It’s that time of the year when the top National Hunt races come at us thick and fast and the Christmas period is no exception.
Over the holiday period we have a plethora of competitive and valuable races to look forward to and in the midst of all the Christmas parties it’s often quite difficult to keep track of all your horse race bets online.
Therefore we have created for you a must watch guide until the end of December 2022.
Sat 17th – Tommy Whittle Chase (Haydock)
This 2m 7f handicap chase was first run in 1982, and is named after the late Tommy Whittle, a former director of Haydock Park.
The inaugural running was won by Little Owl who had lifted the Cheltenham Gold Cup the previous year. Others well known winners include The Thinker (1988), Twins Oaks (1992), One Man (1995), Cloudy Lane (2007) and Lord Du Mesnil (2019).
👏 Enqarde bolts up for Dr Richard Newland & @CHammond96 in the £50,000 Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at @haydockraces pic.twitter.com/7lI8zVlbiB
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 18, 2021
Mon 26th – King George VI Chase (Kempton) & Rowland Meyrick Chase (Wetherby)
Undoubtedly the biggest draw of the festive period is the Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton. The three mile contest was first run in 1937 and has become an important stepping stone in the journey towards the Gold Cup.
Desert Orchid was synonymous with the race for years and “white Christmas” was regularly trotted out in the newspaper headlines, while Kauto Star collected the race an amazing five times (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011).
Meanwhile at Wetherby on the same day we see the three mile Rowland Meyrick Chase. The race hit its peak pomp in the 1980’s when Forgive 'n Forget and The Thinker both won it in the same season they won their respective Cheltenham Gold Cups.
Tues 27th – Welsh Grand National (Chepstow)
Another eagerly anticipated race during the Christmas break is the Welsh Grand National.
The marathon three‐and‐three‐quarter miles test has seen top‐class horses like Burrough Hill Lad, Cool Ground, Master Oats, Synchronised and Native River take Welsh honours before going on to Cheltenham Gold Cup glory.
23 fences are tackled in all, often in very testing conditions.
One for Wales 🏴
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) December 27, 2021
Iwilldoit lands the Coral Welsh Grand National for Sam Thomas👏
pic.twitter.com/sODv530pOb
Weds 28th – Savills Chase (Leopardstown)
Naturally the Irish host a whole load of excellent Graded races over Christmas and the Savills Chase ranks up there as one of the best.
The race was first run over its present distance of three miles in 1992, when it became known as the Ericsson Chase.
The most successful horse in the history of the “Leopardstown Christmas Chase” is Beef Or Salmon who lifted the silverware three times in all (2002,2004,2005).
Fri 30th – The Last Fling Chase (Haydock)
Keeping the Christmas celebrations going or starting your New Year's party off early, The Last Fling Chase takes place at the end of December on what is Haydock Park’s last racing day of the calendar year.
The 3m 4½f Last Fling Chase has been won by some nice handicap chasers down the years with the 2021 renewal going to the popular Blaklion, who went off the 11/4 favourite in the betting.
The popular Blaklion rolls back the years in fine style, sauntering clear for a facile success in the Last Fling Handicap Chase in the hands of @harryskelton89 for @DSkeltonRacing 👏 pic.twitter.com/7MMOkJFz4I
— Haydock Park Races (@haydockraces) December 30, 2021
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 12th December 2022
