Former football manager Harry Redknapp declared his horse had entered the "Champions League" of racing after The Jukebox Man clinched a breathtaking victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Friday. In a finish that had the sell-out crowd of 17,000 on the edge of their seats, the seven-year-old fought back to win an extraordinary three-way photo-finish by the narrowest of margins.
A Race for the Ages at Kempton
The prestigious Grade One contest lived up to its billing, delivering one of the most thrilling conclusions in recent memory. Eight runners set off, and after a strong gallop set by Il Est Francais, the entire field was still tightly bunched turning for home. The drama intensified over the final three fences.
The Jukebox Man, ridden by jockey Ben Jones, jumped the third-last just ahead of the joint-favourites, Jango Baie and Gaelic Warrior. Last year's winner, Banbridge, joined the leading group at the second-last, setting up a monumental four-way battle. Meeting the final fence slightly awkwardly, The Jukebox Man seemed to lose crucial momentum.
However, the horse showed immense courage, finding a final surge to squeeze between Gaelic Warrior and Banbridge and get his nose down on the line. The official winning margin was a nose, with the same tiny distance back to the third. Jango Baie finished a close fourth, just half a length behind the winner.
Redknapp's Racing Dream Realised
An anxious Redknapp stepped away from the winner's enclosure crowd to await the judge's verdict alone. When the announcement confirmed his horse as the winner, a huge roar erupted around the Sunbury track. "It is a dream to have a horse that good," an elated Redknapp said afterwards.
He compared the achievement to his famous FA Cup win with Portsmouth in 2008. "Football is my life... but to have a winner on the big [racing] stage is fantastic," he stated. Redknapp also paid tribute to trainer Ben Pauling, with whom he has enjoyed a successful partnership since sending him his first horse eight years ago.
The victory marks another major highlight in Redknapp's long ownership career, which began in the 1980s, and follows the Cheltenham Festival success of Shakem Up'Arry in March 2024.
Gold Cup Awaits for Gutsy Winner
Having proven his elite status in what Redknapp dubbed a clash with "the Real Madrids and Barcelonas" of National Hunt racing, attention immediately turned to the sport's ultimate prize. Trainer Ben Pauling confirmed that The Jukebox Man will be aimed at the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March and will not run again before the Festival.
"What a very special day," Pauling reflected. "It really is the moment where you score the winning goal with a minute to go." He added that it would be "daft" not to go for the Gold Cup now, setting up a tantalising clash with the best chasers from Britain, Ireland, and France over the longer trip of three and a quarter miles.
The race also served as a magnificent advertisement for Kempton Park itself. Despite the ongoing threat of redevelopment hanging over the course, its unique, speed-favouring track produced a spectacle that will be remembered for years to come.
