Kempton Park Horse Races

Kempton Park features and inner and outer course alloying it to host both Flat racing and National Hunt racing over jumps and hurdles.

Kempton Park hosts race meets all year round including a number of notable races including the King George VI Chase, which takes place on boxing day and is a grade 1 National Hunt Chase.

Other big races includes the Feltham Novices Chase (which also takes place on Boxing day) and the Desert Orchid Chase, a Grade 2 race.

Kempton Park has a long history which can be traced back to 1872 when the land for the course was first leased with the track first opening in 1878.

Ever since then the course has undergone numerous changes, with modernisation always at the forefront, which including the course closing for almost a year between 2005-2006 to allow an all-weather polytrack and floodlighting to be installed.

The all-weather track is a right handed oval of up to 10 furlongs (depended on whether the inner or outer bend is used), which is the course used for Flat Horse Racing at Kempton Park.

National Hunt races take place over a practically flat, triangular circuit of 1 mile and 5 furlongs with a 220 yard run in.

Whilst the mixture of flat and jump racing held at Kempton Park coupled with the all-weather track offered for flat racing, you will not be surprised that racing can be watched all year round at Kempton racecourse but it is on Boxing Day when all eyes are on Kempton for the iconic King George VI Chase which is one of the most prestigious Grade 1 race in the United Kingdom.

The race has been where the likes of Kauto Star and Long Run really made their name and is a great race for seeing potential winners at Cheltenham and for the Grand National.

The good news for all fans of racing and especially for those wanting to watch racing from Kempton live is that you can now watch all of the action live online.

No longer do you need to be at the course live or try to find the action on tv, which will usually require an expensive and ongoing subscription on a pay tv channel.

Now you can simply watch the action live on any good bookie, including all of those featured on this page and whilst there is a requirement to place a bet to watch, the chances are that if you are interested in watching the action live, you are interested in betting on the action anyway.

Whilst the summer see’s a drop off in big races, there notable events held at racecourse for most of the year with big races in January, February, March, April, September, October, November and December, so if the sun isn’t shining, the chances are there is a race happening or coming up at Kempton!

Choose Where To Watch Kempton Races Live
All of these bookies offer live Kempton Park races streaming, choose your favourite or simply the bookie requiring the lowest stake (the bet you need to place to watch live horse racing via the bookmaker).

Kempton horse racing offers lots of opportunities for fans of the sport to watch great action almost all year around and as one of the busiest racetracks in the United Kingdom, it is no surprise that it is one of the most searched for racecourses.

Thanks to the investment that the course has made into its facilities, including adding an all-weather track to its turf track and with state-of-the-art floodlighting that allows racing around the calendar and when many other courses struggle to put action on when the weather takes a turn for the worse.

It doesn’t matter if you are wanting to watch any of the major races at the course, including the likes of the February Handicap Chase that acts as a trial for the Grand National or if you want to watch all of the action from one of the biggest meetings held at the course including the always popular Christmas Festival and the important September Stakes, you can do- so long as you are aged 18 or over, have a funded account and make the required stake on a race.

The History of Kempton Park Racecourse

Origins and opening in 1878

The history of Kempton Park Racecourse began with Samuel Henry Hyde, a businessman who wanted to establish a racecourse on land that could accommodate organised racing and large crowds. Hyde acquired a lease on Kempton Manor and Park in 1872, six years before the venue officially opened. The first race meeting took place on 18 July 1878, establishing Kempton Park as a new addition to the growing network of British racecourses.

The location in Surrey, near the western edge of London, gave the venue access to a substantial population of potential racegoers. Its grounds offered space for racing, spectator facilities and the development of a sporting destination beyond the crowded streets of the capital. During the late nineteenth century, organised horse racing was becoming an increasingly established form of public entertainment, supported by improvements in transport, growing spectator interest and the development of more formal racing programmes.

Kempton’s early years helped establish the foundations for its later reputation. Over time, the racecourse developed its facilities and attracted audiences interested in the combination of sporting competition and social entertainment that characterised major British race meetings.

