There is a huge day of jump racing on Boxing Day, with ITV covering a total of six races with action from Kempton, Aintree and Wetherby.
- 12:45 Kempton: Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – Range @ 4/1
- 1:05 Aintree: William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle – Potters Charm @ 2/1
- 1:20 Kempton: Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase – Hyland @ 7/2
- 1:35 Wetherby: William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase – Cruz Control @ 11/4
- 1:55 Kempton: Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle – Constitution Hill @ 5/4
- 2:30 Kempton: Ladbrokes King George VI Chase – L’Homme Presse @ 9/1
Boxing Day means King George VI Chase Day at Kempton and ITV will be in attendance to bring us four live races from Sunbury-on-Thames. Opening the show is the Ladbrokes Novices’ Handicap Chase, followed by three Grade 1’s in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase, Christmas Hurdle and the King George VI Chase itself.
The Kauto Star Novices’ Chase is named after a chasing legend and a five-time winner of the King George. Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls are the joint leading trainers in this race with five wins each and they are represented by Hyland and Welcome To Cartries respectively. Heading the betting is The Jukebox Man for Ben Pauling who was runner-up in March’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
Despite just four runners set to go to post, the Christmas Hurdle could give us the best race of the festive period with Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill set to return for a duel with Willie Mullins’ Lossiemouth.
The final live race of the day will be the big one, the King George VI Chase, with not much to split Grey Dawning, Il Est Francais, Spillane’s Tower and Banbridge at the top of the market. Add in to the mix the 2022 winner, Bravemansgame, and Ryanair Chase winner, Envoi Allen, and we should be in for a classic renewal.
This will be the second edition of the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle since it was switched to Aintree from Sandown where it was known as the Tolworth Hurdle. Past winners including Constitution Hill and Desert Orchid indicate the importance of this contest, which has Potters Charm for Nigel Twiston-Davies at the top of the market after recording four wins out of four under rules.
Wetherby’s Boxing Day highlight, the Rowland Merrick Handicap Chase, will also be televised, with eight runners set to battle it out for a share of the £50,000 prize fund.