Ladbrokes King George VI Chase: Banbridge riding plans remain unclear

By David Ord

Horse Racing

Mon December 16, 2024 · 15 min ago

Banbridge is on course for the Labrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day - but riding plans at this stage remain unclear.

Ronnie Bartlett's charge, trained by Joseph O'Brien, will be racing at three miles for the first time in the Christmas feature and arrives off the back of a big run, unseating rider at the last when still a threat to Energumene in the Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase at Cork.

Speaking on Monday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast, O'Brien said: “He remains on track for the King George. Since Punchestown in the spring Ronnie and the team were keen to work back from that race and so far we've had a smooth preparation, and obviously we were delighted with his run in Cork the last day."

The handler is confident his eight-year-old has sufficient stamina for the festive feature.

"He obviously won at Kempton over two-and-a-half last year and looked like he needed every yard of the two-and-a-half that day. He’s obviously not a slow horse and can compete effectively at two miles, but I think the test of three miles at Kempton suits a horse with a bit of pace and a bit of class. It remains to be seen if he can go that far but I don’t see why not," he reasoned.

O'Brien is one trainer not in a mad rush to see plenty of rain before the Boxing Day showpiece.

He said: “The drier the surface the better he’s going to be but he is effective on ground that’s not deep. When he won at Cheltenham over hurdles in the Martin Pipe it was pretty slow that day but whatever way you look at it, it was a fantastic run in Cork, giving Energumene ten pounds and getting as close to him as he did.

"He was going to give him a run, whether he’d have beaten him who knows, but he was giving him a run for his money down to the line. It was a fantastic run, especially as we’ve been working towards Christmas."

But with regular rider JJ Slevin still currently sidlelined, and a busy December programme on both sides of the Irish Sea, the handler admits it's not easy firming up riding plans for a horse who was partnered by Richie Deegan at Cork.

"JJ is hoping to be back riding in the next week or so but may be required at Leopardstown so we’re not entirely sure on jockey plans just yet," said O'Brien.

"It could be Richie but there’s a helluva lot of racing that day so it’s going to depend on who is where and we have a number of different options and haven’t confirmed what’s happening yet."

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