The Ascot Christmas races of 2025 begin on Friday, 19 December with a winter warm-up for the busy festive fixture list. Among six contests on the card in Berkshire on this day is the Grade 2 Noel Novices’ Chase and a Listed bumper.
While there’s little form under Rules to go on for the National Hunt Flat race, the main body of this meeting looks as competitive as ever. With even better to come on Saturday, the supporting card contains a maiden hurdle, novices’ limited handicap chase and handicap hurdle for horses that wouldn’t get in from within the weights in the Premier Handicap on the next day.
For those fancying a flutter on the Ascot Christmas races of 2025, we’ve put our horse racing experts to work. They’re feeling festive and gearing up for a glut of jumps action that starts on Boxing Day. Before that, though, we asked them to sift through the form book and look at online horse racing bookmakers for the best prices and value punts.
Like Father Christmas, they always deliver. You can read all of our experts’ Friday fancies from the best of the Berkshire action below. With the exception of that concluding bumper, these are the horses to follow on the opening day of a meeting that always proves informative for the rest of the jumps season…
Ascot Christmas Races 2025 Day 1 Preview for Friday, 19 December
12:40 – 2m 5f 146y Class 3 Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (0-130)
Our first jumps race of the season goes the way of @MccainToby on MOUNT ANGLESBY in the Grundon Waste Management Conditional Jockeys’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, trained by Alastair Ralph. pic.twitter.com/t5vqGBFVVZ
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) November 1, 2025
Six of the last nine winners have been five-year-olds, so that suggests El Galactico could land his hat-trick. Neil Mulholland’s charge is up another 8lb now, however, and hasn’t run in a large field like he encounters today. Instead, last time out course winner MOUNT ANGLESBY appeals to follow-up off a 3lb higher mark.
Since his purchase out of Ireland and joining current trainer Alastair Ralph, this six-year-old has developed a good understanding with regular rider Toby McCain-Mitchell. Given he won a British Point, Mount Anglesby won’t mind the extra couple of furlongs here from his November win. Like El Galactico, Goodwin landed the spoils at Plumpton last time out for Chris Gordon and son Freddie.
He actually drops in class now after making all the running last time. Goodwin is effectively 9lb higher, however, as his jockey has now ridden out his claim and can’t take weight off any longer. Kapal Layar‘s reappearance run looked too bad to be true, but he’s not exactly chucked in off his mark even in a lower grade contest like this. He could strip fitter for it for Olly Murphy, though.
1:15 – 2m 5f 146y Class 3 Maiden Hurdle
✅ Soldier Reeves opens his account for team Skelton pic.twitter.com/VLvHV14Won
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 16, 2025
Warren Greatrex’s GAELIC PRIDE catches the eye most stepped up in trip at the Ascot Christmas races here. His two seconds to Idaho Sun and Soldier Reeves over shorter distances read well. As Gaelic Pride won an Irish Point, this greater stamina test should suit. He brings strong form into the contest and the yard has done well with its runners of late.
There are plenty of dangers, however, with Nicky Henderson starting Crystal Island off under Rules and in the UK for Seven Barrows here. In time, he might prove the smartest of the four-year-old contingent in the line-up. Two placed over course and distance last month return for more, meanwhile. On that occasion, Big Ticket finished ahead of Off The Jury.
The Twiston-Davies horse is now 1lb worse off with Mickey Bowen’s recruit in this rematch. Off The Jury has a lofty rating of 131 and went close to landing a big pot at Sandown in March. He’ll break the maiden tag eventually, but faces some unexposed types and younger legs here that also include Ben Pauling runner Dig Deep looking to go one better after three good seconds.
