Irish raider Bainbridge pounced late on Il Est Francais, who had led from flag fall till the ultimate fence, to high the Ladbrokes King George VI outcomes at Kempton at the moment (26 December).
The Joseph O’Brien-trained eight-year-old, who’s owned by long-term racing supporter Ronnie Bartlett, was ridden by Paul Townend at the moment. It was a well-executed plan by the coach and connections as this race grew to become this horse’s goal after his Champion Chase win at Punchestown in April.
“It’s dream stuff to win a King George,” stated Mr O’Brien, son of the nice coach, Aidan. “It’s actually particular and I grew up watching races like this. Paul gave him an important trip and I really feel a bit for JJ [Slevin], who has an affiliation with the horse however had commitments in Eire.
“It’s a particular win – he’s been a particular horse for numerous years and is such a dream. Pace is emphasised right here greater than some locations and I believe that panned out effectively for him, however I did suppose Il Est Francais had gone and received. Paul acquired him into an important rhythm which helped him to remain.”
Paul Townend stated: “I felt I might catch Il Est Francais – I believed it was actually on on the second-last.”
Previous to at the moment, the final time Banbridge ran over three miles was when ending twelfth of 14 runners within the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in April 2022.
“Stamina was a query mark going into this so I used to be acutely aware to maintain a maintain of him,” continued Paul.”
French runner Il Est Francais, who received the Grade One Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on this present day final yr for trainers Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, house owners Richard Kelvin-Hughes and Hara De Saint-Voir and jockey James Reveley, put appreciable distance between himself and the remainder of the sector for almost all of this yr’s King George VI. His leaping was exemplary, bar the final, the place he acquired in a bit of tight, which value him momentum and gave the benefit to the fast-approaching Banbridge.
“It’s a disgrace as a result of he pinged each fence however he was working out of petrol two out and I couldn’t ask him for a giant one on the final, however I nonetheless felt I would win,” defined James, who finally completed second, 1¾ lengths down. “He ran his coronary heart out.”
The Venetia Williams-trained L’Homme Presse run an important race to complete 11¾ lengths behind the winner in third below Charlie Deutsch. This was a valiant efficiency by this nine-year-old, owned by Dfa Racing, having final been seen ending fourth on this yr’s Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
“He ran rather well on his first run again,” stated Charlie. “The entrance two managed to maintain going however he ran all the way in which to the road and I used to be over the moon with him.”
The 11/4 favorite, Spillane’s Tower, who’s six years previous, ran a bit of greenly below Mark Walsh for coach James Joseph Mangan to complete fifth within the King George VI outcomes, whereas The Actual Whacker ran a strong race below Gavin Sheehan for coach Patrick Neville to complete fourth.
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