Boxing Day Horse Racing 2023: Full Schedule, Meetings & Start Times

One of the most exciting days of the year for fans of the sport is the Boxing Day horse racing so check out the full 2023 schedule with all of the meetings and start times ahead of a busy day of action. 

Boxing Day Horse Racing 2023: 11 Meetings To Indulge In

• Down Royal (IRE) – 11:40-3:08
• Sedgefield – 11:45-3:08
• Wetherby – 11:52-3:20
• Aintree – 11:55-3:25
• Fontwell – 11:57-3:27
• Leopardstown (IRE) – 12:00-3:30
• Market Rasen – 12:05-3:32
• Wincanton – 12:18-3:45
• Limerick (IRE) – 12:25-3:50
• Kempton – 12:45-3:40
• Wolverhampton (AW) – 1:50-5:05

When Is Boxing Day Horse Racing 2023?

Boxing Day horse racing 2023 falls on December 26th, the day after Christmas Day. With 11 meetings around UK and Ireland, it is sure to be an exciting day of action. There will be 76 races in total on Boxing Day with action starting at 11:40am (Down Royal) and ending at 5:05pm (Wolverhampton).

Full Boxing Day Horse Racing Schedule 2023

Down Royal (IRE) – 11:40-3:08

• 11:40 – I.N.H Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle 2m4f RTV
• 12:13 – Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle 2m1f RTV
• 12:48 – Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle  2m1f RTV
• 1:23 – Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase 2m4f RTV
• 1:58 – Metcollect Handicap Chase 2m4f RTV
• 2:33 – Metcollect Oil Recycling Hunters Chase 3m RTV
• 3:08 – Metcollect Metal Recycling INH Flat Race 2m1f RTV

Boxing Day horse racing kicks off at the Northern Ireland-based course Down Royal, with the first race getting underway at 11:40 and six races will follow the opener on their annual Boxing Day meeting.

Sedgefield – 11:45-3:10

• 11:45 – Download The Vickers.Bet App Novices’ Hurdle (Class 4) 2m4f SKY
• 12:15 – Join The Vickers.Bet Free Bet Club Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) 2m4f SKY
• 12:50 – Les Parker ’20 Years At Sedgefield’ Handicap Chase (Class 5) 2m1f SKY
• 1:25 – Best Odds Guaranteed Daily At Vickers.Bet Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) 2m1f SKY
• 2:00 – Vickers.Bet Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) 2m4f SKY
• 2:35 – Vickers.Bet Family Owned Independent Bookmaker Handicap Chase (Class 4) 2m 3 1/2f SKY
• 3:10 – Hinton Memorial Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race (Class 5) 2m1f SKY

Action also comes from Sedgefield, where their annual Boxing Day meeting begins with a Novice’s Hurdle at 11:45, concluding with a bumper in the final race at 3:10.

Wetherby – 11:52-3:20

• 11:52 – William Hill Epic Value Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Class 4) 2m 3 1/2f RTV
• 12:27 – William Hill Play Resposibly Novices’ Handicap Chase (Class 5) 2m 3 1/2f RTV
• 1:00 – William Hill Epic Boost Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) 2m 3 1/2f RTV
• 1:35 – William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (Class 1) 3m ITV/RTV
• 2:10 – William Hill Lengthen Your Odds Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) RTV
• 2:45 – William Hill Extra Places Every Day Handicap Chas (Class 3) RTV
• 3:20 – William Hill Betting TV Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) 2m RTV

Wetherby hosts their yearly festive fixture too with the first race getting underway at 11:52. The featured race of the day comes in the 1:35 William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase, in what looks to be a hot 3m chase – it will also be shown live on ITV Racing.