1:50 – 2m 172y Class 3 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
An emphatic win for Excelero in the Warwick Supports Our Farmers Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase 🏆 pic.twitter.com/QF3De7h4oW
— Warwick Racecourse (@WarwickRaces) November 19, 2025
With Bluey engaged against fellow mares at Exeter on Thursday, EXCELERO appeals on the best betting sites to follow-up on an impressive Warwick win during the Ascot Christmas races after swerving Cheltenham last weekend. This looks an easier assignment for Jane Williams’ five-year-old, who can defy a hike of half-a-stone in the handicap and go in again.
If Excelero doesn’t deliver, then the lightly-raced Vanderpoel looks capable of making it third time lucky over fences. Pauling has a fine record with his novice chasers this season and this one has been learning on the job. Vanderpoel has only won right-handed under Rules, so the return to a clockwise track looks a big plus for him.
Five-chase maiden Southoftheborder is a difficult horse to place at the moment. He could still yet come good for switching to Henrietta Knight, but has bottom weight for a reason. Stencil has often been a talking horse since his purchase by leading Irish owner JP McManus, but connections over-faced him by running in the Grade 2 Arkle Trial first time out over fences.
2:25 – 1m 7f 157y Class 4 Ascot Shop Handicap Hurdle (0-120)
ALEXEI adds the Lavazza Handicap Hurdle to his CV, with @brendanp1995 securing his second win of the day for trainer @JoeTizzard. pic.twitter.com/vqXygKVgLh
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) November 1, 2025
It’s maybe a little unkind to call this a consolation race for the old Ladbroke Hurdle on Saturday. Half the field in this event at the Ascot Christmas race come from a 6lb ratings band at the top of the weights. Joint-topweight King William Rufus landed this in style 12 months ago, but he’s now 10lb higher in the handicap and anchored by 12st 2lb on his back.
David Pipe’s Walkadina is up 3lb for getting chinned close home around Ludlow last time out, but the mare is knocking on the door. Preferred is DANCE AND GLANCE also dropping in class. Anthony Honeyball’s charge ran fifth in the Swinton at Haydock off his current mark and fourth off 1lb higher over course and distance last time.
Those runs tie Dance And Glance in with the first and second from last month’s Greatwood Hurdle. Now in a lower grade, he could well have his turn, especially if the surface remains sound. Let It Rain is open to further progress for Dan Skelton, but hasn’t run for over a year now and will surely need this. Non Stop was fifth in this 12 months ago, but returns to Berkshire on a 4lb higher mark.
Emma Lavelle’s Tashan and He’s A Latchico, one of two for Gary & Josh Moore, also both won the last day. Whether any of these can follow-up against a glut of horses dropping in grade like this remains to be seen, however. The Hardest Geezer has gone close the last twice, so Philip Hobbs & Johnson White’s runner is another to consider under 3lb claimer Callum Pritchard.
3:00 – 2m 2f 181y Grade 2 Noel Novices’ Chase
Steel Ally looks a name to note over fences, landing our feature £50,000 @weatherbysltd Graduation Chase for @D_Johnston01 and @SammyTRacing pic.twitter.com/Y9jO4hQnno
— Carlisle Racecourse (@CarlisleRaces) November 10, 2025
Not much to choose between course and distance winner No Questions Asked and the penalised STEEL ALLY. The latter just shades it for Sam Thomas after beating more experienced chasers first time out in a graduation event up around Carlisle last time. Although that means a 3lb penalty for him at the Ascot Christmas races now, this seven-year-old put in an accomplished debut.
Steel Ally looks capable of giving weight and a beating to four rivals. No Questions Asked, successful over course and distance on his penultimate start, looks the biggest danger and pick of two for Pauling. He ran second around Newbury in this grade last time when outstayed by Wendigo is the John Francome over further.
Lucy Wadham steps Jax Junior up in class after scoring nicely at Kempton. His opposition didn’t look naturals over fences, though, and his pedigree suggests he’ll want a longer trip in time. These are deep waters for another Carlisle winner in Mark Walford’s Push The Button. Pauling also sends Personal Ambition back chasing after no win in five last season including a second in this 12 months ago.
