Every Christmas, in both Ireland and the UK, the eyes of the racing world focus squarely on Kempton. Second to only the Cheltenham Gold Cup in importance, the King George VI Chase is a race that every national hunt trainer would love to win. In this King George VI Chase betting guide we outline the best bookies for the race and we look back at some of the previous winners too. Our experts also discuss the 2025 King George VI Chase and give their thoughts on the prospects of the main contenders. You will find some superb King George VI Chase betting promotions too, so make sure you keep on reading!
Best King George VI Chase Online Bookmakers
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2025 King George VI Chase-The Main Contenders
Might Bite
- Age: 9yo.
- Trainer: Nicky Henderson.
With an official chase rating of 172, Might Bite is the second highest rated chaser in the UK and Ireland behind his Gold Cup conqueror Native River. Might Bite won the King George VI Chase at Kempton in 2017, beating Double Shuffle by a length. He has been a huge star over fences for the past couple of seasons and he has won 7 of his last 8 completions. He is versatile when it comes to ground conditions and Nico de Boinville gets on very well with him. Nicky Henderson is sure to have Might Bite primed to defend his crown before he heads to Cheltenham in March for another crack at the big one, and it is no surprise to see him as the clear favourite at odds of 5/2 with William Hill.
Best Might Bite Ante-Post King George VI Chase Odds: 5/2 William Hill
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Waiting Patiently
- Age: 7yo.
- Trainer: Ruth Jefferson.
This son of Flemensfirth is probably one of the best named horses in training, as connections have been very patient with him. Now trained by Ruth Jefferson after the passing of her Dad Malcom, Waiting Patiently is a chaser with massive potential. He has had just 9 career starts, with 6 of those coming over fences, and he remains unbeaten as a chaser. He has won at Listed, Grade 2 and Grade 1 level and he defeated Cue Card on his last outing. However, he swerved Cheltenham and missed Aintree with a slight setback, so it remains to be seen how he recovers. If Jefferson gets him back to his best he is a massively exciting prospect and Waiting Patiently can be backed at odds of 7/1 with BetVictor.
Best Waiting Patiently Ante-Post King George VI Chase Odds: 7/1 BetVictor[select_bonuses object=”10″ bonus=”1444″]
Native River
- Age: 8yo.
- Trainer: Colin Tizzard.
Now rated the best chaser in racing with an official mark of 176, Native River is a special horse. He was an excellent 3rd to Sizing John in the 2017 Gold Cup and he made amends in great style when beating Might Bite by over 4L in the 2025 renewal. Colin Tizzard’s son of Indian River has been unbelievably consistent over fences, winning 8 of 13 starts and never finishing out of the first three. However, the worry for Native River’s supporters is the nature of the Kempton track as it is more suited to speedier horses than out and out stayers. However, if he runs he could go well and his odds of 12/1 with Paddy Power look very generous.
Best Native River Ante-Post King George VI Chase Odds: 12/1 Paddy Power[select_bonuses object=”20″ bonus=”1402″]
Douvan
- Age: 8yo.
- Trainer: Willie Mullins.
Douvan is a horse that has captured the imagination of the racing public with some breathtaking displays of jumping. However, last season didn’t go to plan for the son of Walk In The Park and he could only manage 2nd behind Un De Sceaux in the Irish Champion Chase over two miles. He was tanking when he fell in the Champion Chase on his previous start at Cheltenham, but the fact remains he failed to win both starts last season. All his best form is over 16f or 17f and he would be taking a huge leap into the unknown stamina wise if he showed up here. If he is ever going to get 3 miles it will be at a flat track like Kempton and Douvan is sure to have his supporters.
Footpad
- Age: 6yo.
- Trainer: Willie Mullins.
This 6yo son of Creachadoir is another two mile specialist who could be tried over much further this season. Footpad was 5/5 over fences at 16f/17f in 2017/18, culminating in a spectacular victory in the Arkle at Cheltenham. He has made up into a much better chaser than hurdler and he has already won four Grade 1s. However, just like his stablemate Douvan, Footpad has yet to race further than 17f over the large obstacles, though he has a couple of wins in France over hurdles at 20f. On a flat track like Kempton this quick and accurate jumper could lead them on a merry dance, and if he gets the trip he could be a danger to all at odds of 16/1 with Betfair.
Best Footpad Ante-Post King George VI Chase Odds: 16/1 Betfair
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King George VI Chase Odds 2025
2025 King George VI Chase Ante-Post Odds
|
Horse |
bet365 |
Betfair |
Paddy Power |
|
Might Bite |
2/1 |
9/4 |
9/4 |
|
Waiting Patiently |
6/1 |
7/1 |
6/1 |
|
Native River |
8/1 |
12/1 |
12/1 |
|
Douvan |
10/1 |
11/1 |
10/1 |
|
Footpad |
10/1 |
16/1 |
16/1 |
|
Altior |
10/1 |
16/1 |
16/1 |
|
Presenting Percy |
14/1 |
16/1 |
16/1 |
2025 King George VI Chase Tip
If the bookies are to be believed, the 2025 King George VI Chase looks like it is Might Bite’s to lose. He is undeniably the one to beat as he won here last year, and he is clearly suited by Kempton. However, another horse at a huge price also seems to come alive at Kempton, last year’s runner up Double Shuffle. Tom George’s 8yo son of Milan has form figures of 122 at Kempton, he goes on ground ranging from good to soft and at odds of 40/1 with Bet365 he is worth chancing each way for the King George VI Chase in 2025.
