Boxing Day horse racing is a big highlight and after two days of no action all eyes turn to the King George VI Chase at Kempton. A race that’s been won by many greats over the years – including Desert Orchid and Kauto Star. But once the dust has settled on the 2023 renewal – just how many King George Chase winners go onto win the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
Do The King George Winners Have a Good Cheltenham Gold Cup Record?
The Boxing Day King George VI Chase is a race that the once-a-year festive punters try and find the Kempton winner.
However, the more seasoned racing fans will also have one eye on the King George Chase as a useful guide ahead of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Run later in the season at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Gold Cup in 2024 will be run on Friday 15th March and for a lot of the King George runners we can expect them to be heading straight to Prestbury.
While the horse that wins the 2023 King George VI Chase on Boxing Day at Kempton is also likely to shorten in the betting for the Gold Cup with the best UK horse racing betting sites.
We’ve Seen TEN King George VI Chase Winners Follow-up In The Gold Cup (Same Season)
Since the King George VI Chase was first run in 1937, horse racing fans have witnessed 10 horses win both the famous staying chases in the same season.
The first horse to record the double was Cottage Rake in the 1948/49 season. Trained by the legendary Vincent O’Brien and ridden both times by Aubrey Brabazon.
Mighty Arkle Did The Double In 1965/66
Limber Hill (1955/56) and Safron Tartan (1960/61) followed, then it was the turn of the mighty Arkle to add his name to the King George/Gold Cup double list in 1965/66.
This was Arkle’s sole King George VI Chase win, but he landed the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times between 1964 and 1966.
Captain Christy was next in 1974/75, then it was the well-known grey Desert Orchid who won both races in the same season. Dessie, of course, mopped up four King George VI Chase successes between 1986 and 1990. But his sole Gold Cup win came in his 1988/89 campaign – the same season he’d won his second King George.
The Henrietta Knight-trained Best Mate added his name in 2002/03. He landed just one King George during his career, but three Gold Cups in back-to-back years (2002-2004).
Kicking King in 2004/05 entered the winners’ enclosure for both races that season, just before Mr King George – Kauto Star did the same in 2006/07.
Kauto Star is the winning-most King George VI Chase horse with five wins and landed two Gold Cups.
The final horse to win both races was Long Run in 2010 and 2011. Trained by Nicky Henderson and he was ridden both times by Sam Waley-Cohen. Who was winning the races for his father Robert.
King George Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup Winners Listed
See below the 10 horses that won both the King George and Gold Cup in the same seasons.
- 1948/49 – Cottage Rake
- 1955/56 – Limber Hill
- 1960/61 – Saffron Tartan
- 1965/66 – Arkle
- 1974/75 – Captain Christy
- 1989/89 – Desert Orchid
- 2002/03 – Best Mate
- 2004/05 – Kicking King
- 2006/07 – Kauto Star
- 2010/11 – Long Run
The Last Horse To Win Both The King George and Cheltenham Gold Cup Was Long Run (Same Season)
We have to go back 13 seasons to 2010/11 to find the last horse to win both the King George VI Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup in the same season – LONG RUN.
This was the first of two King George wins for the Nicky Henderson runner (watch below) and the same season saw him record his only Gold Cup success.
Last 10 King George VI Chase Winners and Their Gold Cup Record
See below how the last 10 Kempton King George VI Chase winners fared that same season in the Gold Cup.
Might Bite (2017) and last year’s King George winner Bravemansgame (2022) both went onto finish second in the Gold Cup and have come the closest to breaking the current record of 13 years.
- 2022: Bravemansgame – 2nd
- 2021: Tornado Flyer – Pulled Up
- 2020: Frodon – 5th
- 2019: Clan Des Obeaux – 8th
- 2018: Clan Des Obeaux – 5th
- 2017: Might Bite – 2nd
- 2016: Thistlecrack – Didn’t Run
- 2015: Cue Card – Fell
- 2014: Silviniaco Conti – 7th
- 2013: Silviniaco Conti – 4th
King George VI Chase Betting For 2023
See below the latest King George VI Chase odds from leading bookmaker BetMGM, where you can also get a £40 free bet for staking your first £10.
- Allaho 13/8
- Bravemansgame 9/4
- Shishkin 4/1
- The Real Whacker 9/1
- Hewick 14/1
- Frodon 40/1
Note: Odds are subject to change.
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WATCH: Bravemansgame Winning The 2022 King George VI Chase
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