From King Of The Jungle To King Of Kempton

Harry Redknapp knows all about sporting delights and spills on Boxing Day, however nothing could have prepared him for the drama of Kempton Park, where The Jukebox Man entered the Champions League and left the former Premier League supervisor holding the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase trophy up.


It was 12 months ago the apple of Redknapp and trainer Ben Pauling's eye announced himself as a high-level entertainer with victory on this extremely 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 taking on the might of Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson in the Christmas showpiece to his days in the dugout handling a few of Europe's finest.


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 was in outstanding kind, shrugging off his oppositions in an efficiency that was motivated, relentless and entirely fantastic in equivalent procedure. After an age-long await the judge to provide 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 minute ranked among his numerous sporting accomplishments.


He said: "We had entered the Premier League with this horse which was fantastic, but today we went Champions League and we were taking on the leading teams, the Real Madrid, the Barcelona and we proved we can take on them and win, it's a remarkable sensation.


"This is right up there with my best sporting achievements. Football has actually been my life and when you win a cup last for the fans it is an unbelievable sensation at a football club, however I like racing and I like the game and individuals in it - to have a winner like this is just fantastic.


"To have a horse that great boggles the mind. I enjoy the video game however to come here on King George day and just run made me so happy - but to have the winner is special.


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 actually won. Everyone else appeared so positive, but I wasn't sure. It was a dream when they called the winner. I got a big kiss from Sandra at the end also and she believes I only have that horse."


It remained in 2008 that the-then Portsmouth supervisor Redknapp raised the FA Cup up simply a brief drive around the M25 from Kempton at Wembley.


That Pompey squad possibly epitomized the 78-year-old's managerial profession, 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 once again as his ₤ 70,000 purchase fired up more Cheltenham Festival dreams.


"What a race he has actually run and he's leapt unbelievable," stated Redknapp. "When they concerned him I thought he was beat and would finish 4th, however he's come again and the guts the horse has shown is just amazing.


(centre) and team The Jukebox Man commemorate 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 simply informing me he doesn't care which they all had us to beat. Ben Jones said he desires more cut and more range, maybe 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 after that to come here today. He's been fortunate for me and it's fantastic truly. I do not think we've had a bad horse together."


Set versus the backdrop of Kempton's much-publicised potential closure, it was a King George which served a tip of why the race's location on the Boxing Day calendar is important for the sport.


A titanic four-way battle after the last left numerous explaining it as the very best renewal of the Grade One function they have ever seen and on a day without any 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 terrific day of racing at Kempton (Steven Paston for The Jockey Club/PA)


Simon Durrant, general supervisor at Kempton Park, stated: "Today was a fantastic example of whatever that is great about dive racing in Britain.


"I'm pleased for Harry Redknapp and all those gotten in touch with Ben Pauling's team and The Jukebox Man and I'm likewise delighted for the group here at Kempton Park.


"To have more than 17,000 individuals through evictions, including sold-out hospitality and Premier and Paddock enclosures, is a fantastic benefit for all their tough work and long days in the accumulation 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 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)."