FOR pure emotion there can only be one winner of the festive cracker that is today’s Ladbrokes King George VI Chase – and that’s Jango Baie.
Merry Christmas everyone. I hope yesterday was a fantastic time for you and your families.
But for most of you reading this Boxing Day will be much more fun!
It’s movie stuff how Tony Barney – under the guise of his Countrywide Park Homes Ltd – came to own Jango Baie.
And today Barney has the chance to deny some of the biggest names – JP McManus and Rich Ricci – in the business with victory in one of the greatest jumps races in the calendar.
Every February is tough for the Barney family.
Their son, James, was killed in a car crash on the 23rd of February, 2008.
He was just 16.
To the day but 15 years later, Barney had a drink or two too many to down yearly sorrows and bought a horse at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale.
He was called Jango Baie and had the same initials as his son, although whether he had much knowledge of that is open to question!
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Nevertheless, it was an inspired purchase, and Jango Baie quickly established himself as a special horse.
A Grade 1-winning novice hurdler at Aintree, the Nicky Henderson-trained inmate would go on to land the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Looking outpaced throughout, he charged through the small field under an inspired Nico de Boinville to win going away.
Jango Baie went on to Aintree where he was defeated by Impaire et Passe and Gidleigh Park.
He suffered a small injury in that contest and subsequently got a screw put in a leg.
As a result, one might have expected him to need a comeback outing this term at Ascot in the 1965 Chase.
But he blitzed his rivals, which included Gidleigh Park and Il Est Francais, last year’s King George runner-up.
It appears pure class won Jango Baie the Arkle. And now up to a trip he’s probably always wanted he’s going to take a bit of beating.
This, though, is a deep-filled mince pie of a King George, live on ITV.
Taking on Jango Baie are the John Durkan one-two Gaelic Warrior and Fact to File, former Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase hero The Jukebox Man, Peterborough Chase romper Djelo as well as the first two from last year, Banbridge and Il Est Francais, who gets Harry Cobden on top for the first time.
A strong pace seems assured.
Il Est Francais will want to dominate, but so also might Gaelic Warrior and The Jukebox Man.
My gut feeling is the latter two will take a lead – Gaelic Warrior was held up when winning at Aintree in April – but only time will tell.
It’s very hard to split Gaelic Warrior and Fact to File, but it won’t surprise me at all if the latter reverses the Punchestown form.
The Jukebox Man has long looked top class and was only picked up late by Stellar Story in the 2024 Albert Bartlett.
He hacked up from Hyland in the Grade 1 novice here last year before an injury ended his season.
Returning at Haydock in November he looked to still have a huge future for Harry Redknapp, who will be more nervous than when he was once about 1-10 to become England manager!
The Kempton card is full of class, and the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle is due to mark the return of Sir Gino, who looked a monster when landing the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at this meeting last year.
Henderson’s class act had previously banged in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and returns over the smaller obstacles with a possible tilt at the Champion Hurdle waiting ahead.
He needs to score easily here – even against current Champion Golden Ace – to be right in the mix for Cheltenham.
Meanwhile, in this year’s Kauto Star I can’t way to see Salver and Wendigo, and it might just be the ground will be more suitable for the latter than the former.
Wendigo should have denied Wade Out at Worcester (asked for an effort too late) but put that behind him with a fine success at Newbury last time.
He’s exciting for Jamie Snowden and Gavin Sheehan, who two years ago won the King George on Hewick.
I hope you got all the presents you wanted on Christmas Day, but if not then at least there are plenty of goodies to unwrap at Kempton this afternoon.
Ho Ho Ho!
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