Winter Festival News Archive
Kempton Park officials are confident of beating cold snap for King George Chase on Boxing Day
Kempton Park’s Clerk of the course Barney Clifford is confident that the William Hill King George VI Chase festival will beat the current cold snap and go ahead as planned on Boxing Day.
The recent cold snap has already put several National Hunt fixtures on Boxing Day in doubt, with racing at Towcester already abandoned. But Kempton Park has deployed frost covers over the entirety of the track and officials are confident that the course will be ready for racing.
Kempton Park confident King George Chase will be on despite weather forecast
Despite a forecast for wintery weather Kempton Park officials are confident the King George Chase and the William Hill Winter Festival will go ahead.
Brian Clifford, clerk of the course at Kempton Park, said that while the weather forecast predicted a likelihood of snow showers to hit the course that they would take all suitable precautions in order to protect the ground and will lay down special frost mats.
Kauto Star and Ruby Walsh winning the 2008 King George VI Chase
The anticipation of Kauto Star’s attempt to win the 2009 King George Chase and make history has seen ticket sales for the Winter Festival at Kempton Park soar.
Kauto Star has won the last three runnings of the grade 1 King George VI Chase, and a fourth successive win would see the nine year old beat the record held by the legendary and much loved Desert Orchid.
William Hill Winter Festival Schedule
The schedule for the William Hill Winter Festival has been changed after the King George VI Chase was moved to a later start time. The grade 1 feature also changed from being race 4 to race 5, the second last race of the day. This has also meant that the Sports Betting Handicap Hurdle Race, which was originally race 5, has now moved to become race 2 and all other races on December 26 have shuffled back a position.
The King George Chase will start later in the day
This year’s William Hill King George VI Chase will start 25 minutes later than it did last year and has been moved to be the penultimate race on Boxing Day.
The changed programme is due to Channel 4 scheduling and not Kempton Park Racecourse officials. The switch to race 5 from race 4 means the King George Chase will now start at 3:05pm.
Kempton Park Panoramic Restaurant sold out for Winter Festival
Tickets sales are going well for this year’s William Hill Winter Festival at Kempton Park. The Panoramic Restaurant is already sold out for both days of the Festival, December 26 and 27.
General tickets sales reported on Thursday are up 5% on those from the same time in 2008.
A highlight of the Kempton Park Racecourse, the 400 seat Panoramic Restaurant is set over three tiers and gives race goers not only a great view of the track but also a stylish dining venue. Each table features a plasma screen so you can watch all of the action in detail and tote facilitates are on hand.
UK bookmaker William Hill is the new sponsor of the King George VI Chase in a four year deal that includes the Winter Festival at Kempton Park.
The two day Christmas event will now be known as the William Hill Winter Festival. William Hill also have naming rights to all of the races across the two days including the King George Chase, Christmas Hurdle, Desert Orchid Chase and Feltham Chase, all premier events on the National Hunt calendar.
King George Chase News
Find out the latest news from the King George VI Chase and William Hill Winter Festival at Kempton Park.
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2009 King George Chase Results
| Position | Horse | SP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kauto Star (FR) | 8/13 F |
| 2 | Madison Du Berlais (FR) | 10/1 |
| 3 | Barbers Shop | 14/1 |
| 4 | Nacarat (FR) | 25/1 |
| 5 | Imperial Commander (IRE) | 13/2 |
| 6 | Albertas Run (IRE) | 25/1 |
| 7 | Tartak (FR) | 25/1 |
| 8 | Our Vic (IRE) | 40/1 |
| 9 | Ollie Magern | 100/1 |
| 10 | Sandymac (IRE) | 200/1 |
| PU | Deep Purple | 17/2 |
| PU | Master Medic (IRE) | 33/1 |
| PU | Racing Demon (IRE) | 100/1 |