Horse Racing Tips
ITV Racing Tips & Predictions – Saturday 20th December 2025
The final ITV racing offering before the Christmas break comes from Ascot and Haydock with six races set to be televised.
Ascot’s four live TV races will include the Howden Handicap Chase, before the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle which carries a prize fund of £125k.
The third and fourth live races at Ascot are the £100k Howden Silver Cup followed by the £125k Festive Handicap Hurdle.
Meanwhile, the two live events from Haydock Park include the 3m1½f Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase, which is followed by a Listed Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
1.50pm Ascot – 2m3f Howden Handicap Chase (4yo+ 0-150)
Tom Symonds’ horses are often under-bet, and he saddles ISSAM, who comes here with a major squeak.
He beat Resplendent Grey at Wincanton last April before running in some high-class races, then trotted up nicely at Wetherby last time out over 2m3½f in the soft. He’s one of the more likelier contenders for sure.
2.05pm Haydock – 3m1½f Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase (4yo+ 0-145)
MY SILVER LINING (NAP) had her finest hour when landing the Classic Chase at Warwick in January last year, and even though she has been winless since, she has been regularly knocking on the door.
I seriously cannot see Emma Lavelle’s nine-year-old finishing out of the frame in this contest, with Haydock racecourse likely to play to her strengths.
2.25pm Ascot – 3m½f Long Walk Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+)
I’d love to see Strong Leader win this, but I really don’t think there will be enough juice in the ground for him, so I’m going to give an each-way shout to COLONEL MUSTARD.
The lovely Lorna Fowler (née Bradbourne) has the veteran in tip-top form at the moment and over his career, he’s raced against the best. He surely has to come into the podium spot reckoning at decent odds in our horse racing betting market?
2.40pm Haydock – 2m3f Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Listed) (Reg’ As Abram Hurdle)
JACKIE HOBBS comprehensively put St Irene to bed when they met at Newbury, with the latter named victorious by 13 lengths herself when she next ran, so the form line is very good.
Sired by a Sheema Classic winner, Jackie Hobbs can follow up on her victory 44 days ago.
3.00pm Ascot – 3m Silver Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (4yo+)
DEEP CAVE actually went into my notebook back in April when he came from out of clouds, to land the 3m William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap Hurdle on Grand National Day at Aintree.
When the Christian Williams-trained runner went and won the 3m Weatherbys and Birdie Calendars Handicap Chase at Bangor in November, I marked him down as a “potential Festival Chase scorer”, so this race will be a nice stepping stone on that journey.
3.35pm Ascot – 2m Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (3yo+)
Course and distance winner FIERCELY PROUD looked in need of the run in the Greatwood Hurdle and can finish significantly closer to the sports betting favourite Alexei in this two mile race.
Ben Jones gets on with the five-time winner and a return to Ascot is a shrewd move by the yard.
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
