Boxing Day betting tips: Races Now duo answer our six key questions

With a feast of Boxing Day racing to tuck into, we get our Races Now experts Adam 'Smido' Smith (@Smido11) and SD (@RacingOnCourse) to answer a few key questions ahead of the busiest day in the calendar.

What is your best bet of the big Boxing Day TV races?

AS - I'm keen to take on Potters Charm in the Formby Novices' at Aintree (1:05pm). I don't rate the form of his win at Cheltenham last time out; the race fell apart and the 2nd and fav that day, Valgrand, let the form down badly two weeks ago. 

At 5/1, I'd much prefer to be with Country Mile who was really impressive at the Cheltenham December meeting. Outsider of four that day and won by 7 lengths. 

SD - The Rowland Meryrick (1:35pm, Wetherby) may not be the best renewal ever, however, there is a very solid bet in the race. Some Scope is very favourably weighted and should come on for his run at Newcastle, which was his first after wind surgery.

Callum Pritchard takes a handy seven pounds off and he should go very well here. I could see him going off favourite rather than Cruz Control.

Best other Boxing Day bet in a non-ITV race?

SD  - Michael Chapman may not have had a winner for 18 months or so, but that may not stop Straightouttacompton in the opener at Market Rasen. The favourite has been absolutely feral since it came over here and most of Its form is at 3 miles plus.

Straightouttacompton ran okay last time at Stratford when ridden far too aggressively. Better ground and more professional handling will help and wild odds of 50/1, 33/1. whilst they may have gone, there is still some mileage in the price.

I'm more than happy to chance him in what could be one of the most moderate races ever run in the UK. However, it is still a betting medium.

AS - I'm taking a leaf directly out of SD's playbook. He really fancies one in a Class 5 Selling Handicap Hurdle which opens the card at Market Rasen. And it's already being backed.

Straitouttacompton has been any price you like on recent starts but was hampered last time and has a jockey upgrade for this race, which is likely to go under the radar on Boxing Day.

Who wins the King George?

AS - The biggest field since 2009 with 11 declared. Quite a few of these want softer conditions, which they look unlikely to get.

Races Now ante post viewers will know I have had my eye on L'Homme Presse for a while. Goes incredibly well fresh (has won first time up for the last four seasons). Fell at the last in this race two years ago and was a pretty decent 4th in the Cheltenham Gold Cup when we last saw him.

His trainer Venetia Williams is absolutely on fire in the big races this season too.

SD - The King George has as many questions as there are answers. In many ways, Il Est Francais probably has as much to prove as anything else. But his time last year in the Felton was very good and Kempton looks his track, so he should go very well indeed.

Should he fail to fire then L'Homme Presse on his seasonal reappearance again should go well. His Fleur de Lis win at Lingfield looks very good, he's won in this race before and he has less to prove than the others.

Constitution Hill — are you a backer or layer?

SD - The Christmas Hurdle isn't necessarily a race to bet in. There are so many imponderables, such as how Constitution Hill is. I would neither back him nor lay him at his current odds.

In the circumstances, it may be best to consider backing the other two horses in the "without" market against Constitution Hill, I get the feeling he'll either run exceedingly well or pull up after three hurdles.

AS - At a bigger price than Lossiemouth, which he has been all week, I'd be a backer. I think the pendulum has swung too far in the direction of Constitution Hill negativity and that could provide value in the betting.

The racecourse gallops, the injuries, the ducking and diving, the Nicky Henderson - there's been much reason for fans, including myself, to be negative and bored of the Constitution Hill saga. But they wouldn't be running him if he wasn't near 100%, we know that for sure.  At his best he's an proper superstar, we know that. The question is, can he get back to anything like his peak form?

Well, he might not have to to win this, actually. His win in this race last year was his worst performance on ratings since his novice. And that would still be enough to beat Lossiemouth in my opinion. The mare hasn't raced over 2 miles for 20 months lets remember and this is by someway her biggest test yet.

Constitution Hill is probably as likely to be pulled up as he is to win. But one way or another, this could be the last time ever you get to back him at odds against. 

Your best bet from the festive period (other than Boxing Day)?

AS - While we have the King George at Christmas, the Irish have the Savills Chase (2:35pm Saturday). Pretty much a carbon copy race. Within three days of each other. It wouldn't happen on the flat!

Anyway, I think Fact To File will confirm the form with Galopin Des Champs. The Twitter masses all appeared to be happy with Galopin's 3rd behind Fact To File when they met last month. "He'll come on for the run" etc. But it was also Fact To File's first run of the season and he had to make up lots of ground late, battle near the post and was going away at the line.

SD - Belargus is a fascinating contender in the Leicestershire Silver Fox Handicap Chase on Saturday at Leicester, which is shown on ITV.

He's a much better horse right handed, and I get the feeling that his handicap mark is considerably above his ability, as it is in free fall. Nick Gifford remains in good form and he could go under the radar, as is so often the case at Christmas.

Finally, is there too much racing on Boxing Day? And should we be racing on 23rd/ 24th December?

AS - Eight meetings in the UK and three in Ireland and I don't have a problem with it. The racecourses obviously do well commercially in the holiday period.

Racing on the 23rd and 24th would be the bigger question. It's a balance between staff within the industry getting a rest and the opportunity to get people through the doors at racecourses in a time where many potential customers are off work.

I'd side with having racing on these days and having blank days for stable staff, jockeys and others at other points in the season.

SD - I think that there is not enough racing on Boxing Day. Back in the day, you used to have Ayr and Newton, Abbott and Huntington and various other lovely venues racing. Had it been Ayr on Boxing Day, I'd have probably gone.

I do support racing on the 23rd and 24th of this month, and maybe there could be a thinner schedule towards the middle of December. But people trying to change things for change sake is just downright wrong.

It's a similar principle on Easter Monday and Spring May Monday. My conclusion is we should have more racing on bank holidays for the public to enjoy when they are off. It is, after all, a spectator sport.