Boxing Day is always a brilliant day of racing and with Kempton the primary focus, here are our best tips for the action at the Sunbury-on-Thames venue.
The Boxing Day feast of racing is one of the true festive delights for sports fans and it rarely disappoints, with 11 meetings across Britain and Ireland in a frantic afternoon.
Kempton Park is front and centre, with the Sunbury-on-Thames venue boasting the King George VI Chase (14:30) and the Christmas Hurdle (13:55) among a trio of Grade 1 events.
They race from 12:45-15:40 at Kempton on Friday and our expert has picked out some horses to follow during the Boxing Day bonanza.
Kempton Boxing Day Tips
12:45 – Noble Park @ SP
Nicky Henderson’s string have been going along very nicely in recent weeks and the Seven Barrows chief can get this major day of racing off on the right footing by seeing NOBLE PARK oblige in the Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase that begins Kempton’s card.
The Walk In The Park gelding is a perfect 2-2 over fences and looks highly progressive in this sphere, having failed to break his duck over hurdles. He won a low-key contest at Hereford (2m5f, good) in November and took a leap forward when adding to his tally at Lingfield (2m4f, good) a fortnight or so later.
Noble Park left some room for work on the fluency of his jumping, but that should continue to happen, and he really motored clear late on to win by 24 lengths from Vanderpoel. Ben Pauling’s charge franked that form with his win at Ascot last week.
Noble Park has gone up 11lb in the ratings but could be equal to that and can take the measure of dual Exeter scorer U Can’t Be Serious.
13:20 – Kitzbuhel @ 7/4
Willie Mullins has two contenders for the King George and the Closutton chief is also sending over KITZBUHEL for the Grade 1 novice over the same course and distance an hour earlier.
All bar one of this six-runner field won last time out, with Newbury winner Wendigo and Sandown scorer Salver likely to prove the sternest opposition.
Kitzbuhel beat stablemate Kaid D’authie in a Punchestown beginners’ event in November over two-and-a-quarter-miles on testing ground, form well-advertised by the third, Gordon Elliott’s The Enabler, scoring a wide-margin win since at Fairyhouse.
He can give Mullins a first success in this festive contest.
14:30 – Banbridge @ 16/1
The King George itself looks like a blockbuster. Eight runners were declared, giving punters some wriggle room for places.
Mullins’ pair Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File are much-respected but they had a hard race in the John Durkan on their comebacks. Arkle winner Jango Baie is feared, and the likes of The Jukebox Man, Il Est Francais and Djelo could help force a fast pace.
That may well suit Fact To File and Mark Walsh. They burned some fuel getting after Gaelic Warrior at Punchestown and perhaps that played a role in their narrow defeat.
One that is being overlooked is last year’s winner BANBRIDGE, the Joseph O’Brien inmate with champion jockey Sean Bowen for company here.
A fast-run race will suit, considering he picked up so well last year to get after Il Est Francais, and he should leave his Hilly Way run at Cork well behind. A first-time visor should have a positive effect and he has a hugely talented partner in Bowen.
Look for them to outrun double-figure odds in a hot King George, a contest with a very long and clear tradition of seeing horses come back and do well in multiple renewals.
