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In a thrilling finale at Kempton Park, The Jukebox Man, owned by Harry Redknapp, surged at the last moment to secure a narrow win in the prestigious King George VI Chase. The Grade One event on Boxing Day culminated in a tight photo finish involving last year’s champion Banbridge and the 9-4 joint-favourite Gaelic Warrior. The race was fiercely competitive, with the leading trio approaching the final fence almost neck and neck before The Jukebox Man fought back expertly to clinch victory by a nose.
The horse, trained by Ben Pauling and ridden by Ben Jones, was initially third at the last obstacle but made a remarkable recovery to edge out the Joseph O’Brien-trained Banbridge, who finished second at 16-1 odds. Gaelic Warrior came in just behind in third place. Before the race began, Redknapp likened the event to the “Champions League” of horse racing. His triumph in the £142,375 prize race was a particularly emotional occasion for the 78-year-old former football manager, who retired in 2017.
Redknapp expressed his elation vividly after the win. “It is a dream, to have a horse that good is unbelievable,” he said. “I love the game that much. To come here on King George day and just run made me so proud, but to have the winner is special. I am so lucky.” Despite the intense final stages where joint-favourite Jango Baie fought hard but ultimately finished just behind, Redknapp praised the resilience shown by his horse. “The guts the horse has shown is just amazing,” he noted, reflecting on the tense moments after the race.
Earlier in the day, Sir Gino made a highly anticipated comeback by winning the Christmas Hurdle, having been sidelined for a year due to an infection. Trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville, Sir Gino dominated from the front to claim a six-length victory. Additionally, the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase was won by Kitzbuhel, who delivered a strong front-running effort under Paul Townend. The win marked trainer Willie Mullins’ first triumph in this race, with Thomas Mor and Wendigo taking second and third places respectively
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