Rachael Blackmore on the Festive Racing: Christmas will be different but I'll still be watching

• For first time in years Rachael is not riding across the festive period

• Jumps racing legend looks at the action on both sides of the Irish Sea

• July Flower is a former ride that impresses ahead of Leopardstown test 

• Our columnist rates the King George field and picks one ride from the nine

• Read all about Betfair's Boxing Day free bet offer here

Simply a massive week for jumps racing 

There is some brilliant National Hunt racing in store at the Christmas festivals.  It's the same every year, it's fantastic racing, top-class horses running in the days after Christmas Day.

Of course, it's going to be a little different for me this year!

I won't be heading off on the plane to Kempton on St Stephen's Day, and I won't be heading up the road to Leopardstown with a book of rides, or to Limerick or to Down Royal.

Usually, in the days leading up to Christmas, you're looking at entries, and you're watching very closely, seeing how horses are working and schooling.  That hasn't been part of my build-up to Christmas this year though. 

It's obviously a massive week on the National Hunt calendar for everybody, jockeys and trainers and owners, as well as racing fans.  There is always a brilliant atmosphere at this time of year at all the tracks.  It's tradition.  Lots of people and lots of families who may never go racing all year meet up over Christmas and go racing together, so there is always a great buzz around. 

Every jockey would love to get a winner over the Christmas period, it's such a high-profile week.  

July Flower catches the eye in Leopardstown's Boxing Day card

Leopardstown has always been one of my favourite tracks to ride.  If you get into a good rhythm there on the chase track, it's a fantastic feeling for a jockey.  I really enjoyed riding Notebook at this meeting in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase.  He was such a fantastic jumper of fences.  When you turn down the back straight and you see that line of fences in front of you, it's a great feeling to be riding a horse like him, knowing the spin that you're going to get over those fences.  

A Plus Tard was another horse who showed how classy he was when he beat Chacun Pour Soi over two miles and one furlong there in the Paddy's Rewards Club Chase, and we all know what he went on to become after that.

Leopardstown is a stiff and really fair track, and I always enjoyed the challenge that it presented.

July Flower was an important winner for me at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival last year, she was very good in winning the Grade 3 two-and-a-half-mile mares' hurdle on the fourth day of the festival.

She's over fences now this season and she has won her two chases to date.  She was impressive in winning the Arkle Trial at Cheltenham last month, and she seems to be taking to fences really well.  It looks like she's on track for the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day, and I think she should run well in that.  It's a race that should suit her.

King George field is so deep but if I had to choose one to ride...

The King George VI Chase is obviously the feature race at Kempton on the same day, and it's shaping up to be a cracking race.  You can make a case for most of the runners.  It looks like the first and second from the John Durkan Chase, Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File, are going to take each other on again, and that will be really interesting to see how they fare against each other again, over three miles.

You have the first and second from last year's King George, Banbridge and Il Est Francais in there again, and they both go there with chances.  Jango Baie is the Arkle winner from last season, who looked very good in winning at Ascot on his debut this season over two miles and five furlongs, while Djelo has won the Charlie Hall Chase and the Peterborough Chase this season, and The Jukebox Man, winner of the Kauto Star Chase last year over the King George course and distance, was impressive in winning at Haydock on his return this season.  

It looks like a top-class renewal this year and it will be fascinating to see how it pans out. I never had much luck in the race myself, but if I had to choose one horse to ride in the race this year, it would be a really tough decision, but Fact To File might just shade it for me.

Humbling and an honour to be recognised by HRI

Finally, it was such an incredible honour to receive the Contribution to the Industry award at the annual Horse Racing Ireland awards last Monday.  It was a little overwhelming to be honest, walking up onto the stage and having the people in that room applauding for me.

When you look at the list of names who have received that award in the past, it is just very humbling to be on the same list as those people.  It's an award that I will always cherish.

Now read Sam Turner's six festive fancies with horses to back at Chepstow, Leopardstown and more