2025 King George VI Chase News - Quotes from connections

Jon Vine

Editor

Last updated: Tue 23 Dec 2025 15:29

Share

Jon Vine 23 Dec 2025

Share this article

Quotes from connections ahead of the 2025 King George VI Chase
This Grade One takes place at Kempton on Friday 26th December
Read quotes from Patrick Mullins, Nicky Henderson, Ben Pauling and more

Nicky Henderson speaking to the press. (Getty)

Key Quotes

2025 King George VI Chase News - Quotes From Connections
Patrick Mullins (Assistant trainer for Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File)
Nicky Henderson (Jango Baie)
The Jukebox Man (Ben Pauling)
Joseph O'Brien (Banbridge)
Sean Bowen (Jockey of Banbridge)
Charlie Deutsch (Jockey of Djelo)
Tom George (Il Est Francais)
Willy Twiston-Davies (Master Chewy)

Quotes from connections ahead of the 2025 King George VI Chase, which takes place at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Read what the connections of this year's contenders have had to say, before eight top chasers contest the race of the season so far.

2025 King George VI Chase News - Quotes From Connections

Patrick Mullins (Assistant trainer for Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File)

I thought the John Durkan was a great race, the way it was set up was so unusual, to get the two best horses over that distance in Ireland to clash like that.

The worry was would it leave a mark. I ride Gaelic Warrior at home and he’s tanking around like he always was and they are very happy with Fact To File, too.

The thing about it is neither of them came off the bridle until after the second-last and the sticks weren’t drawn until after the last, so they only had to really race for two furlongs.

They are two very good horses, it’s a hard one to call, they are maybe not what you’d write as a three-mile chaser, as they both like to get on with it. It will be fascinating to watch the two of them around Kempton.

Nicky Henderson (Jango Baie)

He jumped well and travelled well (In the 1965 Chase at Ascot) and what I did like is how he picked up from the last and went away. He’s got a gear and even had a gear over two miles and he’s got the pace to be in the race because he can travel as well.

Poor Il Est Francais wasn’t the same horse as he was in the King George or the Feltham (Kauto Star Novices’ Chase) the year before and he didn’t run his race. But then if Paul (Nicholls) thinks Pic D’Orhy has run his race then ours has to be a seriously good performance.

Gidleigh Park is another people might question, but I think he is a lovely horse and he was second. When we met before there wasn’t much between us and we finished lame actually.

All of a sudden you could pick a hole in it and that’s me playing devil’s advocate. You could ask what did he beat on the day, but I’m hoping that is not true and it proves to be a great performance.

The Jukebox Man (Ben Pauling)

We're going to Kempton with a horse we have huge faith in and couldn't have in any better shape. We weren't ready for Haydock, but he showed his exuberance and showed that he's still a power-packed package of aggression and ability. He displayed those attributes superbly well at Haydock and has come out of it looking a million dollars.

Kempton is made for him, and the faster they go the better. If you asked me where I'd like to run The Jukebox Man it'd be at Kempton over three miles. I've no intention of getting involved in any ding-dongs up front, but we won't be giving them more than five lengths.

It's the best King George we've seen in a long time. Last year's winner Banbridge is 20-1 and there are as many as seven who could win it, when usually it's between two. It's got strength in depth, rising stars and horses at the top of their game. It's a proper race and I'm delighted to be involved.

It's going to be one of the best King Georges we've seen in a long time, and if Fact To File and Gaelic Warrior come it's going to be a proper humdinger.

Joseph O'Brien (Banbridge)

He had two good runs heading into Kempton last year. He's had one this year and his reappearance was probably similar to his reappearance last year. We think he's come forward well for that run and he'll enjoy going back up in distance on better ground.

He's going to probably get a visor for the first time and we're looking forward to competing in a particularly strong King George. He's an older horse and needs to focus, particularly in a race like that when every stride counts.

Sean Bowen (Jockey of Banbridge)

I don't think I've ridden for him, so it's nice to get the call. It was mentioned last year that I may ride him and then I went to Aintree. I'd love to have been riding him last year when he won, so hopefully we can do it again this year.

Look, I ride for Olly and I go where his horses go, and that's where I had to be last Boxing Day, so luckily this year we can go to the best meeting on Boxing Day, and be riding in the best races. It'd be nice to ride a winner of the King George, or at least a winner on King George day, anyway.

He's a winner of the race, so it's good to be riding a horse who's won the race before. Looking at the race this year it looks like he's going to need to step up on what he did last year, but it's nice to be riding a previous winner.

You want to be riding in the big races and you want to be winning the big races.

undefined — Paul Townend riding Banbridge (R, red cap) clear the last to win The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase from James Reveley and Il Est Francais. (Getty)

Charlie Deutsch (Jockey of Djelo)

His performances this season have given us a lot of confidence in him, that’s for certain. His Charlie Hall win was particularly impressive, as was his last one.

He likes a flat track, so I’m going into the race with confidence in him and what he could be capable of producing. This is going to be his biggest test and it looks like it’s going to be a good-quality King George.

Tom George (Il Est Francais)

We've changed things around a bit. We’ve done a lot more schooling with him, which has really lit him up. Obviously, what happened at Ascot wasn’t what we were looking for, but we’ve got to put that one behind us, and the preparation he had last year (when stopping quickly at Auteuil) was probably even worse.

Noel actually rode him this morning, we gave him a bit of a jolly around the farm. He said you couldn’t have him looking and feeling any better. Everyone is happy with him. We just have to hope he’s back to where he has been the last two times he’s been to Kempton.

It’s hard to know, because we thought going to Ascot we had him as good as we could, but in the last ten days he’s been different again. Noel hadn’t ridden him for six months and he came back in with a big smile on his face. He said you can’t do any more, it’s up to the horse now.

Willy Twiston-Davies (Master Chewy)

We were really pleased with Master Chewy’s run at Aintree, he was a bit keen and gassy early on which was to be expected and we’ll plot back now from the King George.

It looks a race well-made for him and he loves right-handed tracks and he’s won around Kempton so he will have a quiet run somewhere now, even if it’s back over hurdles as he’s still a novice over hurdles and then head for the King George.

It’s a race the owners, myself, Sam and dad are all in agreement we’d like to give a go.

A lot of ours have been needing the run and he had a good, healthy blow afterwards at Aintree so I’m hoping he will step forward quite considerably and three miles round Kempton, it could just be the right time to try it.