As ever, the Kempton races on Boxing Day in 2025 provide punters with some of the most competitive horse racing over the festive period. There are three Grade 1s on the card from the Greater London venue, starting with the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase, then the Christmas Hurdle and culminating in the King George VI Chase.
On paper at least, it looks a vintage renewal of the Sunbury-on-Thames track’s showpiece. Three Irish horses come over against a home team with progressive types in it. More on the King George later. Other subplots from this intriguing card include the return of the unbeaten Sir Gino from illness in the Christmas Hurdle taking on Golden Ace.
As for the Kauto Star, half the field know each other already. The 1-2-3 from the Select Hurdle at Sandown back in spring take each other on again during the Kempton races on Boxing Day with Blueking d’Oroux, Salver and Kitzbuhel facing John Francome winner Wendigo. On the supporting card around these Grade 1s, there’s a novices’ limited handicap chase, maiden hurdle and handicap hurdle too.
In other words, plenty for horse racing bookies and fans to get stuck into if a festive flutter floats your boat. We didn’t want to be scrooges, so we’ve sat our experts down to analyse the card in full before Christmas Day with declarations a couple of days beforehand. Read on for their analysis of all six events taking place on the track on 26 December here.
Kempton Races Boxing Day 2025 Preview
12:45 – 2m 4f 110y Class 3 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (0-130)
Re-opposing Exeter rivals U Can’t Be Serious, who has won again there since, and Barlovento meet again here. The latter representing Olly Murphy and Diana Whateley is half-a-stone better off with Joe Tizzard’s runner, who has topweight, with just half-a-length separating the pair from that last encounter. It gives Barlovento every chance of turning the tables on U Can’t Be Serious.
Now may be the right time for James Owen to step Secret Des Dieux up in trip over fences after his keeping on third in the Fulke Walwyn Trophy at Newbury. The others with chasing experience don’t make much appeal, but a couple of debutants in this sphere in Jasmine Bliss and Epic West both won Irish Points, so could improve for switching to this discipline.
1:20 – 3m Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase
Despite finishing third of the re-opposing trio from the Select Hurdle, Kitzbuhel could prove best of these over fences. Willie Mullins’ Irish raider has a stamina-laden pedigree, so it’d be no surprise to see him build on a professional chasing debut now upped in distance himself. The drying ground might not see Kitzbuhel to best effect, however.
Salver really impressed when routing Doyen Quest in the Esher Novices’ Chase back at Sandown earlier this month. Whether Caoilin Quinn can ride Gary & Josh Moore’s runner as cold around here looks risky, though. Blueking d’Oroux prevailed in the Select Hurdle, but his Wincanton Rising Stars form looks below that of what his rivals have achieved since jumping fences. The others get something for turning up.
1:55 – 2m Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle
She has two wins apiece around Wincanton and Taunton, so sharp clockwise tracks clearly play to her strengths. If there’s to be an upset in the Christmas Hurdle, then Celtic Dino looks best-equipped to provide it. He won the Welsh Champion Hurdle on home turf for Sam Thomas at Chepstow in October and the form has worked out very nicely with those placed in-behind him landing Premier Handicaps.
Celtic Dino bumped into a very useful mare in Wodhooh in the Ascot Hurdle last time, so dropping back in trip makes sense. Kempton specialist Rubaud has often found the highest level beyond him, but there’s no doubting his fabulous track record. His form figures around here are five wins from nine starts for Paul Nicholls. Dovecote scorer Tripoli Flyer is on the comeback trail in first-time cheekpieces.
2:30 – 3m Grade 1 King George VI Chase
Jango Baie looks a huge threat to the Mullins pair, however, given how he followed in the selection’s hoofprints in landing the Arkle. He came from nowhere at Cheltenham, strongly suggesting that longer trips were what he desperately needed. Jango Baie confirmed that impression with a taking display in the 1965 Chase around Ascot on reappearance.
For football fans, Harry Redknapp has a runner in this in Ben Pauling’s The Jukebox Man. He’s unbeaten in three starts over fences and landed the Kauto Star over course and distance here 12 months ago. There should plenty of further progress in him and his Haydock reappearance reads well as runner-up Iroko went one better at Ascot next time.
Pitched in against these horses with huge potential and some of the big guns of steeplechasing, five-time Grade 2 winner Djelo and last season’s King George 1-2 Banbridge and Il Est Francais must step up or at least reproduce their best form to have any chance of hitting the frame. Joseph O’Brien fits the defending champ with a visor for the first time, but he looks vulnerable to younger legs.
3:05 – 2m Class 2 Maiden Hurdle
The market principals Ionian (sixth in an Irish Point on his only start) and Klub De Reve (placed in a bumper and Exeter novice from four starts under Rules) don’t exactly leap off the page. There’s some each-way value in taking them on at the Kempton races on Boxing Day, then. Pauling runs two and, while Lock Stock appears to be the stable’s main horse on jockey bookings, JIMBO SPORT also appeals.
That’s because he went down all guns blazing over course and distance by half-a-length on his hurdles bow. The narrow winner had experience of this discipline, so it’d be no surprise if Jimbo Sport came on a lot for that debut here in the autumn. A first-time tongue tie goes on to aid his breathing and Callum Pritchard, who won a Hereford bumper on him, is back in the saddle.
Other potential each-way players here Toby Lawes’ Gnomon. Rated 85 on the Flat after a couple of Haydock successes, he could come forward for his hurdling debut. Tom George keeps mare Heron In The Park over the minimum trip despite her landing an Irish Point and Newbury bumper, but Harry Cobden again rides her as connections keep the faith and look to make it third time lucky.
3:40 – 2m 5f Class 3 Handicap Hurdle (0-140)
11/8 Onewaywest (NAP) bolts up today ⚡️
Hidden Fortune beaten a length to deny us a 30 points return (14/1 double)
Knocking on the door, another huge day is close 💰
Big push this week to end a very profitable November strongly 🏆https://t.co/RYwYqNfGQY pic.twitter.com/a5aV0EkhDU
— Racing Pulse (@RacingPulseTips) November 26, 2025
An effective trial for next month’s Lanzarote Hurdle to close the Kempton races on Boxing Day. ONEWAYWEST has struck up a fine partnership with conditional jockey Elliott England that the pair may well land the hat-trick here. Upped 11lb by the assessor for quick wins around Warwick and Wetherby last month, the 7lb his rider takes off and the fact he jumps right-handed still give them every chance of going in again.
Kap Boy perhaps didn’t get up the Cheltenham hill when third last time but, nudged up 2lb and now back on easier track, Murphy’s runner could go well again. George’s Lad shaped like he could do well over this sort of trip for Emma Lavelle when runner-up here last season, so he’s also one to consider. Going up in trip could also open new avenues to course winner Surrey Lord, meanwhile.
Like Pauling and Nicholls, Alan King runs two here with Believitanducan the pick of his pair. He’s only finished out of the first two once in five starts over hurdles, winning three and has Philip Armson on board taking 3lb off. It’s hard to make a case for anything else, especially long absent pair North Lodge and Jus De Citron.
