The biggest day in the British & Irish horse racing calendar is almost here as eager fans prepare to flock to their local courses for the Boxing Day meeting. It’s 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 high quality racing over the festive period.
Horse racing, a time-honored tradition, has long been woven into British culture and history, perhaps more than any other country. From its humble beginnings on the open field to the impressive racetrack prestige of today, the sport has undergone a remarkable evolution throughout the ages. The atmosphere at the track on big days is hard to describe as one of mingling with the crowd, placing bets at the on-field bookies, and being able to feel the horses running near the main grandstand. Horse racing is more than just a sport in the UK, horse racing can be seen as a celebration of the tradition, heritage, spirit and extraordinary prowess of horses.
Boxing Day will be a busy and exciting day, and racing fans will enjoy a feast of top class action across the UK and Ireland over the Christmas period, including 12 Grade 1s and big handicaps such as the Coral Welsh Grand National and The King George VI Chase, which usually make the news major, 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 starts 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 highlights of the jumping campaign, while on the same card, the Christmas Hurdle also looks set to be one of the races of the season. Big four-day Christmas gatherings in Leopardstown and Limerick will take place on the same afternoon.
It’s not just Boxing Day when the big races take place, with the Welsh National at Chepstow followed by the Challow Hurdle day at Newbury, right through to the traditional New Year’s Day show stopper Cheltenham.
Full list of racecourses 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 Race (7 races)
- Limerick (7 races)
- Wincanton (6 races)
- Wolverhampton (8 races)
With the first race starting at 11.40 local time and the last race starting at 17.40, there is certainly plenty to keep racing fans busy. Fans will wake up on the 26th and start researching their potential best bets of the day as well as trying to figure out which races they want to watch, as many will overlap. Whether hanging out watching TV at home, getting together with friends to watch, or actually making the trip to one of the tracks, there’s a lot to look forward to on this important day in the horse racing calendar.
One factor to keep in mind, especially at times like these, is the weather. Currently, most tracks are expected to see a mostly dry day and Sedgefield looks to have its sunniest day yet. The worst of the weather looks expected to be at Fontwell, where rain is forecast but most of the rest of the course is cloudy but dry. Soil on most tracks is listed as Good, Good to Soft on most tracks, making it suitable for most major players.
The top race of the day is the King George VI Chase which will take place at Kempton Park. It is the highlight of the annual racing calendar and consists of eighteen fences over a distance of approximately 3 miles. It was first held in 1937 and is now seen as Britain’s second most prestigious hunt, after the Cheltenham Gold Cup which takes place in March. The most successful horse in this race is Kauto Star, who won it five times. There are fifteen horses that have won it more than once. This year’s favorite to win this prestigious race is Spillane’s Tower. Another excellent race taking 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. The crosses of Gray Dawning and Corbett are both certainly worth a look at the betting markets in this year’s highly competitive race.
Some interesting bets for today are First Street in the first race at Kempton. He is on a dangerous path and the distance and terrain must suit him. Miami Magic are also worth watching in the 13.05 race at Aintree. Another one worth seeing is Ahoy Senor at Wetherby at 1.35pm.
There’s no doubt we’re in for a great day’s entertainment with racing from all over the UK and beyond. We know the highlights today, but hopefully we can all find an exciting and winning horse somewhere, whether at King George or at one of the other tracks, to provide the cheer of a Boxing Day win.
Last Updated: 12.23.2025
