December is one of the strongest months of the British jumps season, with Grade 1 racing at Sandown, Ascot, Kempton, Aintree and Newbury alongside major handicaps at Cheltenham and Chepstow.

The month builds towards a particularly strong Christmas programme in 2026. The King George VI Chase remains the centrepiece of Boxing Day at Kempton, but changes to the fixture list mean the biggest races are spread across four consecutive days from 26 to 29 December.

Flat racing also continues throughout the month on Britain’s all-weather tracks.

Below is the British horse racing fixture list for December 2026, followed by the major meetings and races to watch.

UK Horse Racing Fixtures December 2026

Date	Racecourse	Code	Surface
1 December	Kempton Park	Flat	AWT
1 December	Southwell	Jump	Turf
1 December	Sedgefield	Jump	Turf
1 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
2 December	Southwell	Flat	AWT
2 December	Haydock Park	Jump	Turf
2 December	Ludlow	Jump	Turf
2 December	Newcastle	Flat	AWT
3 December	Leicester	Jump	Turf
3 December	Market Rasen	Jump	Turf
3 December	Wincanton	Jump	Turf
3 December	Southwell	Flat	AWT
3 December	Chelmsford City	Flat	AWT
4 December	Exeter	Jump	Turf
4 December	Sandown Park	Jump	Turf
4 December	Uttoxeter	Jump	Turf
4 December	Newcastle	Flat	AWT
5 December	Aintree	Jump	Turf
5 December	Chepstow	Jump	Turf
5 December	Sandown Park	Jump	Turf
5 December	Wetherby	Jump	Turf
5 December	Newcastle	Flat	AWT
6 December	Huntingdon	Jump	Turf
6 December	Kelso	Jump	Turf
7 December	Ffos Las	Jump	Turf
7 December	Lingfield Park	Flat	AWT
7 December	Musselburgh	Jump	Turf
7 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
8 December	Southwell	Flat	AWT
8 December	Fontwell Park	Jump	Turf
8 December	Hereford	Jump	Turf
8 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
9 December	Lingfield Park	Flat	AWT
9 December	Hexham	Jump	Turf
9 December	Leicester	Jump	Turf
9 December	Kempton Park	Flat	AWT
10 December	Taunton	Jump	Turf
10 December	Warwick	Jump	Turf
10 December	Newcastle	Jump	Turf
10 December	Chelmsford City	Flat	AWT
11 December	Bangor-on-Dee	Jump	Turf
11 December	Cheltenham	Jump	Turf
11 December	Doncaster	Jump	Turf
11 December	Southwell	Flat	AWT
12 December	Lingfield Park	Jump	Turf
12 December	Cheltenham	Jump	Turf
12 December	Doncaster	Jump	Turf
12 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
12 December	Newcastle	Flat	AWT
13 December	Carlisle	Jump	Turf
13 December	Southwell	Jump	Turf
14 December	Lingfield Park	Flat	AWT
14 December	Plumpton	Jump	Turf
14 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
15 December	Catterick Bridge	Jump	Turf
15 December	Wincanton	Jump	Turf
15 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
16 December	Southwell	Flat	AWT
16 December	Ludlow	Jump	Turf
16 December	Newbury	Jump	Turf
16 December	Kempton Park	Flat	AWT
17 December	Exeter	Jump	Turf
17 December	Ffos Las	Jump	Turf
17 December	Lingfield Park	Flat	AWT
17 December	Chelmsford City	Flat	AWT
18 December	Ascot	Jump	Turf
18 December	Southwell	Flat	AWT
18 December	Uttoxeter	Jump	Turf
18 December	Newcastle	Flat	AWT
19 December	Ascot	Jump	Turf
19 December	Haydock Park	Jump	Turf
19 December	Hereford	Jump	Turf
19 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
19 December	Newcastle	Flat	AWT
20 December	Fakenham	Jump	Turf
20 December	Lingfield Park	Flat	AWT
21 December	Huntingdon	Jump	Turf
21 December	Musselburgh	Jump	Turf
21 December	Taunton	Jump	Turf
21 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
22 December	Lingfield Park	Jump	Turf
22 December	Sedgefield	Jump	Turf
22 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
26 December	Lingfield Park	Flat	AWT
26 December	Aintree	Jump	Turf
26 December	Fontwell Park	Jump	Turf
26 December	Kempton Park	Jump	Turf
26 December	Market Rasen	Jump	Turf
26 December	Wetherby	Jump	Turf
26 December	Wincanton	Jump	Turf
26 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
27 December	Kempton Park	Jump	Turf
27 December	Wetherby	Jump	Turf
27 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
28 December	Chepstow	Jump	Turf
28 December	Catterick Bridge	Jump	Turf
28 December	Leicester	Jump	Turf
28 December	Southwell	Flat	AWT
29 December	Newbury	Jump	Turf
29 December	Doncaster	Jump	Turf
29 December	Kelso	Jump	Turf
29 December	Wolverhampton	Flat	AWT
30 December	Haydock Park	Jump	Turf
30 December	Taunton	Jump	Turf
30 December	Newcastle	Flat	AWT
31 December	Lingfield Park	Flat	AWT
31 December	Uttoxeter	Jump	Turf
31 December	Warwick	Jump	Turf

