The period between Christmas and New Year is rich with horse racing highlights, and GG tipster Joe Napier has picked out four best ante-post bets for the final week of the year from Chepstow & Leopardstown.
The pick of the races include the Welsh Grand National from the former venue, and the Savills Chase from the latter, all of which occur just days after the 2025 renewal of the King George VI Chase from Kempton.
However, it is the Irish and Welsh meetings which Joe Napier focuses on, as he gives three each-way tips across the Grade 1 and handicap action, and a two-point win tip on a Willie Mullins-trained novice hurdler.
Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase Tip (Saturday 27 December 2025)
The Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase is run over 2m1f, making it the primary contest for the top level speed chasers in Ireland. Many Champion Chase contenders are set to run here and we have picked out an each-way contender for the race.
1.12 Leopardstown – Solness (1pt e/w – 12/1)
He was a shock winner at 28/1 last season, but Solness proved that tearaway front-running victory to be no shock throughout the remainder of last season. There is one significant difference regarding his preparation this time around in that this race will be his first run of this season compared to his sixth of last campaign, but that is likely to have been calculated by Joseph O’Brien, especially as his previous campaign effectively included ten races. Having won this race, he subsequently won the Dublin Chase over course and distance at the Dublin Racing Festival in similar style, white he was far from disgraced when fourth and third in Cheltenham and Punchestown’s Champion Chases when unable to dominate in similar fashion. He could easily put Majborough’s jumping under pressure, while Marine Nationale is likely to need this first run as he did last season, so 12/1 looks too big, especially as a top 3 place is very much for up for grabs even if that pair perform up to standard.
Future Champions Novice Hurdle Tip (Saturday 27 December 2025)
11 remain in the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle, with the market beginning to speak to a Willie Mullins-trained contender who could become one of the foremost 2m novice hurdlers of this season.
1.47 Leopardstown – Le Divin Enfant (2pt win – 3/1)
There is little to separate Willie Mullins’ contenders on form so far, but Love Me Tender started his career over the summer, so may have questions to answer on softer Christmas going, while Sortudo, as a classy bumper horse, may improve for further. As a result, the fewest negatives belong to Le Divin Enfant, who made a striking impression on his stable debut three weeks ago. He is a full brother to Imperial Saint, who reached a peak rating of 145 for Philip Hobbs & Johnson White last term, but may well prove even better than his sibling, having won a Thurles maiden by 23 lengths at the end of November. He was a heavy favourite that day, but could not have looked more impressive, while he was fourth to Lulamba at Auteuil in October 2024 on heavy going. Given the heights that rival has reached, it is reasonable to expect Mullins to have coaxed similar improvement out of this four-year-old and he is expected to be Paul Townend’s chosen one here.
Welsh Grand National Tip (Saturday 27 December 2025)
The Welsh Grand National is the biggest horse race in Wales, with a full field likely to go to post for the staying prize. The trial for the race at the start of the month is often informative, with a contender that day taken to snaffle the main prize.
2.50 Chepstow – Collectors Item (0.5pt e/w – 16/1)
The O’Neill yard’s runners have been in and out this season, but one who tends to maintain his form, with the exception of last season’s Eider Chase is Collectors Item. A thorough stayer, the eight-year-old was second in last year’s London National behind Mr Vango before winning the Somerset National over 3m2½f at Wincanton in January. The runner-up gave that form a huge boost at Kempton next time out, but while Collectors Item perhaps paid for his efforts in those two Nationals when pulled up at Newcastle over 4m1½f. However, such distances are likely to bring out even more from him, and having finished a very respectable eighth when 6lb out of the handicap in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown on ground that would have been quick enough for him, he returned to be second to ante-post Welsh National favourite Jubilee Express in the trial for this race over just short of 3m. He is just as likely to thrive over 3m6½f here though and is likely to be 2lb or 3lb better off with the winner given Sam Thomas’ charge will be out of the handicap.
Christmas Hurdle Tip (Sunday 28 December 2025)
Leopardstown’s Christmas Hurdle is a Grade 1 over just shy of 3m and a stayer with tremendous potential is our selection each-way against two stars of the division.
1.55 Leopardstown – The Yellow Clay (1pt e/w – 8/1)
Ballyburn and Teahupoo are likely to renew Hatton’s Grace acquaintances here, but if given hs chance in this contest, The Yellow Clay is too great a price each-way. A stablemate of Teahupoo, he was among the cream of a very useful crop of novice hurdlers over around 2m4f last season, going down by less than a length to The New Lion in the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with Final Demand trailing behind the pair. That is a high class piece of form and he won at the top level himself last term in the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle in January. While he won on his return last season, it was potentially his weakest run and so his comeback, when only second to Colonel Mustard as the odds-on favourite for Navan’s Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle, is worth forgiving as he should prove much better than that, while he was conceding 6lb to the improved winner anyway. Jack Kennedy reported that he did not travel like himself that day, but he improved significantly from his first to second starts last term and a similar level of progression should see him mix it with the established order here.
Christmas Racing Best Bets
1.12 Leopardstown – Solness (1pt e/w – 12/1) – December 27
1.47 Leopardstown – Le Divin Enfant (2pt win – 3/1) – December 27
2.50 Chepstow – Collectors Item (0.5pt e/w – 16/1) – December 27
1.55 Leopardstown – The Yellow Clay (1pt e/w – 8/1) – December 28
FAQs: Christmas Racing Tips
Who is Joe Napier?
Joe Napier is the deputy editor of GG who gives tips and opinion throughout the week. He has been writing for GG for over four years and is hugely passionate about racing.
When were the Christmas Horse Racing Best Bets published?
The tips for the Christmas Horse Racing Best Bets were published at 12.20pm on Thursday 18 December.
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