Season's Greetings!

An exciting and integral part of our sporting Xmas is a visit to Kempton Park on Boxing Day for the fabled King George VI Chase. Thrilling us since 1937, it's been won in the past by the likes of Arkle, Desert Orchid and Kauto Star. National Hunt royalty.

ITV cameras will be there - and they're also showing one each from Aintree and Wetherby. I wonder if they might just sneak something in from a stellar card over in Leopardstown too - but in any event, this is what we're expecting on Tuesday.

KEMPTON

12:45 THE LADBROKES NOVICES LTD HANIDCAP CHASE 2M 4F

13:20 THE LADBROKES KAUTO STAR NOVICES CHASE (GRADE ONE) 3M

13:55 THE LADBROKES CHRISTMAS HURDLE (GRADE ONE) 2M

14:30 THE LADBROKES KING GEORGE VI CHASE (GRADE ONE) 3M

AINTREE

13:05 THE FORMBY NOVICES HURDLE (GRADE ONE) 2M

WETHERBY

13:35 THE WILLIAM HILL ROWLAND MEYRICK HANDICAP CHASE 3M

12.45 Kempton - Russian Ruler @ 9/2

Some promising novice chasers launch this very special day in the racing calendar.

The great Nicky Henderson trains this 6-yr-old gelding, and on chase debut last time at Newbury over 4f less he ran highly creditably. Finishing with purpose, he got to within less than 10l of Saturday's Grade Two scorer Djelo. Another finishing close-up was Persian Time, again successful at Ascot at weekend.

The form then looks rock-solid, and I hope that now as he matures he'll appreciate the extra half-mile. Jury was out as to whether he wanted it as a hurdler, but this is an easy track and he won cosily over timber here in the summer, admittedly at 2m.

13.05 Aintree - Favour And Fortune each-way @ 9/1

A very warm Grade One novice hurdle - and what better sight on Merseyside than the legendary Hemmings silks at Aintree.

Favour And Fortune is in the care of Alan King, and will be ridden by usual pilot Tom Cannon. Kingy has few peers when it comes to young hurdlers and after winning two NH flat races and contesting the Champion Bumper at the Festival he's so far unbeaten in two hurdle starts.

Last time at Wetherby was comfortable enough, and there's scope for the kind of improvement he'll need to make to take this. Henderson and Elliott field potent rivals (Jango Baie and Farren Glory) but Favour And Fortune is a cracking each-way play for me.

13.20 Kempton - Hermes Allen @ 7/4

Wouldn't be Kempton on Boxing Day without a P Nicholls winner (perhaps more than one!), and his Hermes Allen had daughter Meg positively purring when asked about his chances on TV the other day.

Wind surgery preceded his chase debut last time at Newbury where I felt he was most impressive, taking the John Francome by over 6l. Was a very high-class Grade One-winning hurdler and looks to take even higher rank in the chasing game.

This race commemorates the great Kauto Star, a bona fide, 24-carat Nicholls-trained legend. He'd love, I'm sure, to take this whilst remembering the old warrior who I saw run several times, including when winning the Betfair at Haydock in majestic fashion. Horses like Kauto are why we love the game so much.

13.35 Wetherby - Does He Know @ 9/2

The Rowland Meyrick - another Boxing Day staple. Wetherby conjures up thoughts for me of the peerless Michael Dickenson, who don't forget trained the first FIVE home in the 1983 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Great quiz question for sports fans gathered over the festive period - they were Bregawn, Captain John, Wayward Lad, Silver Buck and Ashley House.

Wetherby of course now stages flat racing as well - I'm sure Michael approves, being a Breeders' Cup-winning handler too!

Does He Know is an 8-yr-old gelding trained in Gloucestershire by Kim Bailey. Regular pilot, the excellent David Bass, takes the ride. Won a smashing pot at Cheltenham in November '22 and reappeared in Feb with a placed effort at Newbury in the Denman.

Goes well fresh and he's the class of the field - with 12st to carry to illustrate the fact. Super contest.

13.55 Kempton� - Constitution Hill @ 1/9

The reigning Champion hurdler and one of the best we've seen over timber for a long time. No kind of price, and it's one of those to watch, drink in, and enjoy. The Christmas Hurdle has been won by some absolute superstars in the past (Dawn Run, Kribensis, Harchibald, Binocular, Faugheen) and this fella is right up there with any of them.

14.30 Kempton� - Allaho @ 13/8

Consider the evidence. Willie Mullins has several runners on the fabulous Leopardstown Boxing Day card, including the exciting Facile Vega, and yet stable jockey Paul Townend journeys to Sunbury-on-Thames for the one ride.

That booking is aboard Willie's Allaho, in the day's feature, the King George. The nine-yr-old is officially the top-rated entrant, and has a couple of Ryanairs on his CV, as well as a Punchestown Gold Cup.

He's had his issues and reappeared after a break of some 561 days at Clonmel last month, winning a Grade Two as comfortably as you'd expect him too. If he's in the kind of form we know he possesses, this for me is a race for second. Bold statement - but it's a game of opinions and if anyone can make it happen it's his beyond-brilliant trainer, surely by some distance the best we've ever seen in this sphere.

I'm expecting Paul to make all, jump left on occasion (not ideal here, on a right-handed track), but have enough class and talent to fend 'em all off - if any are good enough to get to him. He's been very well backed, and I'm happy to join their ranks.

Mr Nicholls hopes last year's hero Bravemansgame can repeat, and he's an obvious danger. Shishkin for Nicky is fascinating - will he start? Is this really his trip? How about Hewick, the big winner in America in the autumn?

Great race in prospect, which is exactly as it should be. Enjoy, get stuck in to that turkey curry, and the very best of luck.

More ITV Racing tips, from Betfred Insights.