Fixtures can change, particularly during winter when weather and ground conditions affect jump racing. Check the latest declarations and racecards before travelling.

The full annual programme is available on our UK horse racing fixtures page.

Major Horse Racing Meetings in December 2026

December starts strongly and gets progressively better.

The main meetings to put in the diary are:

4-5 December: Tingle Creek Festival at Sandown.
11-12 December: Christmas Meeting at Cheltenham.
18-19 December: Christmas Racing Weekend at Ascot.
26-27 December: Christmas Festival at Kempton.
26 December: Boxing Day racing at Aintree and several other British courses.
28 December: Welsh Grand National at Chepstow.
29 December: Challow Hurdle at Newbury.

The Christmas schedule is particularly important in 2026 because some of the traditional post-Christmas races have been moved to reduce clashes between the leading meetings.

Tingle Creek Festival at Sandown

Sandown Park stages the Tingle Creek Festival on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December 2026.

Friday’s programme includes the Grade 2 Winter Novices’ Hurdle.

Saturday is the stronger championship card.

The Tingle Creek Chase is one of Britain’s leading two-mile chases and an important early-season test for horses heading towards the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

The card also includes the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase, another Grade 1 over Sandown’s jumping track.

Sandown places considerable emphasis on accurate jumping. Its Railway Fences arrive in quick succession and can expose a horse that loses momentum over its obstacles.

That makes jumping fluency particularly relevant when analysing the Tingle Creek.

Tingle Creek Chase

The Tingle Creek is one of December’s headline Grade 1 races.

It is run over approximately two miles and attracts established championship chasers alongside horses attempting to establish themselves at the top of the division.

Speed matters, but Sandown means jumping cannot be treated as secondary.

A horse that gives away ground at several fences can find it difficult to recover against Grade 1 opposition.

The race is also an early indicator for the Queen Mother Champion Chase later in the season.

Henry VIII Novices’ Chase

The Henry VIII Novices’ Chase gives the leading two-mile novice chasers an opportunity to compete at Grade 1 level early in the season.

Novice chases need slightly different analysis from established championship chases.

A horse can have a strong hurdle rating but still be learning how to jump fences efficiently at racing speed.

Look beyond the finishing position and consider how fluently each runner has jumped in its previous chase starts.

Our Grade 1 jump races page covers the highest level of British National Hunt racing.

Many Clouds Chase and Becher Chase

Aintree also stages an important jumps fixture in early December.

The Many Clouds Chase is a staying chase run on the Mildmay course.

The Becher Chase is particularly interesting because it is staged over the Grand National fences.

That makes the race an obvious source of evidence for horses that could later return to Aintree for the Grand National.

