From King Of The Jungle To King Of Kempton
Harry Redknapp knows everything about sporting thrills and spills on Boxing Day, but absolutely nothing could have prepared him for the drama of Kempton Park, where The Jukebox Man stepped into the Champions League and left the previous Premier League supervisor holding the King George VI Chase prize up.
It was 12 months ago the apple of Redknapp and fitness instructor Ben Pauling's eye revealed himself as a high-level performer with victory on this really afternoon, and now was his time to show he belonged among the elite.
Dispatched at 7-1 after returning from injury in design at Haydock last month, Redknapp likened the challenge of handling the might of Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson in the Christmas showpiece to his days in the dugout handling 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 signing was in stellar kind, shrugging off his challengers in a performance that was inspired, ruthless and entirely brilliant in equal measure. After an age-long wait on the judge to deliver the decision by a nose, the previous 'King of the Jungle' from ITV's I'm a Celeb ... Get Me Out of Here! remained in no doubt where the minute ranked amongst his lots of sporting accomplishments.
He stated: "We had entered the Premier League with this horse which was fantastic, however today we went Champions League and we were handling the top groups, the Real Madrid, the Barcelona and we proved we can complete with them and win, it's an incredible feeling.
"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 unbelievable feeling at a football club, however I love racing and I love the video game and individuals in it - to have a winner like this is just fantastic.
"To have a horse that great boggles the mind. I like the game but to come here on King George day and simply run made me so happy - however to have the winner is special.
Harry Redknapp with the King George VI Chase trophy (Steven Paston for The Jockey Club/PA)
"I'm so lucky and everyone was leaping on me at the end, but I didn't even understand if I had won. Everyone else appeared so positive, however I wasn't sure. It was a dream when they called the winner. I got a big kiss from Sandra at the end as well and she thinks I just have that horse."
It remained in 2008 that the-then Portsmouth manager Redknapp raised the FA Cup aloft simply a brief drive around the M25 from Kempton at Wembley.
That Pompey squad possibly epitomized the 78-year-old's managerial 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 once again as his ₤ 70,000 purchase ignited more Cheltenham Festival dreams.
"What a race he has actually run and he's leapt incredible," said Redknapp. "When they came to him I believed he was beat and would complete 4th, but he's returned and the guts the horse has actually revealed 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 doesn't care which they all had us to beat. Ben Jones said he desires 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 then to come here today. He's been lucky for me and it's amazing truly. I do not think 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 pointer of why the race's put on the Boxing Day calendar is vital for the sport.
A titanic four-way battle after the last left numerous describing it as the finest renewal of the Grade One feature they have ever seen and on a day without any Premier League football in the afternoon, saw more than 17,000 yuletide revellers file through the turnstiles.
The Jukebox Man was the star of an excellent day of racing at Kempton (Steven Paston for The Jockey Club/PA)
Simon Durrant, basic manager at Kempton Park, said: "Today was a great example of everything 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 thrilled 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 great reward for all their hard work 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 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)."