Two fantastic winter season events await racing fans at Kempton Park this December as part of a feast of classic winter racing, which will be kicked off with the rapidly organised ‘bumper’ fixture this Sunday, on the 2nd of December. This last minute addition to the Kempton calendar will feature over 90 horses, in what will be quite literally a ‘bumper’ night for the fixture.
The extra event was announced on the last Wednesday of November after the inclement weather faced by the whole of the British Isles led to the cancellation of earlier races, and the six races were organised especially for Sunday night as a special feature.
Race organisers have expressed their gratitude at the fantastic turnout. Barney Clifford, head of racing at Kempton, declared his delight after the field was announced:
“With trainers having to enter horses at such short notice, we are pleased with the response to our initiative in running a card of National Hunt flat races. We should see some competitive races and the sport will benefit after so many abandonment's in recent days.”
The programme starts at 1:30pm and gates will open at noon. The six races are all sponsored by gaming company 32Red, who run casino games online.
Following this bumper event will be the William Hill Winter Festival between the 26th and 27th of December. Amongst the favourites racing in contention for this winter’s classic King George VI Chase on Boxing Day are Long Run and stablemate Riverside Theatre, both of whom finished close behind racing legend Kauto Star in the past and indeed filled the first two places in the chase just 2 years ago. Riverside Theatre’s trainers are keen to make sure the horse is well rested and there are no plans to run him before the Kempton race.
Sponsors William Hill have named Long Run as the clear favourite to win the King George VI Chase title come Boxing Day this year. If Long Run wins, he will reclaim his 2010 title. The horse has been quoted at 7/2 for the £180,000 cash prize in the race of the year.
Tickets to the William Hill Winter Festival make an excellent gift. Kempton Park is not only a racecourse but a fully fledged entertainment venue with a restaurant and bar named after King George VI Chase legend Kauto Star. Tables can be booked in the panoramic restaurant by calling 01932 753518.
Adult admission to Jumpers Bumpers is £12.00 (£9.60 booked in advance), and tickets are available from www.kempton.co.uk. Tickets for the William Hill Winter Festival can be found at www.boxingdayraces.co.uk. For all events, guests are advised to arrive early on the day. Further enquiries can be made via telephone direct to Kempton on 0844 579 3008.
