Horse racing fans are in for a festive treat on Boxing Day as the Grade 1 King George VI Chase will unfold in a blaze of excitement. The greatest trainers, jockeys and runners in the National Hunt scene will converge upon Kempton Park for the £250,000 contest, and viewers should expect fireworks. Here are the top five leading contenders to seize glory in the biggest race of the season so far:

 

Might Bite

Nicky Henderson’s nine-year-old is the antepost favourite after romping to victory with a classy performance in this race last year. He justified his status as favourite by digging deep to hold off the spirited challenge of Double Shuffle and clinch a famous win. He then went into the biggest race of the season, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, as the favourite, but he was narrowly beaten by Native River. He gave a distinctly underwhelming performance in his return to action this season, finishing fifth of five in last month’s Betfair Chase, but that can be excused due to the bizarre stiffness of the fences. He should fare much better in friendlier conditions at Kempton and he is the clear favourite. He looked on course to win it in 2016, but he suffered a fall at the final fence, allowing Thistlecrack to take the top prize. But he bounced back in style last year and he should relish another crack at it.

 

Waiting Patiently

 

This horse is appropriately named as he has raced just nine times since his 2015 debut. He will be making his first start in 10 months, but he has won his last seven contests and he heads into the big race in formidable form. His winning streak stretches back to January 2016, and young trainer Ruth Jefferson expects him to thrive as long as the ground is not too quick. She earmarked this race for him a long time ago, believing it will suit his strengths, and if it is on the slow side of good she will unleash him. Waiting Patiently was last seen prevailing in an epic clash with Cue Card to seize the Ascot Chase in February, a performance that gave Jefferson her first Grade 1 winner. She has big boots to fill after replacing her late father Malcolm, but early signs are positive and it will be interesting to see how Waiting Patiently gets on at Kempton on December 26.

 

Politologue

Paul Nicholls looms large over this race after securing a record nine victories over the years. Five of them came from the legendary Kauto Star, who won four on the bounce between 2006 and 2009 and then returned with another sensational victory in 2011. Nicholls then saddled 2013 winner Silviniaco Conti, who defended his crown in style in 2014, so he must be taken very seriously indeed. He has decided to put Politologue forward for this race, his first crack at three miles, and he insists the seven-year-old grey gelding can handle the step up in trip. He went as far as comparing Politologue with Kauto Star, which is high praise indeed, and punters that take a look at the betting on this race will see how highly the odds compilers rate his chances of success. He has nine wins from 17 starts and Nicholls believes the right-handed track will suit his strengths, so he is definitely one to watch out for.

 

Native River

Colin Tizzard’s eight-year-old claimed the biggest prize in jumps racing when he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March. He is a real superstar and he has placed in 19 out of 22 races, most of which have been at the highest level. He was third in the 2017 Gold Cup and he has also won the Hennessy Gold Cup and the Mildmay Novices’ Chase, while he finished second at the Betfair Chase last month. Native River did not compete in last year’s King George VI Chase, as he was busy winning the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow, but he will be among the leading lights at this year’s renewal.

Bristol De Mai

This talented seven-year-old delivered another fine performance to win the Betfair Chase for a second year running in November. It means he is the only horse still in contention for the £1 million bonus that comes with victory in the Jumps Triple Crown. All he needs to do now is pull off the simple feat of winning the King George VI Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March and the prize will be his. Bristol De Mai loves soft conditions and he could well annihilate this field if the ground is sloppy at Kempton on Boxing Day. He has placed in 21 out of 24 runs throughout his illustrious career and he could be another popular each-way shout, particularly if the weather goes in his favour.

York racecourse is a horse racing track located in York, North Yorkshire, England. The racecourse is well known for hosting flat races, and has been voted as “UK racecourse of the year” and “Northern racecourse of the year” on a regular basis. So far, it is the third biggest racecourse in the whole of Britain, attracting a crowd of 350,000each year. It is owned by York Racecourse Knavesmire LLP, and hosts a good number of races annually. Some of the notable races held there include; Dante Stakes, Ebor Handicap, International Stakes, and Nunthorpe Stakes.

