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Emmet Kennedy of The Final Furlong Podcast highlights the key races and emerging contenders across Leopardstown, Kempton and Chepstow in a crucial festive period for National Hunt racing and betting.

1xBet horse racing experts have analysed the main favourites’ prospects for Christmas Racing and the impact their results could have on the season as a whole. Sortudo and Haiti Couleurs are capable of springing a surprise and becoming the biggest newsmakers in the weeks ahead.

The Christmas racing programme often provides the clearest clues for what lies ahead in March, and this year’s action at Leopardstown, Kempton and Chepstow looks particularly informative. From emerging novice hurdlers to established staying chasers, several races over the festive period will help define Cheltenham Festival markets and beyond.

Sortudo – A Benchmark for Mullins’ Novice Hurdlers

“Willie Mullins Bingo” is a term coined on The Final Furlong Podcast to describe the sheer depth of talent at Closutton and the annual guessing game over which horses will actually turn up where, particularly at Cheltenham. Trying to identify Mullins’ leading novice hurdler at this stage, when there are still ex-French recruits, Flat horses and bumper winners yet to be unleashed, would take a braver man than me.

One horse who is already impossible to ignore, however, is Sortudo. He brings valuable experience to the table, having finished second in a Grade 2 bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival, been beaten seven lengths in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, and then bolted up at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival, beating I’ll Sort That by seven lengths. Declan Queally’s charge has advertised the strength of that form, as he is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, including a Grade 3 success.

Sortudo’s hurdling debut at Cork was particularly striking, where he dismissed Jalon d’Oudairies, third in the 2024 Champion Bumper, by eight and a half lengths. It is a maiden that Willie Mullins has farmed in the past, with Bellshill and Readin Tommy Wrong both winning it before going on to land the Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas, so the form line carries weight.

What is interesting about Sortudo is his versatility. He showed enough pace to suggest sticking to two miles may suit, making the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown an obvious option, yet there is also a strong case for stepping him up in trip. Unsurprisingly, opinions are already divided, with some punters talking him up as a Supreme horse, others seeing an Albert Bartlett type, and plenty more suggesting the intermediate trip in the Turners could prove ideal.

For now, he serves as an important benchmark for the Mullins novice hurdling team. Wherever he runs over Christmas should give us a far clearer idea of where he sits in the pecking order and what his ultimate Cheltenham target might be. From a betting perspective, and very much in the spirit of Willie Mullins Bingo, I would be reluctant to commit to an ante-post bet until the picture is clearer.

That said, he is an exciting prospect, and he is one I am very much looking forward to seeing in action over the Christmas racing.

Chepstow, 27 December – Coral Welsh Grand National (Grade 1, 3m6½f)

Haiti Couleurs

Impressive victories in the National Hunt Chase and the Irish Grand National saw Haiti Couleurs rise 19lb in the handicap to a mark of 154, inevitably raising the question: is he a Grade 1 horse in waiting, or simply a handicapper who has gone too high?

His return win in a Newbury Pertemps Qualifier caught the eye, though it is worth noting his hurdles mark was nine pounds lower than his chase rating at the time. His Betfair Chase run was abysmal, but the lack of fluency and enthusiasm was later explained when his trainer reported treatment for a sore sacroiliac joint, an issue serious enough to cause showjumpers to refuse fences entirely. He was subsequently described as being “like a caged bull”.

While this is a handicap rather than a Grade 1, carrying the highest winning weight in Welsh National history would strongly suggest he is operating at top-class level. If everything clicks, he could yet emerge as a Gold Cup contender for Cheltenham.

Leopardstown, 28 December – Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m7½f)

Irish Point

Much of the pre-race focus will centre on a potential rematch between Ballyburn and Teahupoo, but with a longer-term view in mind, Irish Point is the horse of real interest on his return from 589 days off the track.

Already a Grade 1 winner before joining Gordon Elliott, having run down Il Est Francais in a Saint-Cloud bumper, he quickly enhanced his reputation in Ireland. He bolted up in a Cork maiden hurdle, went down by a head to Marine Nationale in the Royal Bond, and finished second to Champ Kiely in the Lawlor’s of Naas, all on soft ground.

After a disappointing run at the Dublin Racing Festival, he finished last season strongly with victories in the Grade 3 Kingsfurze at Naas and the Grade 1 Mersey Hurdle, where he powered home off a strong gallop. He began the 2023–24 campaign with two wins, the second coming in this race on heavy ground, when he pulled eleven lengths clear of Asterion Forlonge, Ballyadam, Beacon Edge and Home By The Lee on his first try at the trip.

Seen in that light, his subsequent seconds to State Man in the Champion Hurdle and Punchestown Champion Hurdle look even more impressive if three miles proves to be his optimum distance. If he retains that ability after such a long absence, and as a seven-year-old he might, he could yet develop into a serious Stayers’ Hurdle contender.

Leopardstown, 28 December – Savills Chase (Grade 1, 3m½f)

Fact To File

When Fact To File won the Brown Advisory Chase at Cheltenham in commanding fashion, it appeared only a matter of time before he emerged as a leading Gold Cup contender. That form has stood up well, with runner-up Monty’s Star going on to finish fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and third in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

However, subsequent defeats to Galopin Des Champs in both last season's Savills Chase and the Irish Gold Cup led some to question whether he truly stays three miles. That view is understandable, particularly given his best performances have come over intermediate trips in races such as the John Durkan and the Ryanair.

It may simply be that Galopin Des Champs was the superior horse on those occasions, rather than Fact To File failing to see out the trip. Encouragingly, connections have targeted this race again after his narrow defeat to Gaelic Warrior in the John Durkan on seasonal debut, a sign of confidence rather than retreat.

Should Fact To File manage to turn the tables here, connections would surely be emboldened to roll the dice with a Cheltenham Gold Cup tilt, especially if Inothewayurthinkin were to disappoint for the same ownership.

In-depth analysis and competitive 1xBet odds open up new betting opportunities. Back your favourite and ignite the excitement ahead of Christmas Racing!

The article was prepared by Emmet Kennedy — Presenter, Producer, and Owner of The Final Furlong Podcast, Broadcaster on talkSPORT, and Broadcast Consultant —  with the support of 1xBet Ireland.

1XBET AND TERMINUS PLATFORM IRELAND LIMITED DO NOT SPONSOR ANY OF THE EVENTS REFERENCED ABOVE, NOR DO THEY HAVE ANY PARTNERSHIP WITH ANY ASSOCIATED SPORTS LEAGUES AND/OR GOVERNING BODIES.