and the full King George roll of honour have more of the race's history, and the Kempton Park course guide covers the track.
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2026 race details
2026 race details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Race date | Saturday 26 December 2026 |
| Off time | TBA |
| Going | TBA |
| Field size | TBA |
| Distance | 3m |
| Grade | Grade 1 |
| Age | 4yo+ |
Final declarations are made two days before the race, and the off time and going above update once they are published.
Where the race fits
Kempton's sharp, flat track suits a slick-jumping chaser more than a pure stayer. The same day brings the Formby Novices' Hurdle at Aintree, Leopardstown's Christmas Festival starts in Ireland, and the Welsh Grand National follows at Chepstow. Earlier in the season the Betfair Chase at Haydock is the first Grade 1 staying chase in Britain. Our festivals and big races board lists every big race coming up, soonest first.
On race morning the AI race predictor publishes its ratings and fair prices for every British race, the King George included. The box below fills in on the day with the model's top-rated runner in the King George and its fair price, then shows how that runner finished. Every earlier box is listed with its result, losers included, and the track record covers every race the model prices.
Recent winners and trends
Recent winners and trends
King George VI Chase: Recent Winners
Grade 1 · 3m · 4yo+ · Kempton · December (Boxing Day)
| Year | Winner | Age | SP | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The Jukebox Man | 7 | 7/1 | Ben Jones | Ben Pauling |
| 2024 | Banbridge | 8 | 7/1 | Paul Townend | Joseph O'Brien |
| 2023 | Hewick | 8 | 12/1 | Gavin Sheehan | John Joseph Hanlon |
| 2022 | Bravemansgame | 7 | 11/4 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| 2021 | Tornado Flyer | 8 | 28/1 | Danny Mullins | Willie Mullins |
| 2020 | Frodon | 8 | 20/1 | Bryony Frost | Paul Nicholls |
| 2019 | Clan Des Obeaux | 7 | 11/2 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Paul Nicholls |
| 2018 | Clan Des Obeaux | 6 | 12/1 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| 2017 | Might Bite | 8 | 6/4f | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2016 | Thistlecrack | 8 | 11/10f | Tom Scudamore | Colin Tizzard |
Trends
- Paul Nicholls has an exceptional record (13 wins; Clan des Obeaux x2, Frodon, Bravemansgame, Silviniaco Conti recently).
- Kempton's sharp, flat track suits a slick-jumping, speedier chaser more than a pure Cheltenham stayer.
Source-verified from official records. Last checked 2026-07-01.
The trends
Winning age
- 7yo
- 35%
- 8yo
- 31%
- 9yo
- 13%
- 6yo
- 11%
Age known for 54 of 54 winners (1971–2025)
Market
- Won at 10/1 or bigger
- 26%
- Won at 5/1 or shorter
- 63%
Starting price known for 38 of 54 winners (1971–2025)
Trainers & jockeys
- Most successful trainer
- Paul Nicholls (13)
- Most successful jockey
- Ruby Walsh (5)
54 runnings (1971–2025)
The Christmas Hurdle
The Christmas Hurdle
The Christmas Hurdle is a Grade 1 hurdle over 2m for horses aged four and over, on the same Boxing Day card as the King George.
Christmas Hurdle: Recent Winners
Grade 1 · 2m · 4yo+ · Kempton · December (Boxing Day)
| Year | Winner | Age | SP | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sir Gino | 5 | 4/7f | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2024 | Constitution Hill | 7 | 5/6f | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2023 | Constitution Hill | 6 | 1/12f | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2022 | Constitution Hill | 5 | 1/7f | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2021 | Epatante | 7 | 4/5f | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2020 | Silver Streak | 7 | 13/2 | Adam Wedge | Evan Williams |
| 2019 | Epatante | 5 | 2/1jf | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2018 | Verdana Blue | 6 | 11/2 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2017 | Buveur D'Air | 6 | 2/11f | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2016 | Yanworth | 6 | 5/4f | Barry Geraghty | Alan King |
Trends
- The returned favourite (joint favourites included) won 8 of the 10 runnings from 2016 to 2025.
- Nicky Henderson trained eight of the ten winners from 2016 to 2025.
- Every winner from 2016 to 2025 was aged five to seven.
- Field sizes ran from 4 to 10 runners in 2016 to 2025.
Source-verified from official records. Last checked 2026-10-08.
The trends
Winning age
- 6yo
- 40%
- 5yo
- 30%
- 7yo
- 30%
Age known for 10 of 10 winners (2016–2025)
Market
- Started favourite
- 80%
- Won at 10/1 or bigger
- 0%
- Won at 5/1 or shorter
- 80%
Starting price known for 10 of 10 winners (2016–2025)
Trainers & jockeys
- Most successful trainer
- Nicky Henderson (8)
- Most successful jockey
- Nico de Boinville (6)
10 runnings (2016–2025)
The records
The records
- King George, most wins by a horse: Kauto Star, five (2006 to 2009, and 2011).
- King George, leading trainer: Paul Nicholls, with thirteen wins; Clan des Obeaux, Frodon, Bravemansgame and Silviniaco Conti are among the recent ones.
- Christmas Hurdle, most wins by a horse: Constitution Hill, three (2022, 2023 and 2024).
- Christmas Hurdle, leading trainer: Nicky Henderson, with fourteen wins since 1969; Nico de Boinville has ridden six winners.
- A Champion Hurdle pointer: six Christmas Hurdle winners have gone on to win the Champion Hurdle, most recently Epatante and Constitution Hill.
How to watch and where to bet
How to watch and where to bet
The television listing and the off time are confirmed in race week, when the declarations are out. This page shows the off time above as soon as it is published.
Two things are worth checking before you bet:
- Free bets and their terms. Check the minimum odds and the expiry before you claim. Our free bet offers page compares them.
- Best odds guaranteed. Prices move once the going is known. A BOG bookmaker pays the starting price if it is bigger than the price you took. See our best BOG bookmakers.
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Raceday at Kempton Park
Raceday at Kempton Park
King George day is one of the busiest days of the year at Kempton, and Boxing Day crowds are big. Book ahead, and allow extra time for holiday travel.
For getting there and the enclosures, read our King George day at Kempton guide and the day out at Kempton Park guide.
Results go on this page within 24 hours of the race, and the full card's results are on our racing results page the same evening.
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Read morePhotos on this page are used under Creative Commons licences. Titles, sources and licence links for each one are on our image credits page.
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