Andrew Mount is armed and ready for Boxing Day, the busiest day on the horse racing calendar. He has picked out six selections at Kempton, as our main man focuses only on the big meeting of the day.
Kempton’s Boxing Day card is one of the most famous race meetings in the country, as the King George VI Chase dominates the sporting action after Christmas, especially in the absence of the Premier League during the afternoon this year.
Andrew has two selections against the field in that race, with the winner from last year back for more in 2025.
Kempton Racing Tips (Friday 26 December 2025)
Kempton’s Boxing Day meeting is their feature event of the year, including three Grade 1s, with the King George VI Chase the annual highlight. Two of Andrew’s six selections run in the big race of the day too…
12.45 Kempton – Barlovento (1pt win – 7/1 William Hill)
Six-year-olds have won nine of the past ten renewals of this 2m4.5f novices’ limited handicap chase and eight of the ten were maidens over fences. Backing only the six-year-olds who had yet to win over fences would have found seven winners from 18 bets for a profit of £26.50 to a £1 level stake at SP (expected winners = 2.06, A/E = 3.40). Olly Murphy’s Barlovento caught the eye when chasing home Ma Shantou (now rated 138) at a respectful distance in a maiden hurdle at Warwick last November when asked to come from much further off the pace than ideal and I’ve been following his career closely since. The six-year-old bombed out in heavy ground at Leicester on his final of three outings in the 2024/25 season but failed to settle and was given a wind operation afterwards. The son of Soldier Of Fortune returned with a 17-2 half-length second of nine to U Can’t Be Serious (re-opposes today) on his chase debut at Exeter, form that received a boost when the winner followed up at the same venue. His yard does well with runners on their second start back after a wind operation, with the chasers landing 15 of their 59 starts (25.4%) for a profit of £16.47.
1.20 Kempton – Crest Of Fortune (0.5pt e/w – 22/1 Ladbrokes) and Thomas Mor (0.5pt e/w – 25/1 generally)
The Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase has thrown up the occasional shock winner and might do so again this year. Willie Mullins is responsible for current favourite Kitzbuhel but his runners have been performing below market expectations recently, with 26 winners from 159 runners (16.4% strike-rate) in the past 60 days for a loss of £85.72 to a £1 level stake at SP. The expected number of winners based on their odds was 39.19, giving an actual over expected score (A/E) of just 0.66 (anything below 1.0 is poor). Salver impressed at Sandown, but softer ground would have been preferable, and I want to fire off a couple of each-way bullets at the rags. Crest Of Fortune has nine and a half lengths to make up with Wendigo on their running in the Grade 2 John Francome at Newbury last month but the step up from 2m4f to 3m is likely to suit – his sole run over this trip saw him finished a 25-1 close-up third in Grade 1 company at Aintree last spring – and the Anthony Honeyball yard is in great nick.
Thomas Mor is also worth a small interest. The Hobbs and White-trained eight-year-old won well at Ascot on is return to fences last month to take his record on right-handed tracks to 1111(4-4). His 66-1 sixth (promoted to fifth) of 20 in the 2023 Albert Bartlett suggests that he’s not out of place in this company.
2.30 Kempton – Djelo (1pt win – 14/1 generally) and Banbridge (0.5pt win – 16/1 generally)
With concerns over the form of the Willie Mullins yard it could be worth opposing both Fact To File and Gaelic Warrior in the King George. Djelo didn’t receive sufficient credit for his Charlie Hall Chase win when the Venetia Williams’ horses were out of form, nor for his repeat victory in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon last time where the return to a right-handed track clearly helped. He has four wins and a second to his name from six starts in this direction over 2m2f or further and is tactically versatile.
I want to save on Banbridge despite his recent poor form. Joseph O’Brien’s nine-year-old is unbeaten in two course outings including the King George 12 months ago. The first-time visor could perk him up – he was a Grade 1 winner at Punchestown in April 2024 in first-time cheekpieces – and course form often comes to the fore in this race.
3.40 Kempton – Onewaywest (1.5pts win – 5/1 William Hill)
Onewaywest received the comment “jumped right throughout” when making all to core by 12 lengths at left-handed Warwick on last month’s seasonal debut and did so again when justifying 8-13 favouritism at left-handed Wetherby just a week later. Freshened up since, the return to a right-handed track for the first time since his maiden hurdle second at Huntingdon in October 2023 will suit and he’s worth a bet despite a slight concern over the drying ground.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets Today
12.45 Kempton – Barlovento (1pt win – 7/1 William Hill)
1.20 Kempton – Crest Of Fortune (0.5pt e/w – 22/1 Ladbrokes) and Thomas Mor (0.5pt e/w – 25/1 generally)
2.30 Kempton – Djelo (1pt win – 14/1 generally) and Banbridge (0.5pt win – 16/1 generally)
3.40 Kempton – Onewaywest (1.5pts win – 5/1 William Hill)
Today’s Meetings & Start Times
- Kempton – first race 12:45
FAQs: Today’s Racing Tips
What are today’s racing tips?
Andrew Mount provides his best bets at Kempton.
Which racecourses run on Friday 26 December 2025?
Kempton, Leopardstown, Down Royal, Sedgefield, Wetherby, Fontwell, Aintree, Limerick, Market Rasen, Wincanton & Wolverhampton.
Who is Andrew Mount?
Andrew Mount is a leading horse racing adviser, expert pundit and journalist, contributing regularly to the Racing Post, Racing & Football Outlook, Racing Post Weekender and William Hill radio as well as providing a daily tipping column for the GG.co.uk website for more than 20 years.
When were today’s Carlisle and Navan tips published?
Today’s tips were published at 1.17pm on Tuesday 23 December, 2025.
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