Royal recognition in 1889

An early milestone came in 1889, when a Royal Box was constructed in just 21 days to accommodate a visit by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. The speed of its construction demonstrated the importance attached to the royal visit and reflected the racecourse’s ambitions as a prominent sporting venue.

Royal connections helped reinforce the wider social standing of horse racing during this period. Major meetings were not solely sporting occasions; they could also be important events in the social calendar, attracting prominent visitors and spectators who enjoyed the racing alongside the wider spectacle. The construction of the Royal Box remains a notable detail in Kempton Park’s history and illustrates how the venue was developing beyond its original purpose as a place to stage races.

The devastating fire of 1932

Kempton Park experienced a serious setback in 1932 when a fire caused major damage to important parts of the racecourse. The Grandstand, restaurant, Members’ Stand and Tattersalls bar were among the facilities affected. These were central areas of the spectator experience, so the damage represented a significant challenge for the venue.

Rebuilding and repairing a racecourse requires more than restoring a single structure. Grandstands provide viewing areas, hospitality facilities support spectators, and other buildings help accommodate the practical needs of race meetings. Damage to several major facilities therefore affected the broader operation of Kempton Park and required substantial attention to the site’s infrastructure.

Despite this difficult period, the racecourse continued to form part of Britain’s racing landscape. Its subsequent history would demonstrate considerable resilience, although the next major challenge would come from the outbreak of war.

The creation of the King George VI Chase in 1937

The King George VI Chase became one of the defining features of Kempton Park’s identity. The race was first run in February 1937, during the reign of King George VI. Its origins are linked to the Manor Selling Chase, a three-mile contest that the course’s organisers developed into a race intended to honour the new monarch.

The political circumstances surrounding the race’s creation were unusual. The original plan had been to establish a race honouring Edward VIII, who became king in January 1936. However, Edward abdicated in December 1936, leading his brother to become King George VI. The proposed tribute consequently took a different form, and the King George VI Chase was introduced in February 1937.

The inaugural contest attracted only four runners. It was won by Southern Hero, a 12-year-old horse who remains the oldest winner of the race. The field was small, and the event initially struggled to attract the level of attention that it would later command. The 1938 running also attracted four runners, illustrating that the race’s eventual prestige was not immediate.

Nevertheless, the King George VI Chase would develop into one of the most important staying chases in British National Hunt racing. Its distance, the quality of its competitors and its position in the winter calendar helped establish it as a major test for leading steeplechasers.

World War II and the closure of racing

The Second World War brought another major interruption to Kempton Park. Racing at the venue ceased in September 1939, and the grounds were used for wartime purposes, including accommodating prisoners of war. The railway station on the racecourse grounds made the location practical for transporting personnel to the temporary camp established there.

The war transformed the use of the site and interrupted the development of the racing programme. The King George VI Chase was not run during the wartime closure, and Kempton Park’s facilities suffered from the effects of the conflict and the years in which racing could not take place as normal.

The racecourse’s wartime experience was part of a broader pattern across British sport, as venues were repurposed to support national needs. For Kempton, the disruption meant that returning to regular racing would require considerable effort and the restoration of facilities that had not been maintained for their original purpose.

The return of racing and the move to Boxing Day

Racing returned to Kempton Park in 1946, and the King George VI Chase was moved to Boxing Day, where it developed into a central feature of the Christmas sporting calendar. The change proved highly successful. Boxing Day provided a memorable date for the race, attracting large crowds and giving the contest a distinctive identity within the National Hunt season.

The race’s timing allowed it to become a mid-season examination of leading staying chasers, with the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March providing another major target for many horses. Its position between the autumn and spring highlights helped make the King George an important measure of championship form.

As the race gained prestige, its winners became part of a growing roll of honour that included some of the best-known names in jump racing. Kempton Park consequently became closely associated with the festive meeting, and the King George VI Chase emerged as a race that many fans regarded as essential viewing each Christmas.

