Kempton Park Boxing Day Betting Tips, Predictions and Odds for 2020

ITV Racing brings us four races from Kempton on Boxing Day including the King George VI and the Christmas Hurdle as well as one race from Weatherby and we’ve got a betting tip for each of them.

The big race of the day is the King George where Clan Des Obeaux and Cyrname head the betting odds and Santini is a surprise late entry to the line-up.

In the Christmas Hurdle, Epatnte is expected to win again on her route to the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and she’s around 1/4 to win on Boxing Day.

See all of our Boxing Day Kempton tips below as well as a risk-free £20 bet which gives you a cash refund if your King George bet loses!

 

Boxing Day Racing Tips

Time	Selection	Odds
1.15 Sandown	SHISHKIN (no bet)	1/5
1.35 Leopardstown	MARIES ROCK	2/1
1.50 Sandown	POWER OVER ME (NB)	10/11
2.05 Mussleburgh	PATS FANCY	5/1
2.20 Sandown	RENARDEAU	6/1
2.30 Weatherby	ONE FOR THE TEAM (NAP)	5/1
2.55 Sandown	ATHEEB	4/1
3.15 Leopardstown	ATHEEB	4/1
3.30 Sandown	ATHEEB	4/1
3.45 Mussleburgh	ATHEEB	4/1

 

1:15 Kempton

The opener on Boxing Day’s ITV coverage comes up at 1:15 and it is a tricky novice handicap chase over 2m4f. Alnadam heads the market for the Skelton team and he was an impressive winner over this distance at Sandown last time out and he certainly has scope for further improvement.

The horse I like is HOLD THE NOTE (EW). Hold The Note has some strong chase form to his name despite still being a maiden over fences. He was a fine third in Cheltenham Novice Chase Handicap over 2m4f back in March and that is a race that is working out well. He ran a good race last time out from the front at Cheltenham but just failed to stay the 3m distance. This drop in trip is definitely the right move in my book. Trainer Mick Channon has a fine record in this race and I get the impression Hold The Note has been laid out for this.

 

1:50 Kempton 

The first Grade 1 race of the day comes up at 1:50 and it’s the Kauto Star Novices Chase over 3m. The Big Breakaway will prove popular as he steps back up to 3m after what was a laboured display last time out at Exeter over 2m4f. He finished second behind Bold Plan there and Bold Plan is obviously no slouch but he wouldn’t be winning a race of this quality in my book. He certainly has the potential to be a top 3m chaser but I wouldn’t be willing to put my hard-earned cash on him here giving the unknowns surrounding him and the Tizzard yard.

I think SHAN BLUE (NAP) is really solid here. He finished sixth in the hot 2020 renewal of the Ballymore Novices Hurdle behind the impressive Envoi Allen at the Festival. The Big Breakaway was obviously fourth that day but Shan Blue seems to have really improved for a fence. I have been really impressed with his two chase wins this season up at Wetherby where’s he jumped like a natural chaser, travelled well throughout before staying on strongly to win both races decisively. He is still totally unexposed over 3m and I think he will prove the best of this lot given his recent form and his potential as a 3m chaser.

 

2:05 Wetherby 

We head to Wetherby for one race and it’s the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase, ran over 3m. It is a wide-open contest and a good race for punters to get stuck into on Boxing Day.

The one I’ve landed on is WANDRIN STAR EW. I think the Kim Bailey charge is overpriced in this at double figure odds. He ran a cracker on his seasonal debut when going down by a head finishing second to Quaranta in what looked a pretty competitive handicap. I think he will come on for that reappearance effort and the trip and ground today at Wetherby will hold no fears.

 

2:25 Kempton

It’s back to Kempton we go for the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle. It’s a stinker of a renewal as sadly, the 2m hurdle division isn’t great at the moment especially on this side of the Irish Sea.

The superstar mare EPATANTE is an exception and she will win this pretty easily before going onto the Champion Hurdle and winning that in my book. Silver Streak can chase her home for the forecast. A race to just enjoy Epatante strutting her stuff.

 

3:00 Kempton

The big one comes up at 3pm and it is, of course, the King George VI Chase over 3m. My ante-post preview of the race can be found here.

I will also add one at an each-way price to go with the above selection. I’ll chance REAL STEEL (EW). How often do we see the trainer of the favourite winning a race with one of his other runners? The answer is it does happen fairly often.

Real Steel, now trained by Paul Nicholls, made a pleasing enough comeback run when third behind the impressive Imperial Aura at Ascot. He looked desperately in need of the run that day at Ascot and I think that effort will have put him spot-on for this. Going back to March 2020, he travelled like the winner turning into the straight in the Cheltenham Gold Cup where he hit a low of 5/2 in-play before his stamina gave way over the 3m2f trip. This 3m trip around Kempton will suit a lot more than 3m2f around Cheltenham. His form going right-handed (Kempton is a right-handed track) is really strong and I believe Daryl Jacob’s riding style is a great match to get the best out of Real Steel. At the prices with 3 places available each way, he can join the party to go with our antepost selection.

 

£20 Free Bet for the King George

1 Open a new account at Bet Victor and bet £20 on the King George (3pm, Kempton, Boxing Day).

2 If your bet wins you get paid in cash as usual.

3 If your bet loses you get a £20 refund paid in cash which can be withdrawn to your bank if you wish.

CLAIM YOUR FREE £20CLAIM YOUR FREE £20

 

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