Harry Redknapp, owner of The Jukebox Man, compared his horse's victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton to reaching the Champions League after a thrilling three-way photo-finish. 'Today, we’ve gone into the Champions League,' said the former football manager. 'We got into the Premier League, which was fantastic, but today we were taking on the Real Madrids and Barcelonas and he proved he can compete with them and win against them.'
The race, described as an all-time classic, saw eight runners contest the Grade One steeplechase over three miles. The Jukebox Man, ridden by Ben Jones, edged out Gaelic Warrior and Banbridge by a nose and the same, with just half a length back to Jango Baie in fourth. Redknapp admitted he thought his horse was beaten when challenged at the final fence but praised his 'guts' for finding an extra effort.
Redknapp, who has owned horses since the 1980s, said the win ranks among his best achievements, alongside winning the FA Cup with Portsmouth in 2008. 'Football is my life, so when you are winning the FA Cup final for the fans it is an incredible feeling,' he said. 'To have a winner on the big stage is fantastic.'
Trainer Ben Pauling confirmed The Jukebox Man will now target the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, with no further races before the festival. 'What a very special day,' Pauling said. 'It really is the moment where you score the winning goal.'
