Horse racing tips: Seven bets to consider for Boxing Day

Whilst tucking into the Christmas leftovers, racing fans will be tuning in to Racing TV’s coverage from Kempton on Boxing Day where the likes of Minella Indo, Clan Des Obeaux, Frodon, Bravemansgame, Epatante and Ahoy Senor are all set to be in action.

Yet trying to find a 'good thing' among the choice of 11 meetings across Britain and Ireland is one of the reasons to enjoy all the Boxing Day racing - while 26 December can also act as a late Christmas present for jockeys in particular given the chance to pick up more rides than they usually would on a big weekend.

We’ve taken a look at some of the other meetings you can enjoy on Boxing Day as we aim to pick out seven winners to boost the Christmas coffers.

Race: William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (Wetherby, 2.10pm)

The likeable Top Ville Ben is a leading player for the Rowland Meyrick at his beloved Wetherby.

The nine-year-old has endured a tough season to date, having been pulled-up in Grade Two company at Auteuil in April and then finishing fifth at Wetherby in the Charlie Hall Chase in October. However, the nine-year-old seemed to have rediscovered his zest in the Becher Chase at Aintree earlier this month as he jumped the first 11 Grand National fences with aplomb. Despite a heavy fall at the 12th fence, there was enough promise to suggest his enthusiasm for the game remains.

Moreover, he has slipped to a rating of 150 - he won this race in facile fashion last year from a mark of 154.

Throw in the fact he has won three of his five starts over fences at Wetherby - and with soft ground expected at the track - he makes plenty of appeal at 10/1 with Boylesports.

Race: William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle (Wetherby, 2.45pm)

€190,000 purchase Hillcrest could be a very exciting prospect for Henry Daly.

Owned by the late Trevor Hemmings, the Stowaway gelding has won his last three starts and is unbeaten over hurdles after scoring at Aintree on seasonal debut and then following up in fine style under a penalty to score by 20 lengths at Wetherby last time out.

The form of his Aintree win has worked out well with two runners scoring since and this looks an interesting bit of placing by Daly. Allotted an opening handicap mark of 128, this will be no easy task but he certainly rates as one of the more interesting runners.

Race: Rand Farm Engagement Handicap Chase (Market Rasen, 1.05pm) or NFU Yeovil Mid Season Handicap Chase (Wincanton, 3.13pm)

Dan Skelton is keeping options open with Tokay Dokey with two entries on Boxing Day, but he looks worth keeping on side wherever he lines up.

The seven-year-old was a dual winner over hurdles and was thought good enough to contest the Dovecote, a race in which he fell. He looked badly in need of the experience when ninth at Chepstow on chase debut last month but he was strongly backed into 3/1 favouritism at Warwick last time and there was lots to like about his second-placed effort to the progressive Brave Seasca, who has since plundered a valuable event at Ascot. Beaten 10 lengths, Tokay Dokey was held up in the early stages but made good late headway to finish best of the rest and that experience will have stood him in good stead.

A handicap mark of 120 looks very workable, while confidence would be higher if he runs at Market Rasen - I feel the two mile and one furlong trip there would really play to his strengths.

Race: Handicap Hurdle (Fontwell, 2.17pm)

I've been following Mack The Man for the past couple of years and he makes plenty of appeal here.

A Listed winner at Sandown this time two years ago, he was brought-down when still in with a serious chance in last year's Betfair Hurdle, and following an aborted chase campaign, he finished last term with an excellent third in the Imperial Cup.

There was plenty to like about his narrow victory at Exeter last month and he looked as though he would come on a bundle for that seasonal reappearance. The handicapper has only raised him 3lb for that win.

The Gary Moore-trained duo of Natural History and Royaume Uni are clear dangers, but it looks worth noting that Adam Wedge is already booked to ride this progressive seven-year-old and Mack The Man looks the class angle

Race: Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Fontwell, 3.27pm)

Not many Fontwell meetings go by without local trainer Gary Moore having a winner and Legal Rights makes tons of appeal in the finale.

Third at Lingfield in a competitive novice hurdle in November, he took another step forward when second in a handicap at Fontwell earlier this month behind a stable companion.

The four-year-old is now set for a step up in trip and that looks logical given how he has finished his races. Legal Rights looks more than capable of proving better than a mark of 90 against a host of exposed rivals.

Race: Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Wincanton, 2.38pm)

The lightly-raced Beauport is a lovely prospect for Nigel Twiston-Davies and gets the vote in what looks a tricky handicap.

The son of Califet capped last season with a facile 11-length win in the competitive Grade Three EBF Final, his manner of victory really catching the eye. Held up early, Beauport made a powerful run entering the home straight and despite hitting the final flight sauntered clear.

He returned to Sandown for his seasonal debut and was not disgraced in second, with Twiston-Davies reporting post-race that his horse 'had made a respiratory noise.'

Hopefully that issue has been sorted, while crucially the form has worked out very well. The third Champagne Court has since won at Exeter, while winner Jesuitique created a big impression at Haydock earlier this month when powering to victory.

Beauport was raised 3lb for his return and up to a mark of 134, but he could well prove to a Graded horse in time.

Race: William Hill Home Of The Acca Novices’ Handciap Hurdle (Wetherby, 1.35pm) or Alconbury Handicap Hurdle (Huntingdon, 1.47pm)

Henschke is another to hold a brace of entries on a bumper day of action.

Second at Plumpton in November on his second start in handicap company, he subsequently had wind surgery and showed the benefit when a respectable second at Fontwell on his latest start. Having made good headway to challenge for the lead, he just seemed to fade on the run for home and that suggests the drop in trip for either of these assignments is a major positive.

Henschke has since gone up 4lb to a mark of 105, yet there remains scope in that rating and he is a leading player for whatever race connections decide to target.