Harry Redknapp enjoyed a Boxing Day to remember as his horse The Jukebox Man claimed victory in a nail-biting finish at the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase.
The seven-year-old, sent off at 7-1, held on by the narrowest of margins to beat last year’s champion Banbridge and 9-4 joint-favourite Gaelic Warrior in a dramatic three-way photo-finish at Kempton Park.
It was an agonising wait for the 78-year-old former Tottenham and West Ham boss before the result was confirmed, with all three horses crossing the line virtually inseparable after the three-mile contest.
Ben Pauling’s charge had tracked the front-running Il Est Francais for much of the contest before jockey Ben Jones made his decisive move approaching the final bend.
Harry Redknapp celebrated with jockey Ben Jones after the victory
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As the field straightened up for home, the race was far from decided, with four runners still very much in the hunt.
The Jukebox Man, Gaelic Warrior, Jango Baie and defending champion Banbridge all jumped the last fence with a genuine chance of glory.
Despite briefly dropping to third at the final obstacle, Jones guided his mount back between rivals, and the seven-year-old showed tremendous determination to get his nose in front where it mattered most.
The victory was worth £142,375 to Redknapp, who was visibly shaking when he spoke to ITV Racing after the result was announced.
Harry Redknapp was left trembling when speaking to media over his horse’s win
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“It is a dream, to have a horse that good is unbelievable,” he said. “I love the game that much.
“To come here on King George day and just run made me so proud, but to have the winner is special.”
The former Premier League manager added: “I am so lucky. It is right up there. I love the racing and the game, the people in it, and to have a winner on the big stage is fantastic.”
Redknapp admitted there was a moment during the closing stages when he feared the worst for his charge.
“When they came to him, I thought he was beat and would finish fourth,” he said.
🗣”The guts the horse showed was amazing”
Harry Redknapp is a King George winning owner! 🏆#ITVRacing | @Redknapp | @olibellracing pic.twitter.com/qPiqKghg9u
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 26, 2025
“But he’s come again and the guts the horse has shown is just amazing.”
Such was the chaos of the celebrations that followed, the 78-year-old confessed he wasn’t even certain of the outcome initially.
“Everyone was jumping on me at the end and I didn’t know I had won,” he revealed.
Harry Redknapp left Kempton with nearly £150,000 in winnings
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Trainer Pauling described the triumph as “something very special” and called it “a pretty good Christmas present.”
