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The festive period is one of the best times of the year for sports fans. There’s football on almost every day. The World Darts Championships unfolds at Alexandra Palace, and Tyson Fury will trade blows with Oleksandr Usyk, seeking to avenge his sole career defeat—while those who follow the action on the other side of the Atlantic can even enjoy the NBA and NFL on Christmas Day.
There’s a busy schedule for National Hunt racing, as well. The Christmas Festivals at Kempton Park and Leopardstown in Ireland keep jumps enthusiasts on the edge of their seats, with the prestigious King George VI Chase on Boxing Day one of the biggest contests of the year for the sport’s elite three milers.
This year’s King George (Antepost) market is headed by Spillane’s Tower, who made an encouraging start to the season when finishing runner up to Fact To File in the John Durkan, and Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning could be the six-year-old’s main danger.
With another highly-anticipated renewal on the cards, let’s take a look at the last five winners of the King George—securing their place in racing folklore.
Hewick – 2023
Well renowned for costing John ‘Shark’ Hanlon just £800 at auction, Hewick’s story is the stuff of legend in the National Hunt racing sphere.
Fan favourite Hewick took his career to the next level when landing last year’s King George, and increased his earnings to over a staggering £740,000.
In typical underdog fashion, he was sent off at 12/1 and looked well-beaten before Shishkin unseated Nico de Boinville and Hewick capitalised from the back of the field to beat Bravemansgame.
Bravemansgame – 2022
Once tipped as a future Gold Cup winner for trainer Paul Nicholls, Bravemansgame hasn’t exactly lived up to his expectations.
Nonetheless, while a victory in the Cheltenham feature has eluded him, the nine-year-old does boast a King George triumph.
Bravemansgame was the 11/4 second favourite for the 2022 renewal but won comfortably, beating Royale Pagaille by 14 lengths. It was a record-extending 13th win for Nicholls.
Tornado Flyer – 2021
Exactly 20 years on from his sole victory in the race with Florida Pearl in 2001, Willie Mullins enjoyed his second King George success with Tornado Flyer.
A 28/1 outsider in the horse racing odds, Danny Mullins drove his charge into the lead late on and was left clear on the run-in when his nearest rival and stablemate Asterion Forlonge fell heavily at the last.
The horse’s outside odds made him the biggest-priced win of the King George in the race’s long and storied history.
Fordon – 2020
Another of Nicholls’ long list of King George winners, Frodon caused a similar shock in 2020 when landing the prestigious contest at odds of 20/1.
The longshot jumped well and made all the running before going clear towards the last, always doing enough to hold off Waiting Patiently by over two lengths.
It was a historic renewal over the three-mile race, as Bryony Frost became the first female jockey to win the King George.
Clan Des Obeaux – 2018 & 2019
The third horse to win the King George on one or more occasions for Nicholls, Clan Des Obeaux secured back-to-back wins in 2019 and 2020.
Part-owned by football legend Sir Alex Ferguson, Clan Des Obeaux edged out 2016 winner Thistlecrack for his first victory at Kempton before romping home by 21 lengths 12 months later.
Clan Des Obeaux tried his hand at the King George twice more in 2020 and 2021 but was third to Frodon and second to Tornado Flyer. His consistency is to be admired, nonetheless.