Previous experience over the National fences can be useful, although stamina, handicap mark, jumping and current form still need to be assessed separately.

Cheltenham Christmas Meeting

Cheltenham stages its Christmas Meeting on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 December 2026.

The Saturday card includes the December Gold Cup, one of the important handicap chases staged at Cheltenham before Christmas.

It is a Premier Handicap over approximately two miles and four-and-a-half furlongs.

The meeting also contains useful novice races and Festival clues.

Cheltenham’s December form deserves attention because many runners return to the course later in the season.

That does not mean a December winner should automatically be backed at the Cheltenham Festival. The ground, distance, opposition and race conditions can all change by March.

December Gold Cup

The December Gold Cup is a valuable test of both ability and handicap position.

Unlike a level-weights Grade 1, the race requires bettors to consider the relationship between ability and weight.

A horse can be the best runner in the field on raw ability without being the best handicapped.

Previous Cheltenham form is also relevant because the course’s undulations and finish do not suit every horse equally.

Our horse racing handicapping guide explains how ratings translate into weights.

Ascot Christmas Racing Weekend

Ascot stages one of the final major meetings before Christmas.

The principal race is the Long Walk Hurdle, a Grade 1 for staying hurdlers.

The meeting is scheduled for Friday 18 and Saturday 19 December 2026.

The Long Walk sits firmly in the staying hurdle division and provides an important test before the second half of the National Hunt season.

Three-mile hurdle races place different demands on horses from the sharper two-mile championship events.

Stamina, settling and the ability to maintain form through the closing stages become particularly important.

Long Walk Hurdle

The Long Walk Hurdle is one of Britain’s leading staying hurdles.

Its position before Christmas makes it an important indicator for the division heading towards the spring festivals.

When assessing staying hurdlers, avoid treating every previous three-mile performance equally.

Going and pace can materially change the stamina requirement.

A steadily run three-mile race on good ground can produce a very different test from a strongly run race in testing winter conditions.

Our horse racing going guide explains how changing ground affects races.

Boxing Day Horse Racing 2026

Boxing Day is one of the busiest dates in British racing.

There are fixtures at:

Aintree
Fontwell
Kempton
Market Rasen
Wetherby
Wincanton
Lingfield
Wolverhampton

The outstanding meeting is Kempton’s Christmas Festival.

Aintree also stages a significant card, while racing around Britain gives the day a much broader programme than the headline Grade 1 races alone.

Kempton Christmas Festival

Kempton Park stages its Christmas Festival on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 December 2026.

Boxing Day is headed by the King George VI Chase and Christmas Hurdle.

The second day continues the Grade-level action.

One significant change for 2026 is that the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase moves to 27 December as part of the restructured Christmas programme.

Kempton is a relatively sharp right-handed track, so tactical speed and fluent jumping can matter alongside stamina in its major chases.

King George VI Chase

The King George VI Chase is the centrepiece of British Boxing Day racing.

The Grade 1 chase is run over approximately three miles at Kempton and has been won by many of the best staying chasers in British racing.

Its place in the calendar also makes it an important race in the route towards the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The two races are not identical tests.

Kempton is sharper than Cheltenham and can reward a different combination of speed, jumping and stamina.

A horse can therefore be ideally suited to the King George without the result automatically establishing how it will perform in the Gold Cup.

Christmas Hurdle

The Christmas Hurdle is the major two-mile hurdle on Kempton’s Boxing Day card.

It is a Grade 1 and frequently attracts horses with Champion Hurdle ambitions.

Kempton’s speed places emphasis on tactical position and the ability to quicken.

The race can provide an important clue towards the Champion Hurdle, although Cheltenham presents a different track and finishing test.

Kauto Star Novices’ Chase

The Kauto Star Novices’ Chase is one of Britain’s important Grade 1 races for staying novice chasers.

For 2026, it moves from its familiar Boxing Day position to Sunday 27 December.

This is exactly the type of race where jumping technique deserves close attention.

A novice can possess a high level of raw ability but still lose substantial ground through inefficient jumping.

