ITV Racing Tips on December 26th - Boxing Day selections at Kempton and Wetherby

Here are our free ITV Racing tips at Kempton and Wetherby on Boxing Day.

I'm keen to side against the two ten-year-olds. Champ and Paisley Park gave each other a hard race at Newbury. Champ is always at his best when fresh and, although Paisley Park is sure to improve for that outing, this speedier track at Kempton might not play to his strengths.

I'll chance my arm with the mercurial GOSHEN, who could be well-suited by this step up to three miles. 

After a shocking run over fences to kick off his campaign, Gary Moore's six-year-old returned to hurdling with an easy win over Brewin'Upastorm in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot. For a horse who often struggles to settle, this step up in distance could calm Goshen down in the early stages and, if it turns into a sprint to the finish, he's certainly possessed with the most potent finishing kick.

Ballygriffingcottage and Gelino Bello have taken to chasing well and their stamina for three miles and beyond cannot be questioned. However, three miles around a very sharp track in Kempton Park has to suit MCFABULOUS, so you can see why Paul Nicholls' runner is so short in the betting.

Harry Cobden's mount won both his starts around Kempton over hurdles, scoring in the Grade Three Novices' Handicap in 2020 and the rescheduled Relkeel Hurdle here in 2021. After being pulled up as a precaution on his chasing bow, McFabulous has recorded two effortless victories over fences, including a sound thrashing of Thyme Hill in the John Francombe at Newbury last time out.

Nicholls has already stated that he has next year's King George in mind for McFabulous. He'll take plenty of beating in this Grade One.

With Ahoy Senor set to take up his King George entry, Fanion D'Estruval could be left lumbering a top-weight of 12-00 around Wetherby on Monday. Eight out of the last ten winners have carried more than 11-00 and we've only seen two winners return a price longer than 11/2 in that time too.

Looking to classier runners near the head of the betting is clearly the way to go, so I'm going to back SHAN BLUE, who still seems exceptionally well-handicapped, despite that defeat by Sam Brown at Aintree in the spring.

Twice a winner around this chase course, Dan Skelton's eight-year-old had surged miles clear of the chasing pack in last year's Charlie Hall, only to fall heavily at the final flight. With Harry Skelton riding down at Kempton, Sean Quinlan comes in to ride Shan Blue and I'd be bitterly disappointed if Skelton's star didn't challenge off this lowly mark of 148.

CONSTITUTION HILL will win and I doubt we'll get enough runners entered against the favourite to make an each-way bet viable. If Highway One O Two was priced up nicely when the "betting without Constitution Hill" market opens up, he'd be of interest. I'll have to wait until the final decs are in before finalising that selection.

Read our full guide to the 2022 King George VI Chase to find out who we're backing in the main event at Kempton on Boxing Day.

If you plan on watching any of Monday's races via a mobile or tablet, then check out our King George VI Chase Live Streaming page.

Several classy horses sit prominently in the betting for the final ITV race on Boxing Day, including a couple of talented mares. The one I'm most keen on is another Dan Skelton runner, WEST CORK - winner of the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last season.

Skelton's star has run in two novice chases around Warwick so far this season. West Cork was giving Stage Star a decent race on debut, only to tire late on after a poor jump at the last. Skelton's mount was then tapped for toe behind Jonbon back down over two miles, and several violent jumps out to his right meant West Cork couldn't make any sort of impression.

The handicapper has dropped West Cork's mark by three pounds on the back of those runs, meaning he'll run of 140 - a lower mark than what he performed very well off at Cheltenham and Aintree back in the spring. Switching to a right-handed track should suit too, considering Skelton's star jumped right during both of those runs around Warwick.