The Punter Podcast Episode 63: Christmas Racing Special December 22, 2025 Tom Marriott is joined by Bill Esdaile for his best bets of the busy Christmas racing schedule, highlighted by the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day. Plus, Wally Pyrah dials in to preview the racing at Happy Valley in Hong Kong on Tuesday 23 December. Merry Christmas! The Punter ‘The Punter’ has been City [...]
Christmas can come early for Size and Purton with Enthralled December 22, 2025 BANK on the formidable partnership of trainer John Size and jockey Zac Purton to serve up a pre-Christmas treat for racegoers, when racing gets underway with a nine-race programme at Happy Valley on Tuesday. The pair team up with strong stayer ENTHRALLED, who comes to the Valley for the first time in the competitive Saturn [...]
Sugar out to land sweet Valley success for Fownes December 22, 2025 TRAINER Caspar Fownes continues to churn out winners at regular intervals this current campaign, and 16 of his 24 winners have come at his favourite track, Happy Valley. The proclaimed King of the Valley is a dab hand at getting his gallopers to show their best form at the city track, so it is interesting [...]
The Wolf is Coming to Win for Shum December 19, 2025 RACING in Hong Kong reverts to Saturday from Sunday this weekend for an 11-race programme at Sha Tin and features the Class Two Ivy Handicap (9.05am) over six furlongs. With the Christmas festivities fast approaching, it will be paramount for many racegoers to top up their balances to pay for the turkey and presents under [...]
Invincible Ibis hoping for good Fortune on mile debut December 19, 2025 WITH the flagship event on the racing calendar, the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, done and dusted for another season, it is now the turn of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series to take the spotlight, starting at the beginning of February. The likes of highly progressive gallopers Dazzling Fit and INVINCIBLE IBIS have already put their [...]
The Punter Podcast Episode 62: Ascot and Haydock December 16, 2025 Tom Marriott and Bill Esdaile are back to preview Saturday’s racing, with the Long Walk Hurdle taking centre stage at Ascot and a competitive card at Haydock. Josh Moore joins to discuss their chances, including Mondo Man at Ascot, and Wally Pyrah reflects on HKIR and has selections for Happy Valley on Wednesday. The Punter [...]
Victtorino can deliver Christmas gold again December 16, 2025 THERE is one final chance this weekend to swell the Christmas coffers before the big day and the festival of racing that follows on Boxing Day. A high-class card from Ascot takes centre stage, where the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle (2.25pm) is the feature and the Fergal O’Brien-trained Crambo is bidding to join staying [...]
Supreme to be punters’ Silver Lining at Haydock December 16, 2025 AWAY from the Grade One action at Ascot, there’s a competitive card at Haydock with the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase (2.05pm) the pick of the races. This three-and-a-quarter-mile contest is often a slog, and this year looks no different with attritional conditions forecast, so finding one that thrives when the mud is flying is imperative. [...]
Water win would put Size back in usual Flow December 16, 2025 REALITY returns for regular racegoers in Hong Kong when they arrive for a nine-race programme at Happy Valley on Wednesday. The many thousands of racing fans from all over the globe have now headed home following a hugely successful International Jockeys’ Championship at the city track last week, and normal service resumes. Despite incessant media [...]
South Star can guide Purton to victory at the Valley December 16, 2025 REIGNING champion jockey Zac Purton, fresh from his Group One winning double aboard Ka Ying Rising and Voyage Bubble at Sha Tin on Sunday, could surpass 50 winners for the season with a host of winning chances at Happy Valley on Wednesday. The eight-time Hong Kong champion jockey, with 48 wins already on the scoresheet, [...]