As ever, Boxing Day is one of the busiest days of the year on the racing front; 77 races spread across 11 fixtures in Britain and Ireland provide more than enough for even the greediest of punters to sink their teeth into. But remember, you don’t need to place a bet in all 77 contests.
Adopting a more selective approach, here we present our top four selections on what promises to be a hectic and thrilling afternoon of equine entertainment.
11:40 Down Royal – I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle
Having finished runner-up in a pair of Point-to-Point contests in the Spring, Ballybow went into our notebook as one to follow upon his switch to the Gordon Elliott operation. Happily, the son of Flemensfirth wasted no time getting off the mark when landing a 2m2½f Bumper at Sligo.
A drop back to 2m was a slight concern on hurdles debut for a horse who is more of a stayer in our eyes. Nevertheless, a 23l 15th of 25 finish was disappointing on the face of it. However, considering the horse lost a shoe, was hampered by a loose horse, and finished lame, we are happy to draw a line through that effort. Stepping up to 2m4f for this assignment, he’s worth backing to resume his progress.
Recommended Bet: Ballybow to win @ 5/1 with bet365
13:05 Aintree – William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle
With six of the seven-runner field winning last time out, this looks like a quality edition of this Grade 1 contest for the up-and-coming hurdlers. The five-timer seeking Roadlesstravelled, Cheltenham winner Country Mile, and Celtic Dino all merit respect. However, we suspect they will all have their work cut out to lower the colours of one of the most impressive novice hurdlers of the season to date.
Hailing from the Nigel Twiston-Davies operation, Potters Charm caught the eye when mastering the talented Minella Sixo at Cheltenham before stepping into Grade 2 company for the Hyde Novices’ Hurdle. In a race which was supposed to represent his toughest test to date, he travelled powerfully throughout before careering away for an easy 11l success. Anything close to a repeat of that performance should make him very tough to beat here.
Recommended Bet: Potters Charm to win @ 7/4 with bet365
13:10 Leopardstown – O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Juvenile Hurdle
The Willie Mullins-trained, Rich Ricci-owned Willy De Houelle heads the betting in this contest for the three-year-olds. He likely won’t be far away but couldn’t get the job done when second in a Grade 3 last time and could be worth taking on in this Grade 2 affair. Stablemate Murcia makes the shortlist, but the one we like here is the Gavin Cromwell representative, Hello Neighbour.
Raced solely on the flat to date, this son of Harzand impressed when scoring over 1m6f on debut and built on that to win a 1m2f soft ground event in a canter. The fact that he is pitched straight into this grade on hurdles debut suggests he shows plenty at home, and as a half-brother to the Grade 1 winning juvenile hurdler A Wave Of The Sea, his pedigree offers further cause for optimism.
Recommended Bet: Hello Neighbour to win @ 5/2 with bet365
14:10 Wetherby – William Hill Committed To Top Prices Handicap Chase
Grain d’Oudaires heads the betting for this 2m3½f event on the back of an easy 8l win at Doncaster last time out. However, in two previous outings at around this trip, he has been beaten by 8¼l and 22l.
The one to be on is the Lucinda Russell-trained Myretown. Likened to stable star Ahoy Senor by his trainer, this seven-year-old managed only fifth on his seasonal over 2m½f at Newbury. However, that merely confirmed that the minimum trip is too short for this son of Dylan Thomas.
Beaten over 2m on his sole outing in 2022, he was again defeated over 2m on his seasonal return in 2023/24. However, his subsequent efforts over 2m4½f and 2m5f saw him fall at the last with the race at his mercy and score by 11 lengths at Newbury. Reaching a mark of 123 over the smaller obstacles, he gets in off 121 for his first chase outing over a suitable distance.
Recommended Bet: Myretown to win @ 6/4 with bet365
A £1 Lucky 15 on the above selections at the recommended prices returns £453.68 with bet365 if all four horses win.
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
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