Sportsbetting24 2025 King George VI Chase Tip: Double Shuffle E/W @ 40/1 Betfred
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King George VI Chase Betting Tips and Trends
As is the case with any horse race, there are patterns and trends that are usually well worth paying heed to. The King George VI Chase field can be narrowed using a number of parameters and following trends can be a good way to find the most likely winner. Things like age, previous course form and trainer/jockey combinations are all worth watching out for. Our horse racing experts reveal some useful trends to look out for in the King George VI Chase below….
King George VI Chase Trends
- Since 2003 only one horse aged older than 9yo has won the King George VI Chase, Kauto Star at the age of 11.
- That suggests it pays to stick to horses aged 9yo or younger.
- The old saying ‘horses for courses’ certainly rings true for the King George VI Chase so look out for horses with good Kempton form in the book.
- Shocks are rare in the King George VI Chase but plenty of horses have been placed at big prices, so each way value can be found.
- Nicky Henderson, Colin Tizzard and Paul Nicholls have dominated the King George VI Chase in recent years, so they are three trainers to follow.
Last 10 King George VI Chase Winners
|
Horse |
Trainer |
Jockey |
Age |
|
Might Bite |
Nicky Henderson |
Nico de Boinville |
8yo |
|
Thistlecrack |
Colin Tizzard |
Tom Scudamore |
8yo |
|
Cue Card |
Colin Tizzard |
Paddy Brennan |
9yo |
|
Silviniaco Conti |
Paul Nicholls |
Noel Fehily |
8yo |
|
Silviniaco Conti |
Paul Nicholls |
Noel Fehily |
7yo |
|
Long Run |
Nicky Henderson |
Sam Waley-Cohen |
7yo |
|
Kauto Star |
Paul Nicholls |
Ruby Walsh |
11yo |
|
Long Run |
Nicky Henderson |
Sam Waley-Cohen |
6yo |
|
Kauto Star |
Paul Nicholls |
Ruby Walsh |
9yo |
|
Kauto Star |
Paul Nicholls |
Ruby Walsh |
8yo |
King George VI Chase History and Facts
The first ever King George VI Chase was run all the way back in 1937 and it was won by a grand old horse in 12yo Southern Hero. He remains the oldest winner of the race, while the most successful King George VI Chase horse ever is the legendary Kauto Star, who won it on five occasions. Ruby Walsh was on board for all those victories and he is the best King George VI Chase jockey with a total of five wins.
Paul Nicholls may not have the ammunition that he once had, but he has an incredible record in the King George VI Chase with eleven victories. Sometimes the winter weather can get in the way of the King George VI Chase and it has been abandoned/moved to a different date or venue on eight occasions. It is run over three miles every year on the 26th of December at Kempton and if you are nuts about national hunt racing, it is a contest you won’t want to miss!
How To Bet On The King George VI Chase
In recent years it has paid to concentrate on betting on horses at the head of the King George VI Chase market. The last two short priced favourites have won and in 2025 Might Bite is the bookies choice as the most likely winner. Ante-post betting is available a long way in advance of the King George VI Chase but remember, if you place an ante-post wager and your horse doesn’t run you will be waving goodbye to your money.
However, the big positive when it comes to placing ante-post bets is the value that can be found. If, for example, Might Bite makes it to Kempton for the race you would struggle to get the 5/2 that is currently available (Sept 2025). Although long priced winners are rare these days, plenty of horses have placed at tasty odds, so each way bets at bigger prices can provide a path to profit. Match bets, forecasts and tricasts are other popular wager types for the King George VI Chase. So, no matter what your punting preferences may be, you should be able to find a King George VI Chase betting market to suit you!
King George VI Chase Betting Promotions
Promotions are always a useful way to boost your winnings and plenty of UK Betting Sites run specials for the King George VI Chase. At the time of writing, the King George VI Chase was still a few months away so there were no promotions available. However, we looked back at a couple of past promotions for the King George VI Chase and you can check them out below.
William Hill King George VI Chase-High 5 Promotion
William Hill is one of the best known UK betting sites and they can usually be counted on to produce excellent promotions for existing customers. Last season they ran a ‘High 5’ special, which boosted your winnings by 15% if your horse won by 5 lengths or more. This offer applied to selected ITV races, including the King George VI Chase. So, if you are considering betting on the King George VI Chase, William Hill could be the ideal bookie for you.
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Dominican Republic
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King George VI Chase Ascot FAQs
Where is the King George run?
The King George chase is one of the highlights of the national hunt season in the UK. Some of the best chasers from the UK and Ireland battle it out for this Grade 1 prize every year on Boxing Day. The King George Chase is hosted by Kempton Park Racecourse and that is the venue every season. In 1995 and 2005 the race was run at Sandown Park due to weather/redevelopment, but Kempton Park is the spiritual home of the King George VI Chase.
What betting site has the best King George VI Chase odds?
When it comes to betting on the King George VI Chase, it is always imperative that punters plunder the best prices available. In the long term this strategy will dramatically increase your chances of making a profit from the King George VI Chase. In the ante-post market we found that Ladbrokes and William Hill had the best odds for the more fancied horses. If you fancy something at bigger odds for the King George VI Chase, Bet365 and Betfair are two bookies well worth checking out.
Do any UK bookies have live King George VI Chase streaming?
Although the King George VI Chase is shown free to air on terrestrial television, the majority of bookies have live streaming of the race available. You can bet and watch the King George VI Chase live with Betfair and lots of other bookies too. Most bookies require you to place a qualifying bet in order to stream live racing, so check the terms and conditions to find out the minimum bet size.