Racing dominates Channel 4's festive air time

Over the festive period, over 13 hours of live horseracing action will take centre stage on Channel 4.

On the nation’s busiest Christmas shopping day, Saturday, December 21st, the Channel 4 Racing team take in the £150,000 Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle from Ascot Racecourse’s Christmas Meeting at which festive fun is guaranteed.

Boxing Day coverage (Thursday, December 26th) leads the field with a special one-hour Morning Line, on-air at 9am, to support the one of the sport’s most prestigious three miles chase in the racing calendar – the William Hill King George VI Chase off at 3:10pm. 

This year’s renewal is likely to involve a clash between last year’s winner, Long Run, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth.  However, they won’t have it all their own way as the £200,000 jackpot is certain to attract horses from Ireland as well as other top chasers from around the country including recent Betfair Chase winner Cue Card. 

Afternoon coverage, which takes in six races from Kempton Park and Wetherby Racecourses, starts at 1:15pm with Clare Balding and Nick Luck at the helm, alongside Mick Fitzgerald, Jim McGrath, Rishi Persad, Simon Holt and Tanya Stevenson.

On Saturday, December 28th Channel 4 Racing sets up shop in Wales for the 57th running of the Welsh Grand National, in its 41st year under Coral sponsorship.  A £100,000 prize-fund has secured an abundance of entries from all four nations – England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – and will provide sporting fans with invaluable insight into the country’s top staying chasers aka future Aintree Grand National contenders.

A three-day interval sees the Channel 4 Racing team live from Cheltenham and Musselburgh Racecourses to celebrate New Year’s Day (Wednesday, January 1st). The competitive racecard and human nature ensures that this racing fixture is a real winner with armchair viewers and frequently falls within Channel 4’s top ten racing broadcasts.