Boxing Day Horse Racing Preview

The biggest day of the UK & Irish horse racing calendar is almost upon us as eager fans prepare to flock to their local courses for the Boxing Day meetings. It is the busiest and most chaotic day for everyone involved in the sport, and there have been some classic moments over the years as racegoers enjoy some high-quality racing during the festive period.

Horse racing, a time-honoured tradition, has long been woven into the fabric of British culture and history, perhaps more than any other country. From its humble beginnings on open fields to the prestige of today’s impressive racetracks, the sport has seen a remarkable evolution throughout the ages. The atmosphere at the tracks on big days is hard to describe as one mingles with the crowds, places a bet at the on course bookies and can feel the horses running close to the main stands. Horse racing is more than just a sport in the United Kingdom, it can be viewed as a celebration of tradition, heritage, passion, and outstanding equine prowess.

Boxing Day will be a busy and exciting day, and racing fans will enjoy a feast of top class action in Britain and Ireland over the Christmas period, including 12 Grade 1s and major handicaps such as the Coral Welsh Grand National and the The King George VI Chase, which usually steals the headlines, but there are several Grade 1 races in the UK and Ireland that have captured the hearts of racing fans over the years.

The Boxing Day fun kicks off with a great card at Kempton, headlined by the top race of the day, the King George VI Chase. This historic Grade 1, won by heroes of the sport such as Desert Orchid and Kauto Star, is one of the major highlights of the jumps campaign, while on the same card, the Christmas Hurdle also looks set to be one of the races of the season. Leopardstown and Limerick’s big four-day Christmas meetings get under way on the same afternoon.

It is not only Boxing Day when major racing takes place, with the Welsh National at Chepstow followed by Challow Hurdle day at Newbury, going right through to Cheltenham’s traditional New Year’s Day showstopper.

The full list of racetracks where racing will take place on Boxing Day:

• Kempton (6 races)
• Down Royal (7 races)
• Sedgefield (7 races)
• Wetherby (7 races)
• Aintree (7 races)
• Fontwell (7 races)
• Leopardstown (7 races)
• Market Rasen (7 races)
• Limerick (7 races)
• Wincanton (6 races)
• Wolverhampton (8 races)

With the first race starting at 11.40 local time and the final one starting at 17.40 there is certainly plenty to keep fans of racing occupied. Fans will wake up on the 26th and start to research their potential best bets of the day as well as try to work out which races they want to watch, as many will be overlapping. Whether gathering around the TV at home, gathering with friends to watch, or actually making the trip to one of the tracks, there is much to look forward to on this important day in the horse racing calendar. 

One factor to keep in mind, especially at this time of year, is the weather. As things stand, most tracks are forecast to have a largely dry day with Sedgefield looking like having the brightest of days. The worst weather seems forecast for Fontwell, where rain is predicted but most other tracks are cloudy but dry. The ground at most tracks is listed as Good, Good to Soft at most tracks, so that should suit most of the main players. 

The top race of the day is the King George VI Chase which will run at Kempton Park. It is a highlight of the annual racing calendar and is made up of eighteen fences at a distance of around 3 miles. It was first run back in 1937 and is now viewed as the second most prestigious chase in England, after the Cheltenham Gold Cup which takes place in March. The most successful horse in this race has been Kauto Star, who won it five times. There have been fifteen horses that won it more than one time. This year’s favourite to win this prestigious race is Spillane’s Tower. Another excellent race that takes place at Kempton is the Christmas Hurdle, run over 2 miles with the excellent Constitution Hill back in action and currently second favourite, currently just behind Lossiemouth. Grey Dawning and Corbett’s cross are both certainly worth looking at in the betting market in what is a highly competitive race this year. 

A couple of interesting bets for the day could be First Street in the first race at Kempton. He is on a dangerous mark and the distance and ground should suit him. Miami Magic is also worth a look in the 13.05 race at Aintree. Another one worth a look is likely to be Ahoy Senor at Wetherby in the 13.35. 

Undoubtedly we are set for an excellent day’s entertainment with racing from across the UK and beyond. We know the main highlights of the day but hopefully we can all find an interesting and winning horse somewhere, be it in the King George or at one of the other tracks, to provide some winning Boxing Day festive cheer.

Last Updated: 23.12.2025