Kempton Park’s Christmas Festival is one of the highlights of the jumps racing season, and this year’s meeting certainly didn’t disappoint for those who like to bet on horse racing.
The big names turned out for the historic festive period tradition, and punters flocked to the Surrey course in their numbers to witness some thrilling action across the two days.
From the Christmas Hurdle to the King George VI Chase and the Desert Orchid (plus more), let’s recap some of the big winners from the 2024 Christmas Festival.
Kauto Star Novices’ Chase – The Jukebox Man
The Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase has produced some fantastic horses, including multiple future Gold Cup winners, and Harry Redknapp’s The Jukebox Man looks like the latest thoroughbred to come off the conveyor belt of talent.
A game-winner on his first outing over fences in a Grade 2 contest at Newbury in November, the exciting six-year-old continued his progression for the in-form Ben Pauling team with a comfortable victory at Kempton.
The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival appears to now be the target, but The Jukebox Man could face stiff competition from the Willie Mullins-trained Ballyburn in March.
Christmas Hurdle – Constitution Hill
The star attraction on Boxing Day was Constitution Hill. Despite some being reserved about his first racecourse appearance in 12 months, the Nicky Henderson-trained stormed to a third Christmas Hurdle.
A clash with Mullins’ classy mare Lossiemouth had racing fans and pundits licking their lips, but it was ultimately a no contest in the end as Constitution Hill kept on from his rival for a two-and-a-half-length victory.
The eight-year-old is now as short as 4/7 to regain the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, while Lossiemouth is out to 7/1, having once been the favourite for the feature race.
King George VI Chase – Banbridge
One of the highlights of the entire season, the King George is one of the most prestigious races of the National Hunt campaign—and the 2024 renewal went to Joseph O’Brien.
The Irish dual-purpose handler only trains around 20 jumps horses but is quickly racking up an impressive CV, with Banbridge adding the King George to his Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase success at Aintree last season.
France’s Il Est Francais made the majority of the running but wasn’t fluent at the last fence, and Banbridge, under top jockey Paul Townend, capitalised to win by almost two lengths.
Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase – Sir Gino
A Grade 2 race only by status, the Wayward Lad on day two of the Christmas Festival has a remarkable roll of honour—including Sprinter Sacre, Altior, and Shishkin.
What do those multiple-time Grade 1 winners and this year’s champion, Sir Gino, have in common? They are all trained by none other than veteran Henderson.
It was the Seven Barrows’ star’s first outing over the larger obstacles, and he left no stone unturned with a convincing win over the highly-rated Ballyburn.
Desert Orchid Handicap Chase – Soul Icon
The feature race on the second day of the Christmas Festival, Soul Icon, caused a huge upset in the Grade 2 Desert Orchid Handicap Chase.
Ridden by defending Champion Jockey, Harry Cobden, Soul Icon trailed narrowly to Edwardstone at the last but emerged from the Surrey fog for a landmark victory for trainer Kieran Burke.
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