The focus in British racing will be all on Kempton on Boxing Day, but Leopardstown‘s Christmas festival gets underway on December 26 too, featuring numerous high class races.
Joe Napier has looked at the opening day’s card at the meeting and has four best bets, including a hurdles debutant for Gordon Elliott and a previous winner at the festival.
Leopardstown Racing Tips (Friday 26 December 2025)
Leopardstown’s racecard on Boxing Day features so many races to savour, with Cheltenham Festival clues likely to emerge from multiple contests.
12.35 Leopardstown – El Cairos (1pt win – 5/4)
Doctor Du Mesnil arrives with a very tall reputation for Willie Mullins after a bloodless bumper debut at Cork back in April. The runner-up that day has proven pretty useful, but it is difficult to believe that El Cairos could be just as great an improver on his first run for Gordon Elliott. He was fifth in the Champion Bumper when trained by Gary & Josh Moore, then finished second at the Punchestown Festival when drifting markedly across the track late on under David Maxwell. He looked to have significantly more left in the tank that day and is just as exciting a recruit to hurdles as Mullins’ charge in this race.
1.10 Leopardstown – North Shore (1pt e/w- 8/1)
Narciso has ran well in Grade 3 company on his debut for Willie Mullins, but that suggested he is beatable and that Willie Mullins may well have others in his juvenile ranks that are stronger later in the campaign. The form of Gavin Cromwell’s yard is picking up slightly after a tricky start to the season and it may well be that this meeting is where things change, so North Shore could be worth an each-way play at least on his hurdling bow here. The son of The Grey Gatsby was a promising flat horse in France between 1m4f-2m over the summer, never losing by more than a head across four races. He also coped with a variety of ground conditions and could easily have the talent if possessing a decent hurdling technique.
1.45 Leopardstown – True Testimony (1pt win – 8/1)
Having won off an 11lb higher mark over fences recently, True Testimony is likely to be good value to secure victory over the smaller obstacles much further down the handicap. Ian Patrick Donoghue’s mare ran well at a huge price at Cheltenham in October, then won at Fairyhouse last month over 2m4½f. The drop back to 2m may not be ideal here, but unlike many chasers who possess much lower hurdles mark, her form over timber was not markedly worse when she raced over hurdles, running behind a couple of decent typed in maiden hurdles in the winter of the 2023/24 season. She can run freely in her races too, so perhaps the step back in trip can prove a positive to her chances as well.
2.55 Leopardstown – One Last Tango (1pt e/w – 12/1)
One Last Tango has long been a type who has threatened a big handicap success and it may arrive in the penultimate race at Leopardstown. He won at this meeting over hurdles in 2023 off a mark of 122, then was fourth as favourite for this race a year ago when racing off 114. He was beaten only a length by a horse who followed up at the Dublin Racing Festival though and could easily have won himself since at either Down Royal or Tipperary. He races this year on a mark of 116, 2lb higher than 12 months ago, but has had two runs this season that have surely been to get him fit for this contest and he shaped with promise at both Limerick and Clonmel. That long-awaited victory may well arrive here.
GG Leopardstown Racing Tips – Friday 26 December
12.35 Leopardstown – El Cairos (1pt win – 5/4)
1.10 Leopardstown – North Shore (1pt e/w- 8/1)
1.45 Leopardstown – True Testimony (1pt win – 8/1)
2.55 Leopardstown – One Last Tango (1pt e/w – 12/1)
FAQs: Leopardstown Racing Tips
What are GG’s Leopardstown tips?
Joe Napier provides tips on Friday 26 December from Leopardstown in Ireland.
When were today’s Leopardstown tips published?
Our Leopardstown tips for Boxing Day were published at 5.02pm on Tuesday 23 December.
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.
Commercial notice: This article on GG.co.uk contains affiliate links. The offers we promote come from operators that we trust and our experts have first-hand experience dealing with. If you open an account through one of these affiliate links then GG will earn revenue. However, we ensure that the money earned goes back into improving and enhancing our coverage of horse racing and other sports, as we look to provide an excellent service to our growing audience.