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Aintree – 11:55-3:25

• 11:55 – William Hill Double Your Odds Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) 2m4f RTV
• 12:30 – Unibet Middle Distance Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Class 2) 2m4f RTV
• 1:05 – William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1) 2m 1/2f ITV
• 1:40 – William Hill Epic Value Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m4f RTV
• 2:15 – William Hill Epic Boost Handicap Chase (Class 3) 3m1f RTV
• 2:50 – William Hill Cheltenham NRMB From January 1st Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Class 3) RTV
• 3:25 – William Hill Stories Open National Hunt Race (Class 4) RTV

Aintree also hosts their festive affairs in what should be a smashing day of racing. The feature race of the day comes at 1:05 in the William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle (formerly Tolworth Hurdle). Fergal O’Brien’s progressive Kamsinas is among those in contention to line up alongside the exciting Florida Dreams from the Nicky Richards yard.

Fontwell – 11:57-3:27

• 11:57 – Boost Your Acca At BetMGM Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) 2m3f SKY
• 12:32 – Win £2,000,000 With BetMGM’s Golden Goals Novices’ Hurdle (Class 4) SKY
• 1:07 – BetMGM: It’s Showtime Handicap Chase (Class 5) 2m2f SKY
• 1:42 – Best Racing Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) 2m 1 1/2f SKY
• 2:17 – Bet £10 Get £40 At BetMGM Juvenile Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) 2m 1 1/2f SKY
• 2:52 – BetMGM: Stay Golden With Responsible Play Handicap Chase (Class 4) 3m2f SKY
• 3:27 – Set Deposit Limits At BetMGM Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) 3m2f SKY

We also see racing at Fontwell where the Class 3 handicap hurdle at 1:42 is the feature of the day. With seven races on the card being sponsored by BetMGM, you can get £40 in free bets when staking just £10 to use on the action.

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Leopardstown (IRE) – 12:00-3:30

• 12:00 – TRI Equestrian Maiden Hurdle 2m RTV
• 12:35 – Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle 2m RTV
• 1:10 – Mercedes-Benz South Dublin Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m RTV
• 1:45 – [email protected] Novice Handicap Hurdle 2m RTV
• 2:20 – Racing Post Novice Chase (Grade 1)
• 2:55 – New Smart View Racecards By Racing Post Handicap Chase 2m1f RTV
• 3:30 – Race And Stay INH Flat Race 2m RTV

The biggest meeting in Ireland comes from Leopardstown where we see a fascinating Racing Post Novice Chase get underway at 2:20, with the likes of Facile Vega and Il Etait Temps face off over 2m1f. Rich Ricci also has a couple of horses in Mister Policeman and Gaelic Warrior entered too. All horses that will have the Cheltenham Festival in March as their targets.

Market Rasen – 12:05-3:32

• 12:05 – Rand Farm Park Day Nursery Introduction Selling Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) 2m 1/2f RTV
• 12:40 – North Lincs Components Ltd Novices’ Hurdle (Class 4) 2m 1/2f RTV
• 1:15 – Mal & Mo Fox Memorial Vase Novices’ Handicap Chase (Class 5) 3m RTV
• 1:47 – Rand Farm Park All Weathers Novices’ Handicap Chase (Class 4) 2m 5 1/2f RTV
• 2:22 – Rand Farm Park Family Days Out Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) 2m 4 1/2f RTV
• 2:57 – Pallinc Lincolnshire National Handicap Chase (Class 3) 3m 3 1/2f RTV
• 3:32 – Rand Farm Park Pigs In Blankets Handicap Hurdle (Class 4 2m 2 1/2f RTV

Market Rasen also hold their annual Boxing Day meeting, that starts with an opening handicap hurdle at 12:05. The feature contest on the card is the Class 3 Lincolnshire National handicap chase at 2:57.

Wincanton –  12:18-3:45

• 12:18 – Ollie Michael Smith Memorial And EBF Mares’ Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Class 3) 2m4f RTV
• 12:53 – Steelbeams Online Mare’s Novices’ Hurdle (Class 4) 1m7f RTV
• 1:28 – Rodney Francis Chinnock Memorial Lord Stalbridge Handicap Chase (Class 3) 3m1f RTV
• 2:03 – Somerton Gates & Railing Mid Season Handicap Chase (Class 4) 2m4f RTV
• 2:38 – Steel Beams Steelbeams.Online Boxing Day Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) 1m7f RTV
• 3:13 – Pertempts Network Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 3m 1/2f RTV
• 3:45 – Supporting Southmead Hospital Intensive Care Unite Open National Hunt Flat Race (Class 5) 1m7f

Wincanton will have a decent day of action too, with seven races on the card and the feature Class 2 Pertempts Network Handicap Hurdle at 3:13 should be an entertaining affair. Paul Nicholls’ Owners Group-owned Sabrina looks set to feature and will be well fancied on the day.

