Racing Post Chase Form
When Desert Orchid won the Racing Post Chase in 1989, he accomplished a feat the official handicapper thought impossible. The fearless grey, loaded with a 12 stone 3 pound handicap, destroyed a much fancied field of Racing Post Chase form horses to take the race. The Kempton Park Racecourse inaugurated the Desert Orchid Chase in 2006 in honour of this great racehorse.
- Phillip Hobbs is the most successful trainer in the history of the Racing Post Chase, with wins in 1999, 2002 and 2005. Included in the Racing Post Chase winners trained by Hobbs was the classy Dr. Leunt, who took the race in 1999.
- The most successful jockey in the history of the Racing Post Chase is Richard Johnson. Johnson has won the race on four occasions between 2000 and 2005. Remarkably, Johnson has never gone on to claim victory in either the Grand National at Aintree or the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
- The 1994 Racing Post Chase showcased four horses that went on to win at that year’s Cheltenham Festival. These included Racing Post Chase winner Antonin, third-placed The Fellow, fourth-placed Elfast and sixth-placed Fighting Words.
- French trainer Francois Doumen is one of the most successful trainers to have fielded horses at races held at Kempton Park Racecourse. Along with two victories at the Racing Post Chase, Doumen has taken the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on a record five occasions. He also took the Cheltenham Gold Cup with The Fellow in 1994, after the horse finished third in the Racing Post Chase.
- Seven-time Champion Jockey Peter Scudamore’s 1989 Racing Post Chase victory on Bonanza Boy has been identified by both Dereck Thompson and John Francome as the greatest race of his career and a true testament to his brilliance.
- In 2006 the Racing Post Chase was held outside Kempton Park for the first time. Due to the extensive development taking place on the old racecourse, the event was moved to nearby Sandown Racecourse. Innox emerged as victor, providing trainer Francois Doumen with his first victory in this race since 1995.
- Kempton Park Racecourse, home of the Racing Post Chase, has not always been used for the purpose of horseracing. Between 1939 and 1946, Kempton Park was closed for racing and instead served as a prisoner-of-war camp.
