King George VI Chase: Betting Trends for the Kempton Christmas Cracker

The King George VI Chase is one of the highlights of the National Hunt season in the United Kingdom, and this year’s renewal looks set to be a cracker. 
 
The big race at Kempton on Boxing Day has attracted a ton of top-class entries, many of whom have a genuine chance of winning the prestigious prize. 
 
We have scoured the recent record books to identify three key betting trends that we think will help you pick the winner of this year’s King George VI Chase. 

Half of the last 20 editions of King George have been won by the favourite, making this a race that horse racing betting sites fear. 
 
With the second or third-shortest priced horse winning six of the other 10 renewals, it pays to look towards the head of the market. 
 
Gerri Colombe, Bravemansgame and Allaho are the top three in the ante-post market for this year’s race and it would be no surprise to see one of them emerge victorious.

Leading British trainer Paul Nicholls loves the King George, with his stable claiming victory in the prestigious race on 13 previous occasions. 
 
A whopping 20 of his 34 entries have finished in the first three over the past two decades, while he has won the race in four of the past five years (2018, 2019, 2020 & 2022). 
 
Last year’s winner Bravemansgame will be well supported on betting apps, but don’t rule out the possibility of 2020 winner Frodon running well at a big price. 

The King George has traditionally been viewed as a good form pointer for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but that factor has become less prevalent in recent years. 
 
Just ten horses have completed the double, with Best Mate (2002), Kicking King (2004), Kauto Star (2006 & 2008) and Long Run (2010) the only ones to do it this century. 
 
Kempton tends to be more of a speed test, while the extra distance and stiffer nature of the track at Cheltenham places more emphasis on stamina in the Gold Cup. 

The latest betting for the 2023 King George VI Chase is as follows: 

• Gerri Colombe - 9/4 
• Bravemansgame - 5/2 
• Allaho - 11/4 
• Shishkin - 7/1 
• Royale Pagaille - 9/1 
• The Real Whacker - 9/1 
• Pic D'Orhy - 20/1 
• Conflated - 28/1 
• Galopin Des Champs - 33/1 
• Hewick - 33/1 
• Edwardstone - 40/1 
• Frodon - 40/1 
• Protektorat - 40/1 
• Fugitif - 66/1 
• Midnight River - 66/1 
• Gran Diose - 80/1 
• My Drogo - 100/1 
• Shan Blue - 100/1