Horseracing Betting Briefing: December 21 - 27

General / Andrew Hughes / 21 December 2008 / Leave a Comment

Christmas may be a time for the traditional comforts of hearth and home but it's also one of the busiest periods in the racing calendar and, says Andrew Hughes, there's plenty of pulsating action to look forward to over the next seven days.

After aiming a certain amount of flak in the direction of the racing powers that be last week, it would only be fair to acknowledge that the rescheduling of the International Hurdle from Cheltenham to Ascot enabled us to witness one of the best hurdling performances seen in a long time as Binocular cemented his Champion Hurdle favouritism with a thumping defeat of champion Katchit and pretenders Celestial Halo and the disappointing Crackaway Jack.

A great performance and the onus is now on Nicholls, King et al to get their charges firing on all cylinders in order to make a race of it come March.

There's plenty more pulsating action to look forward to over the next seven days. After a low key start to the week, the sport returns with a bang on Boxing Day for one of the busiest periods of racing of the year. Avoid being overwhelmed and follow the Betfair guide to the key racing action you won't want to miss this festive week. And before I forget, I'd like to take this chance to wish all Betting.Betfair readers a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Sunday 21st December

As the nation resounds with the ring of cash registers, there is not all that much top class racing action going on today, though if you get a chance, you might want to look at the solid card at Thurles, including the Listed Horse and Jockey Hotel Hurdle, a two mile hurdle featuring a small field of younger horses.

Friday 26th December

An appropriately over-stuffed day's racing with eleven meetings in Britain and Ireland offers punters plenty of opportunity to sample the country air and walk off a little of that over-indulgence. Top of the tree, of course, is Kempton's little get together, venue for the second most important staying chase of the season, the King George VI.

This year, the mighty Kauto Star is bidding to be only the third horse to win this illustrious race for a third time, after Wayward Lad and four-time winner Desert Orchid. Before the main event, however, there are two cracking Grade Ones. There is the Christmas Hurdle, for those top class two mile hurdlers who weren't at Ascot on Saturday and the Feltham Novices' Chase over three miles for younger horses being aimed at the Royal and Sun Alliance Chase in March.

Over the Irish Sea, Leopardstown also have a great card, featuring the Durkan Homes Novices' Chase, an opportunity for a host of talented young Irish chasers to impress and the Durkan Homes Novices' Hurdle over two miles featuring some unexposed and promising types, including one or two boasting unbeaten records.

Other betting highlights today include the Lincolnshire National at Market Rasen, a three and a half mile handicap chase featuring some old favourites and the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby, a typically busy betting heat with a big field of hardened handicappers going to post.

Saturday 27th December

Day Two at Kempton and a couple of really good Graded contests over two miles. The Wayward Lad Novices's Chase Twos. The Wayward Lad Novices' Chase can often throw up a small field but is well worth watching as all the horses involved will be of the highest class whilst the Desert Orchid Chase is one of the best two mile contests outside of the Champion Chase itself.

In Leopardstown the Dial a Bet Chase over two miles and a furlong features a number of familiar faces from the top table of Irish chasing. There's also the Future Champions Novices' Hurdle over two miles and the Paddy Power Chase over three miles, a big field big handicap and another great betting heat.

And finally, at Chepstow, there is a decent race in the Future Champions Finale, a Juvenile Hurdle and last but not least, the great spectacle that is the Coral Welsh National, a hard slog around the undulating and usually muddy Welsh course that is a true test of endurance and stamina.