Boxing Day Racing Cheat Sheet: Thursday's best bets, plus Paul Nicholls and Rachael Blackmore insight

• Boxing Day Racing Cheat Sheet for Kempton and more

• Tips from Daryl Carter, Kevin Blake and more

• Rachael Blackmore on Envoi Allen in the King George

• Read Paul Nicholls' exclusive insight on his runners

• Get a completely Free Bet on any sport on Boxing Day

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Rachael Blackmore Boxing Day Superboost

Betfair ambassador Rachael Blackmore rides Envoi Allen in the 2024 King George VI Chase on Boxing Day. The horse has finished inside the top six in all of his last seven starts and today you can back him to finish in the top six again at the super-boosted price of 1/12.00 (from 8/131.61).

To take advantage of this superboost on the Betfair Sportsbook just click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

*Please Note: This superboost is provided by the Betfair Sportsbook and not by any of our tipsers or writers.

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Watch Paul Nicholls talk to Betfair about his runners...

Paul's Ditcheat Diary 🗒️

It's a busy festive period for Team Ditcheat with several fancied runners on Boxing Day.@BetfairBarry caught up with Betfair ambassador @PFNicholls for the latest... pic.twitter.com/3JsuHVt32Y

-- Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) December 23, 2024

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Listen to Boxing Day's Racing... Only Bettor podcast!

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12:45 Kempton - Mark Milligan says: Fire Flyer gets the nod in the opener

Mark Milligan: "The post-Christmas glut of racing kicks off with three meetings on ITV on Boxing Day, with Kempton's King George card the highlight, though the channel is also covering a couple of good races from Aintree and Wetherby.

"The opener at Kempton is a really interesting Novices' Handicap Chase and there's no shortage of potential from several of the nine-strong field.

"Dan Skelton's Asta La Pasta is favourite on the Sportsbook at the time of writing, and he's made a solid start to his career over fences, winning once and finishing third on his other two starts.

"He looks solid enough, though I'm not convinced his current mark of 130 gives him all that much in hand with a few of these.

"I prefer the claims of Paul Nicholls' Fire Flyer, who made a good start to life over the bigger obstacles when finishing second at Exeter earlier in the month.

"A useful novice hurdler, he looks the type to make an even better chaser and seemed to benefit from having had a breathing operation prior to his reappearance.

"Of the rest, El Rio and Range are both respected, with the former coming here in search of a hat-trick, though whether he has as much potential as Fire Flyer is open to debate."

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13:05 Aintree - Timeform says: Potters Charm gets the Horse In Flag Focus

Timeform: "Potters Charm cost £105,000 after finishing runner-up on his sole outing in points and he looked something out of the ordinary when making a winning debut under Rules in a bumper at Ffos Las on his sole start last season, running to a high level for a newcomer.

"He hasn't put a foot wrong since moving over hurdles this season, either, comfortably beating a couple of next-time-out winners on his debut in this sphere at Worcester and raising his game further when winning his last two starts at Cheltenham.

"His performance in the Grade 2 Hyde Novices' Hurdle last time marked him out as one of the best from Britain seen in this division, his hurdling much tidier than previously and he went with plenty of zest throughout. Potters Charm easily moved clear in the closing stages and there should be even more to come - he still has the 'Timeform small p' attached to his rating.

"He drops back to two miles for this challenge, but he's a strong traveller who doesn't lack speed, so hopefully it won't be a problem, and he sets a high standard on form regardless - he's at least 5lb clear of his rivals on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and also carries the Horse In Focus Flag."

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13:20 Kempton - Daryl Carter says: 3m should suit Masaccio in Kauto Star

Daryl Carter: "The Jukebox Man will be hard to beat, but he did hang violently left down the Newbury home straight and jump that way, so the move to a right-handed track (despite winning his Point going this way) may not be ideal. Masaccio--9/25.50 on the Betfair Sportsbook--looks overpriced on his running behind Ben Pauling's horse at Newbury last time, having come from further back than the winner, who dictated a very slowly run affair.

