David Massey and Rory Delargy are back with their thoughts on the Boxing Day action and three recommended bets.
Racing betting tips: Friday December 26
2pts win Gaelic Warrior in the 14:30 Kempton at 5/2 (General, min 2/1)
1pt win Wannabe in the 14:22 Market Rasen at 7/2 (General, min 3/1)
1pt win Take Centre Stage in the 13:25 Sedgefield at 7/1 (General, take no lower)
Noble Park is already a much better chaser than he was over hurdles and he’s hard to oppose with the form of his Lingfield win well advertised since. He was very impressive in beating Vanderpoel by 24 lengths at “Leafy” and the runner-up made that form look all the better when winning at Ascot last Friday from a mark of 126, just 2lb lower than at Lingfield.
Noble Park has been given an 11lb rise for the success, but there was no hint that he was flattered by the winning margin, and appears to be much better built for fences and deserves to be so much higher in the weights in this sphere as a result.
Of the others, I’d not be surprised if we saw a much-improved effort from Queensbury Boy despite finishing last of five to complete the course at Cheltenham on his chasing bow. He was badly hampered by the fall of Jordans Cross that day, and was allowed to come home in his own time. He was beginning to stay on at the time and wouldn’t have been far behind the placed horses that day had he avoided that mishap, so 2lb drop is potentially lenient and his jumping was sound enough to think he can make a decent fist of his new career.
It’s not that easy to weigh up Kitzbuhel here as it was his demeanour as much as the trip that saw him disappoint in the Liverpool Hurdle when tried at 3m in the spring and he has every chance of staying as he matures. That said, his temperament dd look to get the better of him at Aintree and I’d want to see him relaxed and settled before backing him on his travels.
A safer conveyance here is Wendigo, who ran more than respectably in the Albert Bartlett last season and who has made a fine start to his chasing career, finishing second in a race at Worcester that threw up four next-time-out winners before winning himself in Grade 2 company at Newbury where he outstayed his rivals over 2½m. Runner-up No Questions Asked was beaten next time, but Regent’s Stroll, only third at Newbury, had too many guns for Jericho du Reponet at Wincanton next time, and the form looks solid for the level. Wendigo has always looked a late-maturing type, and has been looked after by Jamie Snowden. This is when that kindness gets repaid, and he can put down a marker for the spring festivals by winning this Grade 1 contest.
14:30 – Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (Grade 1) 3m
A cracking King George in prospect, and one which will be tactically intriguing. Favourite Gaelic Warrior was ridden aggressively for a change when getting the better of a duel with Fact To File in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown, but whether connections will want to gun him to the front over this longer trip is not certain, especially as The Jukebox Man and Il Est Francais can be expected to go forward from flagfall. On the other hand, I’d be keen to take the latter on from and early stage as he simply looks vulnerable when not allowed to dictate his own terms, as he was when second to Banbridge in this 12 months ago.
Those who were held up last year – winner aside - struggled as a rule to get involved and that tends to be a recurring theme on the chase course at Kempton, which favours boldness and accurate jumping, a feature which has often made the King George one of the most watchable races of the entire season. We should assume that even if Gaelic Warrior doesn’t lead, he will sit fairly close to the pace before being asked to strike on in the home straight. He has the crucial blend of speed and stamina to suggest this race will suit him much better than a Cheltenham Gold Cup, and the other ace up his sleeve is an almost perfect record when racing right-handed. The seven-year-old has often been crabbed for jumping to his right on left-handed tracks, but his only blemish going this way round was when beaten over 2m at Punchestown in 2024 by Il Etait Temps, an effort which looks much better now than it did at the time.
Fact To File will find a dead three miles more suitable than the Gold Cup trip, too, but his best effort last season by some way was his impressive Ryanair success at Cheltenham in March and while much is made of the sharpness of the Kempton track, very few short runners every win this contest, and I think the longer trip will allow Gaelic Warrior to confirm Durkan placings. The Jukebox Man will jump and travel, but while he was impressive last time, he hasn’t had to beat the calibre of opposition that the selection has, and he may come up just short in what will be much his stiffest task to date.
14:22 Market Rasen
The 0-100 handicap chase at 2:22 has a mix of the fully exposed, most of whom are moderate, but the unexposed Wannabe goes straight into a handicap chase (and up a mile in trip) after three starts in novice hurdles to get the mark, and decent novice hurdles at that. Not disgraced at either Warwick or Chepstow, he comes here rather than a more competitive event at Wetherby for which he also had an entry, and can make the decision pay off. He’s the sort that ought not be wasting his time over hurdles, he’s plenty of size about him, and is a very interesting contender for a yard with a good record overall at the track.
The Big Breac has to be the one to beat. He knew how to win over hurdles but already looks like making into a better chaser, an easy winner over fences on his debut at Wetherby, and he lost nothing in defeat when third to Dom Of Mary and Zertakt (winner at Cheltenham since) at Newcastle last time. Lots more to come from him, and we once again saw the talents of the Smith/Parkinson team with staying chasers last weekend. A strong fancy.
13:25 Sedgefield
It’s not often Rebecca Menzies uses a pair of blinkers but she’s a decent record recently when doing so, 2-6 in the past couple of years for a level stakes profit, and that makes Take Centre Stage even more interesting than he was in any case.
He looked sure to win a race based on his second at Newcastle on his comeback run, a 5l third to Powerjet reading well at this level, but it was poor at Southwell last time, a first-fence error putting him on the back foot and he never looked happy. I’d be happy enough to forgive him that effort and give him another chance in a race he should be able to dominate from the front.
Preview posted 09:00 GMT on 26/12/25
Want to know more about horse welfare within our sport?
2025 successes
- Gogo Yubari 7/2
- Ali Star Bert 100/30
- Rossbridge 9/2
- Kala Conti 5/2
- Found A Fifty 100/30
- Hold Up La Colmine 9/2
- Ben Solo 9/2
- Eldorado Allen 17/2
- French Emperor 15/2
- Lud'or 9/2
- Iddy Wood 9/2
- Jager Time 11/2
- Susie Sioux 3/1
- Smooth Silesie 13/2
- Sticktotheplan 6/1
- Daryz 11/1
- Expressionless 9/1
- Blue Jay Way 11/1
- Revival Power 13/2
- Yanifer 10/1
- Saddadd 5/2
- Dark Cloud Rising 11/2
- Forglen 13/2
- Brazilian Belle 11/4
- Red Panda 17/2
- Bearwith 7/2
- Nogo’s Dream 2/1
- Alpha Magic 20/1
- Minnie Hauk 5/1
- Gore Point 17/2
- Molten Sea 6/1
- Pay Attention 5/1
- Laser Focus 13/2
- Phaedra 2/1
- Eldrickjones 8/1
- Straight F/C Cosmic Year/Marvelman 28/1
- Pink Eyed Pancho 12/1
- Pep Talking 7/2
- Ultra Beat 7/2
- Les's Legacy 13/2
- Coniston George 9/2
- Fairlawn Flyer 12/1
- Finn Lough 9/2
- Magma Sam 9/1
- Hawajes 9/2
- Trouble Man 3/1
- Royal Jewel 11/4
- Mr Vango 5/1
- Jack Sprat 11/4
- Ormolulu 100/30
- Khangai 9/2
- Jimmy Knocker 6/1
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.