From King Of The Jungle To King Of Kempton
Harry Redknapp knows everything about sporting delights and spills on Boxing Day, but nothing might have prepared him for the drama of Kempton Park, where The Jukebox Man stepped into the Champions League and left the former Premier League supervisor holding the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase trophy aloft.
It was 12 months ago the apple of Redknapp and trainer Ben Pauling's eye announced himself as a top-level entertainer with success on this really afternoon, and now was his time to prove he belonged among the elite.
Dispatched at 7-1 after returning from injury in style at Haydock last month, Redknapp likened the difficulty of handling the might of Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson in the Christmas showpiece to his days in the dugout taking on some of Europe's best.
Harry Redknapp is mobbed after winning the King George VI with The Jukebox Man pic.twitter.com/oELRQtlpEa
- Adam Morgan (@Adam_Morgs) December 26, 2025
Redknapp' star finalizing remained in stellar type, shaking off his challengers in a performance that was motivated, relentless and entirely fantastic in equivalent measure. After an age-long wait on the judge to deliver the verdict by a nose, the former 'King of the Jungle' from ITV's I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! remained in no doubt where the moment ranked amongst his many sporting achievements.
He stated: "We had actually got into the Premier League with this horse which was fantastic, however today we went Champions League and we were handling the leading teams, the Real Madrid, the Barcelona and we proved we can contend with them and win, it's a remarkable sensation.
"This is right up there with my finest sporting achievements. Football has been my life and when you win a cup last for the fans it is an extraordinary feeling at a football club, but I love racing and I like the video game and individuals in it - to have a winner like this is simply wonderful.
"To have a horse that great boggles the mind. I love the video game however to come here on King George day and simply run made me so happy - however to have the winner is unique.
Harry Redknapp with the King George VI Chase prize (Steven Paston for The Jockey Club/PA)
"I'm so lucky and everyone was leaping on me at the end, however I didn't even understand if I had won. Everyone else appeared so confident, however I wasn't sure. It was a dream when they called the winner. I got a big kiss from Sandra at the end too and she thinks I only have that horse."
It remained in 2008 that the-then Portsmouth manager Redknapp raised the FA Cup aloft simply a short drive around the M25 from Kempton at Wembley.
That Pompey team perhaps epitomized the 78-year-old's supervisory profession, however after The Jukebox Man was made 7-1 by a number of companies for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the master of the transfer market appears to have actually worked his magic when again as his ₤ 70,000 purchase sparked more Cheltenham Festival dreams.
"What a race he has actually run and he's leapt incredible," said Redknapp. "When they pertained to him I believed he was beat and would complete fourth, but he's returned and the guts the horse has actually shown is simply amazing.
Harry Redknapp (centre) and group The Jukebox Man celebrate at Kempton (Steven Paston for The Jockey Club/PA)
"Ben has been so bullish about this horse and I'm asking him about the opposition, however he's just informing me he does not care and that they all had us to beat. Ben Jones stated he wants more cut and more distance, perhaps we get that in March?"
He went on: "I have actually had my best days with Ben. He trained Shakem Up'arry to win for me at the Cheltenham Festival which was a dream and after that to come here today. He's been lucky for me and it's amazing truly. I don't think we have actually had a bad horse together."
Set versus the backdrop of Kempton's much-publicised prospective closure, it was a King George which served a pointer of why the race's put on the Boxing Day calendar is important for the sport.
A titanic four-way fight after the last left lots of explaining it as the very best renewal of the Grade One feature they have actually ever seen and on a day without any Premier League football in the afternoon, saw more than 17,000 yuletide revellers submit through the gates.
The Jukebox Man was the star of a fantastic day of racing at Kempton (Steven Paston for The Jockey Club/PA)
Simon Durrant, basic manager at Kempton Park, said: "Today was a wonderful example of whatever that is terrific about jump racing in Britain.
"I'm happy for Harry Redknapp and all those connected with Ben Pauling's group and The Jukebox Man and I'm likewise happy for the group here at .
"To have more than 17,000 individuals through the gates, consisting of sold-out hospitality and Premier and Paddock enclosures, is a fantastic benefit for all their effort and long days in the build-up to Christmas and on the day today.
"While there has actually been a great deal of speculation about the future of this racecourse, our message to racegoers has always been that our focus continues to be on hosting racing here, both for next year and into the future, and tickets for next year's Ladbrokes Christmas Festival at Kempton Park go on sale on Monday (December 29th December)."