"The move up to 3m is the angle to find improvement in Masaccio. He returns to Kempton, where his last visit was a dominant hurdle victory (in an admittedly poor race). He will handle this track, and I expect him to improve for this trip over fences for the first time.

"In turn, The Jukebox Man may be a 2 1/2 miler, and the combination of the right-handed track and the trip favours Masaccio, who will win sooner rather than later and looks to have all his ducks in a row today.

"Back the selection at 4/15.00 or bigger."

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13:35 Wetherby - Paul Nicholls says: Hopeful of a decent show from Tahmuras

Paul Nicholls: "I've been thinking of upping Tahmuras to three miles for a while and he gets the chance in the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby.

"He ran very well for a long way way in testing conditions at Haydock a month ago until getting tired late on. His home work suggests he has improved since then and I'm hopeful of a decent show from him."

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13:45 Leopardstown - Katie Midwinter says: Irish Panther makes big each-way appeal

Katie Midwinter: "Making his first appearance for his new connections since making the switch to the Eddie and Patrick Harty yard, Irish Panther is one to note in this competitive handicap as the lightly raced gelding is completely unexposed and has shown potential in the past.

"Previously trained by Edward O'Grady, he made seven starts in the colours of Sean and Bernardine Mulryan before being sold for 19,000gns in the autumn.

"After finishing second in a point-to-point he made his Rules debut in a Leopardstown bumper where he finished two-lengths behind the subsequent dual Grade One winner, and current Gold Cup favourite, Fact To File, with now 127-rated Will Do in third, and 132-rated chaser Ask Anything back in fifth. Then followed a third to Ballyburn at Punchestown before Irish Panther chased home the likes of Farren Glory and Daddy Long Legs, respectively, showing plenty of promise.

"He was only beaten a combined distance of six-and-a-half-lengths by two of the most talented Willie Mullins-trained youngsters, and, although those were in completely different circumstances, Irish Panther displayed enough ability to suggest he should be better than his opening mark of 118.

"In his most two recent starts he has been well beaten, failing to give his true running. He did have excuses at Listowel when last seen, and perhaps the change of scenery as well as the 90-day break will have freshened him up. Although a resurgence is needed, it's too early to give up the faith in this son of Lucarno.

"Kieren Buckley, who has a 15 percent strike-rate for the yard, with 29 percent of his beaten horses for the training partnership finishing among the places, takes the ride aboard a horse whose best career performance to date came at this course.

"At odds of 12/113.00, Irish Panther makes each-way appeal with five places available, and could spring a surprise in this race."

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14:30 Kempton - Rachael Blackmore says: Envoi Allen in good form ahead of King George

Rachael Blackmore: "I'm really looking forward to riding Envoi Allen in the King George VI Chase on Thursday.

"It's obviously a very competitive King George, it looks like a really open race, but Envoi is in great form at home. He's a horse who will tell you when he's in good form, and he is giving us all the right signs.

"He was disappointing in the King George two years ago, but that just wasn't his running. He's 10 years old now, but he was very good at Down Royal on his seasonal debut, he proved that he retains all his enthusiasm for racing.

"He really had to battle to beat Hewick, who, as we know, is a very good horse, last year's King George winner. He came out of the race really well too, and we hope that he can run a big race on Thursday."

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14:30 Kempton - Kevin Blake says: Banbridge makes the most appeal in King George

Kevin Blake: "The one that makes the most appeal to me is the Joseph O'Brien-trained Banbridge. The eight-year-old has made a steady rather than a spectacular rise to the top over fences, with his well-publicised preference for a sound surface meaning that some of the gaps between his runs have been longer than intended.

"While Banbridge's stamina for three miles has yet to be proven, he has long hinted that such a trip will be within his reach. The cheekpieces that he responded so well to at the Punchestown Festival last season are reapplied, the ground has very much come right for him and Paul Townend takes over the ride on him. He ticks an awful lot of boxes and a big run from him looks assured."

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