As autumn turns to winter, fans of horse racing naturally look towards the famous King George VI Chase. The Boxing Day race has been a long-held tradition at Kempton racecourse, and this year every follower of jumps racing will be eagerly examining betting exchanges like Betdaq to try and determine which horse is going to win.
Over the years, there has been plenty of drama in the King George VI Chase, with exciting finishes and unlikely winners aplenty. It’s fair to say that the much-anticipated Kempton race has all the makings of another Christmas cracker in 2020, so as we begin the build-up to this year’s edition, let’s take a look back at the last five winners.
2015: Cue Card
In 2015 it was the year for Cue Card to emerge triumphant in the King George VI Chase, and it was no surprise given the thoroughbred’s immense pedigree in the sport. Now retired from racing, the Colin Tizzard-trained horse won 15 of his 33 races, including that memorable King George VI triumph five years ago. It took some doing too, as Cue Card was made to work for a hard-fought, narrow victory, with Paddy Brennan in the saddle.
2016: Thistlecrack
A year later, Thistlecrack would mark a fantastic year with victory in the famous Boxing Day race. It was a dominant performance, consigning Cue Card to second place with a fine display, which saw him streak clear and ultimately win with plenty to spare. It capped off a cracking 2016, a year in which Thistlecrack enjoyed an unbeaten run of seven wins from seven races. Tom Scudamore was in the saddle throughout, proving the value of having an outstanding horse and rider duo.
2017: Might Bite
2017 proved to be Nicky Henderson’s third win in the King George VI Chase as a trainer. Previously, victories for Long Run in 2010 and 2012 had given Henderson that taste of glory at Kempston, and Might Bite made it a hat-trick for the famous trainer. Ridden by Nico de Boinville, the horse and jockey delivered on their status of pre-race favourites, after holding off Double Shuffle and Tea for Two to claim the top prize.
2018: Clan Des Obeaux
Two years ago marked the beginning of Clan Des Obeaux’s period of supremacy at the King George VI Chase, delivering yet another victory in the race for trainer Paul Nicholls. Harry Cobden was the man in the saddle to deliver Nicholls’ first King George win since 2014, as Clan Des Obeaux denied second-placed Thistlecrack a second victory in the Boxing Day showpiece.
2019: Clan Des Obeaux
One year on and Clan Des Obeaux had repeated the trick. This time there was a difference though, as it was Sam Twiston-Davies in the saddle instead of usual rider Cobden. But this did not upset Nicholls’ prized asset, as he produced the goods once again to become the latest horse to win the King George VI Chase twice consecutively. The question is whether or not he can make it a third straight success in 2020.