Our horse racing form guide explains how to put previous performances into context rather than relying solely on finishing positions.

Aintree on Boxing Day

Aintree races on Boxing Day in 2026.

The card includes the Formby Novices’ Hurdle, a Grade 1 contest for novice hurdlers.

The meeting should not be confused with the Grand National Festival in April.

Boxing Day racing takes place on Aintree’s conventional course rather than turning the entire fixture into a test over the Grand National fences.

The race is another opportunity to assess emerging novice hurdle form before the spring festivals.

The New Four-Day Christmas Racing Programme

The end of December looks different in 2026.

Changes to the schedule have created a clearer sequence of major races:

26 December: King George VI Chase and Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
27 December: Second day of Kempton’s Christmas Festival, including the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase.
28 December: Welsh Grand National at Chepstow.
29 December: Challow Hurdle at Newbury.

This removes the previous clash between major Kempton and Chepstow racing and gives each of the leading meetings greater prominence.

It is an important change for anyone using older fixture lists, because the Welsh Grand National is not on 27 December in 2026.

Welsh Grand National 2026

The Welsh Grand National takes place at Chepstow on Monday 28 December 2026.

That is a new date for this year’s race.

The Welsh National is one of Britain’s major staying handicap chases and is regularly run in demanding winter conditions.

Stamina is an obvious requirement, but assessing staying chasers involves more than looking for horses that have previously won over long distances.

Weight, going, jumping efficiency and the amount of energy a horse uses during the race all influence whether it can sustain its effort.

Testing ground can make the race substantially harder than the advertised distance alone suggests.

Challow Hurdle 2026

The Challow Novices’ Hurdle takes place at Newbury on Tuesday 29 December 2026.

It is a Grade 1 novice hurdle and another race affected by the revised Christmas schedule.

The Challow can identify high-class young hurdlers capable of progressing into the spring festivals.

Novice form still needs careful interpretation.

Horses at this stage of their careers can improve rapidly between starts, meaning a runner’s latest Official Rating does not always tell the complete story.

Other December Races to Watch

December’s programme extends well beyond the headline Grade 1 races.

Other races worth following include:

Some of those races can move around the calendar or sit close to the boundary between November and December in different seasons. Check the current fixture and racecard rather than assuming a race always takes place on the same weekend.

All-Weather Racing in December

December is not exclusively about jump racing.

Kempton, Newcastle, Southwell, Wolverhampton, Lingfield and Chelmsford all contribute to the all-weather Flat programme during the month.

This racing serves a different audience and produces different form considerations from winter jumping.

Surface record matters.

A horse’s form on turf cannot automatically be transferred to Tapeta or Polytrack, while the configuration of individual all-weather tracks can also change the demands of a race.

Newcastle’s straight course, for example, provides a very different test from Wolverhampton’s tighter circuit.

What to Look for When Analysing December Racing

Winter racing places particular emphasis on current conditions.

Start with the going. December rain and frost can change the nature of a jumps race considerably.

Then assess the horse rather than relying on one headline statistic.

Useful factors include:

Recent Form: Has the horse returned from its seasonal break in good form?
Going: Has it performed under similar ground conditions?
Distance: Has it demonstrated the stamina required by today’s trip?
Course Form: Has it handled the track previously?
Official Rating: Is its current handicap mark workable?
Jumping: Has it been efficient over hurdles or fences?
Pace: Is today’s likely race shape suitable?
Trainer Form: Is the yard performing well?
Race Strength: Is the horse moving up or down in quality?

Our how to analyse a horse race page brings those factors together.

For current runners, check today’s racecards and the latest horse racing tips.

December Handicaps

Some of December’s biggest betting races are handicaps rather than Grade 1 conditions races.

The December Gold Cup and Welsh Grand National require a different approach from the King George.

In a handicap, the weight a horse carries is connected to its Official Rating and the conditions of the race.

That means the question is not simply which horse has the greatest raw ability.

You need to consider whether each runner is fairly treated by the handicapper.