Limerick (IRE) – 12:25-3:50

• 12:25 – Aqua Process Solutions 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle 2m RTV
• 12:58 – Singsplus Maiden Hurdle 2m RTV
• 1:33 – Lyons Of Limerick Jaguar Land Rover Novice Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m7f RTV
• 2:08 – Mr. Binman Mares Handicap Hurdle 2m4f RTV
• 2:40 – BRC McMahon Reinforcements Handicap Chase 2m 1 1/2f RTV
• 3:50 – CJ Sheeran Mares INH Flat Race 2m RTV

Limerick is another meeting coming from Ireland on Boxing Day with the feature Grade 2 Novice Hurdle taking centre stage at 1:33 where Gordon Elliott looks to have a few handy prospects lining up.

Kempton – 12:45-3:40

• 12:45 – Ladbrokes Boost Your Odds On Racing Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Class 3) 2m 4 1/2f ITV/RTV
• 1:20 – Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1) 3m ITV/RTV
• 1:55 – Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1) 2m ITV/RTV
• 2:30 – Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1) 3m ITV/RTV
• 3:05 – Ladbrokeslive.co.uk To Win Free Music Tickets Maiden Hurdle (Class 2) 2m RTV
• 3:40 – Ladbrokes Get Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) 2m5f RTV

And the big one, Kempton has the first of their two-day annual Christmas Meeting where we will see four Class 1 races on the day – including the big King George Chase – see our trends here. We also have the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase to look forward to in what is shaping to be a fascinating contest.

With some of Britain and Ireland’s best horses set to be taking part at Kempton, it will be an unmissable day of racing.

Wolverhampton (AW) 1:50-5:05

• 1:50 – Best Odds Guaranteed at BetMGM Nursery Handicap (Class 5) 5f SKY
• 2:25 – Stay Golden With BetMGM Safer Gambling EBF Novices Stakes (Class 5) 5f SKY
• 3:00 – Bet £10 Get £40 At BetMGM Handicap (Class 6) 7f SKY
• 3:35 – Win £2,000,000 With BetMGM’s Golden Goals Handicap (Class 2) 7f SKY
• 4:05 – BetUK: It’s Where The UK Bets Handicap (Class 3) 1m 1 1/2f SKY
• 4:35 – Boost Your Acca-Fenwa With BetUK Handicap (Class 6) 1m 1 1/2f SKY
• 5:05 – Build Your Acca With BetUK Handicap (Class 5) 1m4f SKY

What would Boxing Day be without an all weather meeting taking place? Action comes live from Wolverhampton starting at 1:50 all the way through to 5:05 with a featured Class 2 handicap over 7f taking place at 3:35.

BetUK are also sponsoring a few of the races, so head over to their site via the link below and claim your £30 in free bets!

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Will Any Of The Boxing Day Races Be On ITV Racing?

The short answer is YES, ITV Racing will be live on Boxing Day. You can see the full ITV Racing Boxing Day schedule below with action coming from Kempton, Aintree and Wetherby.

You can see the full ITV race details below or on our more detailed ITV racing Boxing Day schedule here.

• 12:45 – Ladbrokes Boost Your Odds On Racing Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Class 3) 2m 4 1/2f ITV
• 1:05 – William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1) 2m 1/2f ITV
• 1:20 – Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1) 3m ITV
• 1:35 – William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (Class 1) 3m ITV
• 1:55 – Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1) 2m ITV
• 2:30 – Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1) ITV

Now you’ve got all you need to know about the Boxing Day horse racing 2023, keep an eye out for more on SportsLens regarding the highly-anticipated day of sport.