December 26 / 13.55 Kempton

13.55

Good

Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £74035
  • 2m 0f 0y
  • Class 1
  • 5 runners
ITV
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Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

OUR TIP

1/8 (Won)

  • Win: £1.10
  • Place: £1.10

Form: /1111- CD

Last run: 257 days

W: 11st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 175

Form & Verdict
Currently head and shoulders above the rest in this division; won this race by 17l last year, en route to an impressive success in the Champion Hurdle; not quite so dominant over 2m4f at Aintree on last appearance but still beat his rivals comfortably and remains unbeaten under rules; now reappears at Christmas having missed the Fighting Fifth at both Newcastle (due to abandonment) and rescheduled Sandown (due to heavy ground); continues to set a very tall standard, being again well clear on ratings.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

(4)

25th Mar 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 3f 219y

Class 3

19:30 Kempton (AW)

Constitution Hill

9st 12lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: Nicky Henderson

Superstar hurdler on his day and one of the best-known horses in training; having developed serious jumping issues, he was switched to the Flat in Southwell contest (1m4f) last month and showed his class by producing an impressive performance that is backed up by the figures; sets a tall standard en route to Group targets.

1/6

1st

3

(12)

20th Feb 2026

Standard

1m 4f 14y

Class 2

19:30 Southwell (AW)

Constitution Hill

9st 6lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Nicky Henderson

Last jumps campaign started well but ended badly, as he took back-to-back falls at Cheltenham/Aintree and then laboured when he did complete at Punchestown; suffered another tumble on his reappearance in the Fighting Fifth in November, which has prompted this switch to the Flat in the hope of restoring confidence levels ahead of a possible bid to regain the Champion Hurdle crown he won in 2023.

7/4

5th

2

2nd May 2025

Yielding

2m 0f 45y

18:40 Punchestown

Constitution Hill

11st 12lb

J: James Bowen

T: Nicky Henderson

towards rear, overjumped 1st, soon went fourth, headway after 4 out, went third going okay 3 out, nudged along when jumped left and lost ground 2 out, soon no extra

11/10

6/1

  • Place: £1.50

Form: 011-11 CD

Last run: 45 days

W: 11st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 149

Form & Verdict
Acts on good to soft ground but is particularly well suited by faster, being 5-6 on good going over hurdles; comfortably justified favouritism in the Elite Hurdle (Grade 2) at Wincanton most recently, bringing up a four-timer that also included two wins (Grade 2/Listed) at this course; front-running 5yo who is improving and very much in the winning groove; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

25th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 110y

Class 1

16:02 Sandown

Rubaud

11st 10lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Form dipped in Cheltenham Festival handicap returned to fences last time; multiple Grade 2 winner but has raced mostly at about 2m and isn't crying out for this step back up in trip; first go beyond a sharp 2m4f.

14/1

3

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Rubaud

11st 7lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Listed/Grade 2 wins over hurdles this term; goes back over fences for the first time since last May and he's 1-5 in this sphere, the win coming in a Grade 2 novice last February; sixth of 15 off this mark in the Scottish Champion Hurdle in April 2024 when he last tackled a handicap; may be vulnerable.

16/1

2nd

1

14th Feb 2026

Heavy

1m 7f 50y

Class 1

13:35 Wincanton

Rubaud

11st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Paul Nicholls

Front-runner who is 2-3 since returned to hurdles from fences, winning races at Kempton (Listed) and Wincanton (Elite Hurdle) that he also took in 2023 and 2024; held in a 9l third at Kempton on Boxing Day but that was behind Sir Gino in a Grade 1 and he's strongly respected on this drop back in class; most of his wins have been on good ground but he's effective on soft.

7/4

Form: 731-12 D

Last run: 60 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
One of two runners for this yard; progressive handicap hurdler at about 2m; won the Swinton at Haydock in May then ran well at Cheltenham two months ago, both on good ground; however, he has the worst chance at the weights in this higher grade and seems out of his depth.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

6

17th Nov 2024

Good

2m 0f 87y

Class 1

15:30 Cheltenham

Black Poppy

11st 7lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Kerry Lee

Landed the Swinton at Haydock in 2023 and ran creditably in major summer handicap at Market Rasen (2m, good) four months ago; useful but remains on career-high mark and several of these rivals look better treated.

25/1

12th

6

17th Nov 2024

Good

2m 0f 87y

Class 1

15:30 Cheltenham

Black Poppy

11st 7lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Kerry Lee

Landed the Swinton at Haydock in 2023 and ran creditably in major summer handicap at Market Rasen (2m, good) four months ago; useful but remains on career-high mark and several of these rivals look better treated.

25/1

5th

2

20th Jul 2024

Good

2m 0f 125y

Class 2

14:40 Market Rasen

Black Poppy

11st 12lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Kerry Lee

Last year's Swinton winner (off 6lb lower) who bumped into a well-treated rival when second of 18 at Cheltenham next time, before finishing fourth to Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle; last season ended prematurely but there's a big run in him if back to best after a break.

7/1

100/1

Form: 326-45 CD

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 10lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 145

Form & Verdict
Multiple winner down the years; turns 12 imminently and his two results this season, including behind Rubaud when bidding for a third success in Kempton Listed event in October, suggest he's perhaps finally on the wane; well held in this contest in 2022.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

26th Dec 2023

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 1

13:55 Kempton

Sceau Royal

11st 10lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

Multiple winner down the years; turns 12 imminently and his two results this season, including behind Rubaud when bidding for a third success in Kempton Listed event in October, suggest he's perhaps finally on the wane; well held in this contest in 2022.

100/1

5th

2

25th Nov 2023

Good To Soft

2m 3f 58y

Class 1

14:05 Ascot

Sceau Royal

11st 4lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Alan King

prominent, disputing third before 2 out, weakened approaching last

11/2

4th

3

22nd Oct 2023

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 1

16:05 Kempton

Sceau Royal

11st 6lb

J: Daryl Jacob

T: Alan King

High-class hurdler/chaser who has been an excellent servant to connections over the years and is bidding to win this race for the third season running; seemed to race too freely in first-time cheekpieces (now removed) in Aintree Hurdle in April but faced a tough assignment there anyway and ought to be very hard to beat here.

10/11

Form: 308-32 CD BF

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 10lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 141

Form & Verdict
Stablemate of Constitution Hill; useful hurdler on his day; won the Gerry Feilden (handicap) and placed in the Relkeel (Grade 2) last term; however, comes to Christmas under a cloud, having been below best here in Listed hurdle (behind Rubaud) and novice chase this season.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found

Non-runners

Nemean Lion

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £1.30
Straight Forecast £1.47
Trifecta £3.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Constitution Hill

WEST COUNTRY:

Rubaud

RP RATINGS:

Constitution Hill

TOPSPEED:

Constitution Hill

POSTDATA:

Constitution Hill

LAMBOURN:

Constitution Hill

The Times:

Constitution Hill

Telegraph:

Constitution Hill

The Guardian:

Constitution Hill

Daily Mail:

Constitution Hill

D Express:

Constitution Hill

Daily Mirror:

Constitution Hill

The Star:

Constitution Hill

Daily Record:

Constitution Hill