WYE Valley trainer Venetia Williams' Djelo had to settle for fifth stepping up to Grade 1 in Boxing Day’s prestigious King George VI Chase at Kempton.

An incredible blanket finish of nose-nose-1/2L covered the first four, with former Spurs and West Ham football manager Harry Redknapp's 7/1 shot The Jukebox Man pipping defending champion Banbridge to take the £250,000 festive showcase after a photo finish.

Jockey Charlie Deutsch brought Djelo from the back of the field to challenge four out.

But the horse faltered two from home and fell back to finish 8L behind the winner, earning a £6,700 pay day for fifth in a race ranked second only to the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Winning owner Redknapp, 78, said of his Ben Pauling-trained, Ben Jones-saddled, winner: ”It's a dream – to have a horse that good is unbelievable...

"To come here on King George day and just run made me so proud, but to have the winner is special. I'm so lucky."

In another epic race at Ascot last week, Venetia’s Victtorino was also fifth under Deutsch in the £100,000 Howden Silver Cup Chase, finishing just 2L off Welsh winner Deep Cave.

But on unseasonal firm ground, Tanganyika always trailed in Saturday’s Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow before the jockey pulled him up five out.