Date: Friday 26th December 2025
The King George looks a really strong renewal this year and the usual trends again point towards a younger Grade 1 chaser with enough pace for Kempton and proven three-mile form.
Most recent winners were aged between six and eight, almost all had already run this season and nearly all brought proper Grade 1 class into the race. Course form remains a major plus, but the market does not always fully account for a horse arriving at Kempton on a steep upward curve.
That is exactly why The Jukebox Man makes so much appeal this year.
These are the three that come out strongest on the Turf Talk figures.
TURF TALK RATINGS - LEADING CONTENDERS
| Horse | Turf Talk Rating |
|---|---|
| The Jukebox Man | 224 |
| Gaelic Warrior | 221 |
| Fact To File | 217 |
| Djelo | 205 |
| Banbridge | 198 |
The ratings favour the younger, progressive chasers and place slightly more emphasis on upward momentum than on established star status alone.
MAIN SELECTION
The Jukebox Man (7/1 available)
He comes out top on the figures and looks the most interesting horse in the race at the prices.
He fits the age trend perfectly, arrives here in the right form window and already has the profile of a horse still progressing into this level rather than trying to cling on to it. His recent Haydock win put him right in the picture and he looks the type who could really take to Kempton.
In a race where the market naturally centres on the bigger names, he looks the one most likely to come through them.
BACKUP SELECTION 1
Gaelic Warrior (5/2 available)
The obvious class horse in the race and one with more than enough talent to win it.
He has the rating and Grade 1 form to sit right at the head of the market, but at the prices he looks a little more exposed than the selection. If he brings his best he is a major threat, but the value lies elsewhere.
BACKUP SELECTION 2
Fact To File (7/2 available)
Another serious player with enough class to go very close.
He has the form and the rating to be a major factor and his profile fits much of what the race demands. He may not be quite as well suited to the exact shape of this race as the selection, but he is still very hard to leave out of the shortlist.
SUMMARY
The Jukebox Man heads the ratings as the most appealing progressive angle in the race, with Gaelic Warrior the obvious class threat and Fact To File another major contender in what looks a very strong King George on paper. Even before these ratings came out, I was only ever having one bet today. It can be a dangerous day with so many meetings but one maximum each way bet on The Jukebox Man is my only advice.
