There is so much racing to enjoy between Christmas and New Year, so GG tipster Dave Young has condensed all of the action down to his four best bets during the period.
The Weekend Watch man has tips at Kempton, Chepstow & Leopardstown, all of which host feature races during the final week of the year.
Kempton Racing Tips (Friday 26 December)
On Boxing Day at Kempton, the King George VI Chase will be contested and it is in the big race where Dave Young’s tip on the card runs.
14:30 Kempton – King George Chase (Grade 1) – Gaelic Warrior (1pt win – 5/2)
This renewal looks to be a clash for the ages with seven confirmations who have genuine cases to be made for them.
Tactically this could turn interesting which means having an uncomplicated horse is going to be essential. That makes the likes of Il Est Francais hard to keep faith with and I’d argue the same with last year’s winner Banbridge too.
Djelo is on the cusp of being a proper Grade 1 horse, at the age of 7 he’s entitled to be improving and his latest two RPR’s would confirm that as the case. He’s better this way round, but there are some big blots in his copybook which make him hard to see landing this.
The Jukebox Man might not be ready for this assignment as he moves into open chasing for the first time and is yet to achieve a figure outside the 150s which leaves us with the three main market principles to concentrate on.
Gaelic Warrior looks made for Kempton and while he’s been around for a long time, he’s still only seven turning eight. He might tick the box of being a complicated horse historically but his last three efforts are far from it. He boasts a 60% strike rate and that includes an Arkle victory over the minimum trip so he’s comfortably one of the fastest horses in here plus he’s experienced too.
Fact To File was a strong novice chaser two seasons ago but he was beaten first time up and then faced minimal threats in his three races after. Into open company he landed a John Durkan and a Ryanair but failed to deliver when stepping up to 3m. He was beaten in this years John Durkan by Gaelic Warrior and I’m struggling to see how that form is reversed over this longer trip.
Jango Baie was faultless at Ascot last month and shaped as though going out in trip here would see more from him. I fancied him in that contest and time people have told me it stacks up on the clock but like Gaelic Warrior, he’s an Arkle winner and this is a serious step up from any race he’s been in to date. He’s clearly a proper horse, but maybe this is a little too soon for him too.
Overall, I think that Gaelic Warrior should be a clear favourite and it’s on the depth of this renewal on paper that is affording us such a generous price about him and anything north of 2/1 looks good value to me.
Chepstow Racing Tips (Saturday 27 December)
Chepstow’s big race between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is the Welsh Grand National, a huge staying handicap in which Dave fancies a Welsh trainer to come out on top.
14:50 Chepstow – Welsh Grand National – 3m 6½f – Jubilee Express (1pt win – 6/1)
Cracking race this and one O’Connell has been subject to support following his Chepstow win and sees him run off a 5lb lighter mark than his official rating stands now, but I have huge concerns about his ability to run to the same level this way round.
The same isn’t true for Jubilee Express who has both his chase wins coming in this direction but also has a second place to his name in this race 12 months ago. Is 6lbs higher in the weights now but his win last time out matched his career best RPR from this race last year. While he doesn’t tick all the boxes in terms from a profile perspective, he ticks enough to warrant favouritism and I think he goes one better this year
Leopardstown Racing Tips (Saturday 27 December)
Leopardstown’s feature race on Saturday 27 December is a handicap in the shape of the Paddy Power Chase. Dave’s selection is an each-way fancy at a decent price.
15:00 Leopardstown – Paddy Power Chase – 3m½f – Kinturk Kalanisi (0.5pt e/w – 20/1)
A race with no winning favourite since 2012 feels ripe to study and I have a shortlist of a few worthy of mentions.
Midnight Our Fred was second in this 12 months ago and is weighted to go close again, but my feeling is that he’s held for win purposes.
Yeats Star is a big trend ticker but his last two starts in better company than his usual have seen him underwhelm, but there is definitely compensation in his price.
Kinturk Kalanisi though was well fancied for last seasons Irish Grand National where he failed to land any sort of a blow, racing from out the back and not fluent throughout. He’s off the same mark here and appears to have been dismissed by the odds compilers based on his last effort alone. Prior to that he unseated when a possible winner of the Leinster National and that does confirm the concerns about his jumping. However, he posted a strong second place at the turn of the year behind Three Card Brag which, like the Leinster National, was going this way round and his mistakes have come in his Novice chasing season.
He has big field experience for running well when 3rd in a 3m Listed Handicap hurdle before he was sent chasing and with another summer under his belt I think he can be forgiven. I believe he is one of the better handicapped horses in this race and a clear round sees him go very close.
Leopardstown Racing Tips (Sunday 28 December)
The Grade 1 Savills Chase is Leopardstown’s equivalent of the King George on Sunday 28 December and Dave is backing a familiar name to triumph.
14:30 Leopardstown – Savills Chase (Grade 1) – 3m½f – Galopin Des Champs (1pt win – 9/4)
Typically, a race for younger legs to shine with no winner older than 8 since 2012. Winning experience over fences is a must though with 4 or more wins expected. That makes Inothewayurthinkin a bit of a quandary because yes, he’s the reigning Gold Cup champion and yes he does have some other form of a high standard, but outside of his first ever races his wins have come in the Spring and a repeat of 12 months ago would not see him land this. While he’s had a prep run to blow the cobwebs away, it wasn’t an inspiring effort for me.
I think despite the age, lack of a prep and the slight setback that I’m happy to sit with Galopin Des Champs in this who has his peak RPR’s for the last two season in this race, both in the 180’s. Yes, both were following a prep run but since early 2022 he’s only been beaten at 2m3½f in John Durkans before his Gold Cup defeat and in his career he’s never won below 2m4f since his 4yo debut. I don’t think it’s completely down to fitness that he’s been beaten in those last two John Durkans as for me he’s run really well and I think it was trip that cost him.
Willie Mullins’ record is 1 from 26 for horses running at this meeting in a Grade 1 first time up that season which isn’t making for positive reading but Chacun Pour Soi as a 10yo was the only runner 9 or older with a 50% or better strike rate at the track. He’d also bombed off a break at this meeting in his first step into open company whereas Galopin Des Champs historically does go well fresh.
Fastorslow would be the most obvious threat to the front two but he’s 0 from 4 at Leopardstown and has won just once this side of the New Year.
FAQs: Dave Young’s Christmas Racing Tips
Which racecourses run between Christmas & New Year’s Eve?
The biggest race meetings include the King George VI Chase at Kempton, the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow and the Savills Chase at Leopardstown.
Who is Dave Young?
Dave Young is a regular contributor to the GG Weekend Watch podcast, appearing as both a tipster and a host. His alias on social media is “Cheltmental” due to his love of the Cheltenham Festival every March.
When were the Christmas Racing Tips published?
Today’s tips were published at 4.45pm on Monday 22 December, 2025.
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