Legendary winners: Desert Orchid and Kauto Star

Two horses have played an especially significant role in the modern story of the King George VI Chase: Desert Orchid and Kauto Star. Desert Orchid won the race four times, in 1986, 1988, 1989 and 1990. Known affectionately as Dessie, he became one of Britain’s best-loved racehorses and was admired for his exceptional ability and distinctive racing style.

Desert Orchid’s association with Kempton extended beyond his victories. He continued to be celebrated by racegoers and was a familiar presence at the racecourse’s Christmas celebrations. His connection with the venue helped strengthen the emotional bond between Kempton Park and its audience, illustrating how a single horse can become part of a sporting institution’s identity.

Kauto Star later established another remarkable record. He won the King George VI Chase five times, in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011. His repeated victories demonstrated extraordinary consistency at the highest level and made him the race’s most successful winner by number of wins.

Other notable champions include Wayward Lad, who won three times in 1982, 1984 and 1985, and Kicking King and Clan des Obeaux, who each won twice. These horses helped reinforce the King George’s status as a race that rewards both outstanding talent and the ability to reproduce top-class performances against elite opposition.

Modernisation and the all-weather track

As British racing changed during the late twentieth century, Kempton Park continued to develop its facilities. The current Grandstand was completed in 1997 following redevelopment work, providing modern spectator accommodation and supporting the racecourse’s continued role as a major racing venue.

A particularly significant change came in May 2005, when Kempton closed temporarily for construction of a floodlit all-weather racing circuit. The project was completed approximately 11 months later, and the new track opened in 2006. The artificial Polytrack surface enabled Kempton to host Flat racing in conditions that did not depend on the state of the turf in the same way as traditional grass racing.

The all-weather circuit broadened the venue’s role within the British racing calendar. Alongside its established National Hunt programme, Kempton could host Flat fixtures at different times of year, including evening meetings under floodlights. This helped the racecourse offer a more varied programme and provided opportunities for horses, jockeys and trainers to compete outside the main turf season.

The development also reflected a wider change in British horse racing, as all-weather tracks became an important part of the sport’s year-round infrastructure. Kempton’s ability to stage both jump racing and Flat racing became a defining feature of its modern identity.

Redevelopment proposals and the racecourse’s future

Kempton Park’s future attracted considerable public attention in 2017, when proposals emerged to close the racecourse and redevelop the site for housing. The plans were linked to wider discussions about raising funds for investment in British racing and included the possibility of relocating racing facilities elsewhere. The proposal raised concerns among racing fans, trainers and jockeys because of Kempton’s importance to the National Hunt calendar and the King George VI Chase in particular.

In February 2018, the BBC reported that an assessment by Spelthorne Borough Council regarded Kempton’s land as strongly performing green belt, making it unlikely to be considered for housing through the process then under way. The debate highlighted the challenge of balancing development pressures with the preservation of historic sporting venues. It also demonstrated how strongly the racing community valued Kempton’s role in the sport.

The proposals became an important chapter in the racecourse’s recent history, bringing questions about heritage, investment and the future of British racing into the public conversation.

Kempton Park Racecourse today

Today, Kempton Park Racecourse remains a prominent venue for British horse racing and is operated by The Jockey Club. Its programme combines National Hunt fixtures, including the prestigious King George VI Chase, with Flat racing on its all-weather track. The Christmas Festival remains a major attraction, while the wider calendar provides racing opportunities throughout the year.

The venue also hosts hospitality experiences and other events, reflecting its role as more than a racecourse alone. Its location in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, and its on-site railway station help make it accessible to visitors from London and the surrounding areas.

From its first meeting on 18 July 1878 to its modern combination of jump racing and floodlit Flat fixtures, Kempton Park has experienced royal visits, fire, wartime closure, celebrated champions and major redevelopment. Its history is closely linked to the evolution of British horse racing itself. The King George VI Chase remains its defining sporting event, while the all-weather circuit ensures that Kempton continues to play a role in racing beyond the festive season.

For racegoers, this combination of tradition and modern competition is what makes Kempton Races distinctive. Every meeting adds another chapter to a story that began in the nineteenth century and continues with each new generation of horses, jockeys, trainers and spectators.