From King Of The Jungle To King Of Kempton
Harry Redknapp knows all about sporting thrills and spills on Boxing Day, however absolutely 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 prize up.
It was 12 months ago the apple of Redknapp and trainer Ben Pauling's eye announced himself as a high-level entertainer with triumph on this really afternoon, and now was his time to show he belonged among the elite.
Sent off at 7-1 after returning from injury in design at Haydock last month, Redknapp compared the difficulty of handling the might of Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson in the Christmas masterpiece to his days in the dugout taking on a few 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 signing remained in stellar type, shaking off his oppositions in a performance that was motivated, relentless and utterly fantastic in equivalent measure. After an age-long await the judge to deliver the decision by a nose, the previous 'King of the Jungle' from ITV's I'm a Star ... Get Me Out of Here! remained in no doubt where the moment ranked amongst his numerous sporting accomplishments.
He said: "We had actually got into the Premier League with this horse which was wonderful, but today we went Champions League and we were taking on the top teams, the Real Madrid, the Barcelona and we proved we can compete with them and win, it's a fantastic sensation.
"This is right up there with my best sporting accomplishments. Football has been my life and when you win a cup final for the fans it is an incredible sensation at a football club, but I love racing and I enjoy the video game and individuals in it - to have a winner like this is just wonderful.
"To have a horse that excellent boggles the mind. I love the game but to come here on King George day and simply run made me so proud - but 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 getting on me at the end, however I didn't even understand if I had won. Everyone else appeared so confident, but I wasn't sure. It was a dream when they called the winner. I got a huge kiss from Sandra at the end also and she believes I just have that horse."
It was in 2008 that the-then Portsmouth manager Redknapp raised the FA Cup up just a short drive around the M25 from Kempton at Wembley.
That Pompey team possibly represented the 78-year-old's supervisory career, but after The Jukebox Man was made 7-1 by a number of firms for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the master of the transfer market appears to have worked his magic when again as his ₤ 70,000 purchase sparked more Cheltenham Festival dreams.
"What a race he has run and he's leapt amazing," stated Redknapp. "When they pertained to him I thought he was beat and would finish fourth, however he's returned and the guts the horse has actually revealed is simply remarkable.
Harry Redknapp (centre) and team The Jukebox Man commemorate at Kempton (Steven Paston for The Jockey Club/PA)
"Ben has actually been so bullish about this horse and I'm asking him about the opposition, but he's just telling me he does not care which they all had us to beat. Ben Jones said he wants more cut and more range, perhaps we get that in March?"
He went on: "I've had my best days with Ben. He trained Shakem Up'arry to win for me at the Cheltenham Festival which was a dream and then to come here today. He's been lucky for me and it's incredible truly. I do not believe we've had a bad horse together."
Set against the backdrop of Kempton's much-publicised potential closure, it was a King George which served a suggestion of why the race's place on the Boxing Day calendar is vital for the sport.
A titanic four-way battle after the last left lots of explaining it as the very best renewal of the Grade One function they have actually ever seen and on a day with no Premier League football in the afternoon, saw more than 17,000 yuletide revellers submit through the turnstiles.
The Jukebox Man was the star of a fantastic day of racing at Kempton (Steven Paston for The Jockey Club/PA)
Simon Durrant, general supervisor at Kempton Park, stated: "Today was a great example of everything that is terrific about jump racing in Britain.
"I'm delighted for Harry Redknapp and all those connected with Ben Pauling's group and The Jukebox Man and I'm likewise for the team here at Kempton Park.
"To have more than 17,000 people through the gates, including sold-out hospitality and Premier and Paddock enclosures, is a wonderful benefit for all their difficult work and long days in the accumulation to Christmas and on the day today.
"While there has been a great deal of speculation about the future of this racecourse, our message to racegoers has actually constantly 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)."