Racing in York racecourse is said to have begun way back during the Roman times. However, it was until the year 1530 that the sport was recognized and supported by the city corporation. Since then, a number of races have been taking place in the racetrack, and by 19th century, it was able to host two major meetings, The Spring Meeting, and The Yorkshire Union Hunt. It hosted its first music concert in the 22nd of September, 1984.

The racecourse takes pride in hosting Britain’s famous races. For example, Duke of York Stakes. This is a Group 2 flat horse race in which horses three years and above take part in. The horses compete by running over 1,207
meters. It usually occurs in May of every year, and was first inaugurated in the year 1968. Dante Stakes is another major race hosted by the racecourse, and also allows in horses aged 3 and above. It takes place over 2,063 meters and takes place in May.

 

This year, there are a number of fixtures planned out in the racecourse. Summer music Saturday makes the highlight of them all. It is scheduled for Saturday the 30th of June, and Paloma Faith will be performing right after the sporting action. On 27th and 28th of July will be the Music showcase Weekend, where Sir Tom Jones and Boyzone will be performing.

The ability to bet on horse racing is made easier through the number of bookmakers who want to appease their many customers. After choosing which bookie you want to place most of your horse racing bets with, the obstacle you will come up against is working out how to heighten your bet’s chances of winning. There’s no way of guaranteeing winning bets or everyone would do it, so you have to rely on picking out a horse with the pedigree to finish first in a race that you’ve placed money on.

More experienced punters will find it easy to pick out what they see as being a winning horse racing tip from the hundreds of horses running in a single day, but for those with less practice at it, it can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It would help to abide by the crucial criteria used for picking likely horse racing winners, which is the same selection of boxes you need to tick when choosing a horse racing tipster to get behind, as you’ll only be able to find a winner elsewhere if the site you’re following pick their horse bets based on facts. One site we’d recommend for horse racing tips is The Winners Enclosure who offer daily betting tips for each race on daily!

What goes into winning horse racing bets?

Any horse racing tipster that has a genuine record for winning will swear by the use of thorough research in the bets they make. Without this, your horse bets will be lacking in any of the reasoning they need to stand a chance of landing in your favour, and it certainly makes it harder to back any horse that you have no reason for believing in. Even by merely looking into the current form of the horse you’re backing, their weight, record in similar races, and their superiority over other horses in the race, you’ll stand a chance of landing your bet.

Even if you’ve decided to refrain from using a horse racing tipster, you can still use a few to compare the bet you’ve created. If they were to have the same bet as you, it could be a sign that you’re on the right track, but if they don’t, it’s not a sign that you’ve wasted your time as long as you try to find out what you’re missing from your horse tip. When you’re finally ready to back any horse tips you’ve come up with, it would be advised to shop around for the best price on bookmaker websites, with some offering stronger odds by backing the horse early, and others boosting the price on selected favourites nearer the time.

The Doncaster racecourse is known to be one of the most ancient racing centers in Britain. It is located in Doncaster, England and is also known as the Town Moor course. The racetrack is owned by Arena Leisure Plc. It holds two types of races; the flat and National Hunt (left handed) races. The thrilling atmosphere in which it is located in makes it one of the busiest racecourses in the UK. It is well known for hosting two of Britain’s most popular flat races, the Racing Post Trophy and the Leger Stakes.

Doncaster racecourse has been holding regular race meetings since way back in the 16th century. In the year 1600, Doncaster faced a major setback when their race meetings were put on a hold, reason being that they attracted a significant number of ruffians. This mission however failed by 1614 due to public demand. It has since then been hosting the world’s oldest horse races; the Doncaster Cup and the St Leger Stakes. The Doncaster Gold Cup is the older of them both, having been run first in 1770s. This race is meant for horses capable of running a long distance. The St Leger Stakes was founded ten years later, after the Doncaster racecourse had been moved to its present location.

This year, there will be a good number of fixtures taking place. The Racing Welfare Charity Race day for example, is scheduled for Friday, the 6th of July. This will be a major event, with a specific dress code. No jeans, trainers or sportswear will be allowed. Men will be required to wear a jacket and a tie. On Saturday the 19th of May, is Music Live with Happy Mondays. This event will be happening after the racing. Manchester’s legendary Happy Mondays will be back, performing in a concert. The racecourse has a wonderful hospitality packages, making the stay worth it.