When you think of Boxing Day racing, most fans of UK and Irish racehorses have Kempton as their first thought. That is just one of 11 (ELEVEN) meetings that take place in the British Isles on 26 December.
In other words, it’s not simply just about the King George VI Chase day and its six-race card at the Sunbury-on-Thames track in Greater London. Kempton is, in fact, just the tip of the iceberg.
There’s a whole lot of other horse racing action going on elsewhere. From a two-day fixture at Wetherby to the Aintree Boxing Day meeting, a new innovation of The Jockey Club’s from 2023 onwards, and cards in Northern and the Republic of Ireland, watch out for lots of action on tracks across the land.
Away from the limelight of such major meetings, some of the other fixtures deserve a closer look. That’s why we asked our experts to step away from Kempton Park Boxing Day and Aintree action to look elsewhere at five key races to note across the British Isles.
Our horse racing experts’ analysis of these sheds light on every corner the one of the busiest days of the sport’s annual calendar as we take a look at both hurdles events and steeplechases.
Boxing Day Racing
1:35 Wetherby – 3m 45y Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
There is only one Premier Handicap on Boxing Day and that’s in West Yorkshire. Among the eight declared for the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby are some interesting runners and old favourites. Good Boy Bobby won this very race three years ago off a rating of 146, but Nigel Twiston-Davies’ veteran returns rising 12 off just 131 with a 7lb claimer aboard.
The 3m trip might be on the sharp side for ex-Willie Mullins long-distance chaser Mr Incredible, who is now with the Sandy Thomson stable. Topweight doesn’t make things any easier for him. Rehearsal Chase fourth Some Scope is at the other end of the handicap, meanwhile, with Callum Pritchard taking 7lb off for Richard Hobson.
Fiona Needham runs her Cheltenham Festival Hunter Chase heroine Sine Nomine in the feature of Boxing Day racing at Wetherby. She has a course and distance victory under her belt last season, but this is a higher level than a Class 5 affair. Tahmuras tries the trip for the first time under Rules representing the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate.
Freebooter winner CRUZ CONTROL heads the Rowland Meyrick market on horse racing betting sites, however, off a 4lb higher mark than when successful around Aintree in the spring. Tom Lacey’s charge had a pipe opener over hurdles in the autumn, which will hopefully leave him spot on for this.
1:47 Market Rasen – 3m 3f 123y Lincolnshire National Handicap Chase
The latest in the series of “regional Nationals” sees last year’s neck second Crosspark, who turns 15 next week, still in training for a shot at going one better. Off 2lb lower with the handicapper than 12 months ago, trainer Nick Kent takes no chances and books Tom Broughton for the ride who takes a further 5lb off with his claim.
Crosspark was way behind re-opposing Carlisle winner O’Connell last time out, however. Theo Gillard now takes the ride on Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith’s charge who is up 5lb for that short-head success over 3m 2f in Cumbria. Brother Fergus rides another course winner in Concetto for the Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero stable.
The Boxing Day racing at Market Rasen was the obvious place for Herewegohoney to go after his course and distance victory over the summer. Fergal O’Brien books Jack Hogan to take 3lb off the mare’s back, partially offsetting a 4lb higher mark here. On that form, she has plenty in hand on The Wrekin for Henry Daly and Alice Stevens.
Recent course winner KELCE looks a popular choice with punters, however, for the Neil Mulholland stable. He jumped well and made all at the track over 3m earlier in the month with Conor O’Farrell able to ease him down close home. Kelce has a 7lb higher mark in this better Class of race, but was value for plenty more than the six-length winning margin.
2:20 Leopardstown – 3m 110y Racing Post Long Distance Novice Chase (Grade 1)
Don’t be fooled by the fact that there are just four runners with three trained by Gordon Elliott. What this Grade 1 staying novice chase, registered as the Fort Leney, lacks in quantity more than makes up for in quality. There are two Cheltenham Festival winners in the field here with Martin Pipe scorer Better Days Ahead trying this longer trip again.
He didn’t quite get it when placed at the Punchestown Festival, but definitely outstayed Supreme hero Slade Steel on their respective bows over fences at Navan in November. The Boxing Day racing, or St Stephen’s Day as they call in Ireland, is a big deal for Elliott’s Cullentra House yard, so this is also the logical place for Drinmore winner Croke Park to go.
One of two in the maroon and white silks of Gigginstown House Stud, he’s done nothing wrong since switching to fences. Croke Park made all at Fairyhouse down in trip after previously scoring over this distance. Elliott books a senior jockey in Keith Donoghue who knows the yard for the ride on STELLAR STORY, however, and that’s revealing.
He won the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham in the spring, then just held on in the Florida Pearl around Punchestown from owner-stable companion Search For Glory. Stellar Story might be better going left-handed and can only improve for that successful debut over fences. Buddy One completes the field, but hasn’t taken to this discipline.
2:33 Down Royal – 3m Hunters Chase
In Northern Ireland, meanwhile, the most interesting event during the Down Royal Boxing Day racing is their Hunter Chase. David Christie runs three in the contest with wide-margin Point winner Big Interest making his Rules debut. As the choice of Barry O’Neil that may be a tip in itself.
Besides the five-year-old young pretender, Christie also saddles the grey Ramillies and Ask d’Man. Both lack the scope for further progress that their stable companion has. Leading Irish owner JP McManus runs two in his famous green and gold hooped silks, meanwhile, with Its On The Line the mount of Maxine O’Sullivan.
He won this race last year for trainer Emmet Mullins, then scored at Naas before finishing second during the Cheltenham Festival. The rest of the spring was fruitful for Its On The Line as he landed the Foxhunters at the Aintree Grand National Festival and then the Irish Champion Hunter Chase at Punchestown.
Angels Dawn spreads her wings 👼
Success for Sam Curling in the Kim Muir makes him the eighth Irish trainer to saddle a winner this week and secures the Prestbury Cup with a day to spare🏆#GreenTeam 💚 | #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/sBssZub10X
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) March 16, 2023
Priory Park, recently prolific in Points for Edward O’Grady, is the other McManus entrant here. Getting weight from all of these geldings, however, is Sam Curling’s ANGELS DAWN. This mare is a course and distance winner who landed the 2023 Kim Muir, then ran third in last season’s Thyestes Chase and won her recent Point-to-Point.
2:38 Wincanton – 3m 150y Pertemps Hurdle Series Qualifier Handicap Hurdle
No, it’s not a misprint. Reigning champion Flat jockey Oisin Murphy really is riding in the West Country at the Wincanton Boxing Day racing in the Pertemps Qualifier. He partners Ike Sport, one of two in the contest for Mulholland. This is the latest in a series of races where the winners get a spot in the Final at the Cheltenham Festival.
While Mulholland also saddles Lord Accord, who has a recent course chase win and second on his CV, Paul Nicholls runs three. Stay Away Fay reverts to the smaller obstacles from fences off topweight after flopping in the second half of last season. Ditcheat also runs the long absent Gelino Bello here too, alongside Largy Poet.
Nicholls books conditional jockeys on all three of his runners. but the most notable claimer of all might just be Beau Morgan riding QUICK DRAW off the back of his recent Cheltenham success. Olly Murphy wants to offset a 7lb rise from the handicapper for that December Meeting success and Morgan takes 5lb off.