A progressive horse can be dangerous when its actual ability has moved ahead of its current rating.

See our handicap ratings guide for more on how the system works.

Grade 1 and Grade 2 Racing in December

December contains an unusually strong concentration of high-level National Hunt races.

The month includes Grade 1 action for established chasers, hurdlers, novice chasers and novice hurdlers.

Our Grade 1 jump races page covers the top tier.

The supporting programme also contains important Grade 2 jump races, many of which provide evidence for later championship races.

The grade tells you the status of the race. It does not tell you automatically how strong a particular renewal will be.

Always assess the horses that actually line up.

Watching December Horse Racing

Major December racing is shown across Britain’s racing broadcasters.

ITV Racing covers selected major meetings and races, particularly around the key Saturday and Christmas fixtures.

Racing TV provides extensive coverage from its affiliated racecourses, while Sky Sports Racing covers racing from its own portfolio of tracks.

The old At The Races television channel should not be listed as a current broadcaster. It was replaced by Sky Sports Racing.

Our live horse racing streaming page covers the main ways to watch racing online.

Betting on December Horse Racing

December provides everything from small-field Grade 1 races to large staying handicaps.

That makes price comparison important because the market structure can vary considerably between races.

Each-way terms can be particularly relevant in larger handicaps, while Best Odds Guaranteed can matter when taking an early price.

Readers comparing accounts specifically for racing can use our best horse racing betting sites page.

For mobile-specific features, streaming and usability, see our horse racing betting apps comparison.

Never allow the size of the Christmas racing programme to dictate stake size. Treat each race as a separate betting decision.

Horse Racing in December FAQs

Is there horse racing in the UK throughout December?

Yes. Britain has an extensive December programme combining National Hunt racing with all-weather Flat racing.

There is usually a short break immediately before Christmas before the major Boxing Day programme begins.

What are the biggest horse races in December 2026?

Major December races include the Tingle Creek Chase, Henry VIII Novices’ Chase, December Gold Cup, Long Walk Hurdle, King George VI Chase, Christmas Hurdle, Kauto Star Novices’ Chase, Welsh Grand National and Challow Hurdle.

When is the Tingle Creek Chase in 2026?

The Tingle Creek Festival takes place at Sandown on 4 and 5 December 2026, with the Tingle Creek Chase on Saturday 5 December.

When is the King George VI Chase in 2026?

The King George VI Chase takes place at Kempton on Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December 2026.

Is the Welsh Grand National on 27 December 2026?

No. The Welsh Grand National has moved to Monday 28 December 2026 as part of the revised Christmas racing schedule.

When is the Challow Hurdle in 2026?

The Challow Hurdle takes place at Newbury on Tuesday 29 December 2026.

Where is the December Gold Cup run?

The December Gold Cup is run at Cheltenham. In 2026 it forms part of the Christmas Meeting on 11 and 12 December.

What is the biggest Boxing Day horse race?

The King George VI Chase at Kempton is the headline British race on Boxing Day.

Is there Flat racing in December?

Yes. Britain’s all-weather tracks continue staging Flat racing throughout December.

Where can I find December racecards?

Our today’s racecards and tomorrow’s racecards pages provide the current programme as declarations become available.

Summary

December 2026 builds from major early-month racing at Sandown and Cheltenham into the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot and one of the strongest Christmas programmes in British racing.

The Tingle Creek Chase provides an early championship test for two-mile chasers. Cheltenham’s December Gold Cup brings major handicap racing, while the Long Walk Hurdle tests the staying hurdlers.

Christmas then produces four consecutive days of headline racing. Kempton stages the King George VI Chase on 26 December and continues its festival on 27 December. The Welsh Grand National moves to Chepstow on 28 December, followed by the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury on 29 December.

Alongside those major races, Britain has jumps and all-weather fixtures throughout the month.

Follow our 2026 horse racing fixtures for the wider calendar and use the UK racecourses section for individual course information.

Here are all of December’s horse racing-related posts: