Paul Townend delivers brilliant victory on Banbridge in King George VI Chase

There was St Stephen's Day joy for the second consecutive year for a Cork jockey in the featured King George VI Chase. 

After Gavin Sheehan's victory on Hewick, Paul Townend stole the show at Kempton Park as he landed the traditional highlight, the Grade One £260K Ladbrokes King George VI Chase, on Banbridge for Piltown trainer Joseph O'Brien. It was an afternoon of mixed fortunes for the Lisgoold jockey as he'd to settle for second place in the Christmas Hurdle on Lossiemouth, who was put firmly in her place by the long-absent Constitution Hill.

From a Cork perspective, all eyes at Kempton in the featured race were on Spillane's Tower trained by Jimmy Mangan, who went off the 11/4 favourite. 

Instead, Townend produced one of the truly great rides at the Sunbury track.

Coming in there were obvious stamina concerns surrounding Banbridge. Ultimately he ran down the well-fancied French raider Il Est Francais who travelled like a winner for much of the journey.

Townend was starting to get a tune out of Banbridge between the final two fences as he began to make inroads on the leader. He saw a lovely stride at the last and was spring-heeled and landed running.

Spillane's Tower finished fifth and probably wants much softer ground.

Townend and Joseph O'Brien will be thrilled with how Banbridge saw out the trip which opens up a host of options for this versatile horse. He'd come down at the last in Cork three weeks ago when in pursuit of Energumene in the Hilly Way Chase. 

The 2023 champion hurdler Constitution Hill made a welcome return to action with a third consecutive victory in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle. Townend had to settle for second place on Lossiemouth, who was a significant late drifter on the exchanges. 

The winner was last seen in public with an underwhelming effort in a racecourse gallop at Newbury, after which he was found to be lame. Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson once again worked miracles to bring a horse back to form after a lengthy absence.

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Lossiemouth struggled to go the pace from an early stage with Townend never seemingly happy. In contrast, Nico de Boinville was motionless throughout and he pinged the last on his way to a two-and-a-half-length victory as the well-backed 5/6 favourite.

The race was built up all week as a collision course clash between the best hurdler in England and the best Irish hurdler. Lossiemouth had won nine of her ten races since joining Willie Mullins.

Constitution Hill is now top priced 4/5 for the Champion Hurdle and as short as 1/2 with some firms.