WILLIE Mullins has declared both Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on December 26th. Both horses are disputing favouritism for the three-mile chase, having fought out an unforgettable duel in the Durkan Chase at Punchestown last month.

Gaelic Warrior emerged on top on that occasion and will again have the services of Paul Townend at Kempton. Fact To File will be ridden, as usual, by Mark Walsh, retained rider for owner J.P. McManus.

It's by no means a two-horse race as both Jango Baie and The Jukebox Man lead the home defence. Nicky Henderson's Jango Baie won the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham last season and was very impressive in a Grade 2 chase at Ascot already this season over two and a half miles. The Jukebox Man was a Grade 1 winner on this Kempton card last year and he too made an impressive return to action last month.

Almost forgotten is last year's King George winner, Banbridge, trained by Joseph O'Brien. British champion jockey Sean Bowen has been booked for the ride.

The Venetia Williams-trained Djelo will also have his supporters, having won the Peterborough Chase easily last time out. Williams won this festive prize with Teeton Mill in 1998 and has saddled both L’Homme Presse and Royale Pagaille to run well in defeat in recent years.

Also in the line-up is last season’s runner-up Il Est Francais, with Harry Cobden taking over. Now trained by Tom George, having dazzled at the track for his son Noel and Amanda Zetterholm in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase in 2023, he cut a bold sight from the front when attempting to make all in the King George 12 months ago.

The line-up is completed by Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies’ Master Chewy, with Gordon Elliott’s Croke Park the only one not declared from the nine who went forward from Saturday’s confirmation stage.

Six will line up in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle, headed by Henderson’s unbeaten Sir Gino, current champion hurdler Golden Ace and the Sam Thomas-trained Celtic Dino.

Willie Mullins runs Kitzbuhel rather than Jimmy Du Seuill in the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase against Salver and Wendigo.

RUNNERS AND RIDERS FOR KEMPTON ON DECEMBER 26th

2:30pm Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (Grade 1) 3m

1 Banbridge (IRE) v 9 11 10 Mr R. A. Bartlett Joseph Patrick O'Brien Ireland Sean Bowen

2 Djelo (FR) 7 11 10 Mr P. Davies Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch

3 Fact To File (FR) 8 11 10 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland Mark Walsh

4 Gaelic Warrior (GER) h,ts 7 11 10 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend

5 Il Est Francais (FR) 7 11 10 Mr & Mrs R. Kelvin-Hughes Tom George Harry Cobden

6 Jango Baie (FR) 6 11 10 Countrywide Park Homes Ltd Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville

7 Master Chewy (IRE) 8 11 10 Anne-Marie & Jamie Shepperd Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies

8 The Jukebox Man (IRE) 7 11 10 Mr Harry Redknapp Ben Pauling Ben Jones

Latest odds: 5/2 Gaelic Warrior, 11/4 Fact To File, 11/4 Jango Baie, 13/2 The Jukebox Man, 14/1 Djelo, 16/1 Banbridge, 18/1 Il Est Francais, 125/1 Master Chewy

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