For many, Boxing Day means leftover Christmas dinner sandwiches and top-class racing, with the Sky Sports Racing cameras heading to Wolverhampton, Fontwell and Sedgefield.
4.05 Wolverhampton – Onesmoothoperator and Claymore headline
The feature event of nine races from Wolverhampton, the Free Bets With BetUK Bet Club Handicap (4.05), stars one of this year’s Melbourne Cup contenders, Onesmoothoperator.
Brian Ellison’s six-year-old, who won the 2024 Northumberland Plate, came home in mid-division at Flemington after landing the Geelong Cup in Australia.
Claymore, a winner at Royal Ascot in 2022, ran his best race for a while when third at Newcastle on his last start and rates a huge danger if able to improve for this step up to 12 furlongs.
Alan King’s Paradias ran well to be third at Southwell last month and will be a danger under Hector Crouch, while Haku boasts five course-and-distance victories for Mark Loughnane. Intinso (Craig Lidster) and Dream Harder (Ian Williams) complete the field.
Onesmoothoperator (front left) on the way to winning the Virgin Bet November Handicap at Newcastle
2.17 Fontwell – Lingfield winner Spike Jones bids to follow up
Fontwell favourite Spike Jones, a three-time winner at the track, is back in action in the Golden Era Of Betting: BetMGM Handicap Hurdle (2.17).
Sam Drinkwater’s seven-year-old bounced back to form when scoring at Lingfield on his last outing and could prove tough to beat if in similar form here.
Hidden History claimed a Lingfield maiden hurdle back in February and will hope to build on his seasonal reappearance on his second handicap start.
Others to note include Shutupshirley who was last seen winning at Wincanton in December 2022.
2.00 Sedgefield – In-form Yealand and Kaproyale clash
There is more jumping up at Sedgefield, where a trio of last-time winners meet in the Fairlight Studios Merry Christmas To All Handicap Chase (2.00).
Yealand made a winning chase debut when landing a Doncaster novice handicap and a repetition of that effort would see him go close off a 4lb higher mark.
Kaproyale has won three of his six starts over fences and looks to hold strong claims as he makes his seasonal return for trainer Max Comley.
Meanwhile, 11-year-old The Paddy Pie rolled back the years to score at this track earlier this month and a 5lb penalty might not stop him following up.
Watch every race from Wolverhampton, Fontwell and Sedgefield all live on Sky Sports Racing on Boxing Day.
