ITV Racing Christmas Schedule 2026: Dates, Races and Channels

The ITV Racing Christmas schedule for 2026 runs for four consecutive days, Saturday 26 to Tuesday 29 December, built around Kempton Park, Chepstow and Newbury. The meetings and headline races are confirmed. At the time of writing, ITV had not published channels or programme times, so treat any exact timings you see elsewhere as provisional until ITV lists them.

What is the ITV Racing Christmas schedule for 2026?

ITV will show live racing from Saturday 26 December to Tuesday 29 December 2026, with each day built around one premier jump meeting. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) confirmed the revised fixture list after a proposal from Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, brokered by Racecourse Media Group with ITV Racing and the three racecourses.

Each day pairs a main meeting with supporting races from other courses: Aintree and Wetherby on the 26th, Wetherby and Hereford on the 27th, Leicester on the 28th and Doncaster on the 29th. The Racing Post reported the same line-up.

Boxing Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, so the bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December, which Chepstow describes as Bank Holiday Monday for the Welsh Grand National. Some early reports carried the wrong weekdays, so rely on the dates if you spot a mismatch.

What changed from the old Christmas fixture list?

Three feature meetings and one supporting fixture have each moved by a day or more. The aim was to end the clash between Kempton and Chepstow on 27 December, so each big meeting gets its own television slot.

The BHA said the move gives Newbury’s Challow Hurdle meeting a permanent home on 29 December, and it approved Hereford’s switch at the request of the racecourse and ITV to add to the 27th’s coverage. Some race-by-race listings, such as fixture sites that still show Newbury on 28 December, have not caught up, so check the date against the BHA’s list.

The practical effect on Boxing Day is a lighter Kempton card on television. In 2022 ITV’s Boxing Day programme included the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at 1.20pm, the Christmas Hurdle at 1.55pm and the King George at 2.30pm, according to ITV’s own festival guide. The Kauto Star has now gone from that day.

Which channel is ITV Racing on at Christmas?

The channel for each 2026 day has not been confirmed. TV Radar’s Christmas guide says ITV has not yet said whether the King George VI Chase will be on ITV1 or ITV4.

Past years give a pattern, not a promise. Horse & Hound’s 2025 viewing guide had Boxing Day racing on ITV1 from 12.30pm to 3pm, and ITV’s 2022 festival put the Boxing Day show on ITV, 27 December on ITV4 and New Year’s Day back on ITV. Live coverage is also on ITVX, but Yahoo Sports notes it is for UK residents only.

What is and is not confirmed

Boxing Day: when is the King George VI Chase on?

The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase is the centrepiece of Saturday 26 December, a Grade 1 three-mile chase at Kempton Park. It has traditionally gone off at 2.30pm, and ITV brought it forward to that time in 2022 so football fans could watch both sports.

For 2025, the Yahoo schedule listed the Christmas Hurdle at 1.55pm and the King George at 2.30pm. Expect something similar in 2026, but do not plan around it until the card is published. The race is widely watched as a pointer to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which makes its market busy.

27 to 29 December: Kauto Star, Welsh National and Challow Hurdle

Each day after Boxing Day has one named centrepiece. Sunday is Kauto Star Chase day at Kempton, Monday is the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow, and Tuesday is the Coral Challow Hurdle at Newbury.

The British Racecourses December guide lists the Welsh Grand National on 28 December and the Challow Hurdle on Tuesday 29 December. Welsh National is a big-field handicap, which matters for betting: more runners means more chance of non-runners and extra-place offers.

Is Leopardstown or Cheltenham on ITV this Christmas?

Not according to the announced 2026 line-up. The four ITV days list British meetings only, even though Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival runs from 26 to 29 December and Cheltenham races on 1 January 2027, per Inside the Paddock’s calendar.

ITV’s 2022 festival was far bigger: six days, 14 meetings and 41 races, including Irish cards. The 2026 plan is a tighter four-day British festival, so do not assume the old extras will return.

How else can I watch Christmas racing?

Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing show racing that ITV does not, but both are subscription services. Horse & Hound’s guide gave Racing TV on Sky channel 424 and Sky Sports Racing on Sky channel 415 for last year. Check your own provider’s listing, as numbers can change.

If you want full cards and the Irish racing, a subscription is the route. For the headline races on this page, ITV’s free coverage is enough.

How to plan your viewing and your bets

Check three things before each day: the channel, the programme start time and the off-time of the race you want. Programme start is when ITV’s show begins. Race off-time is when that race is scheduled to run, and it can be well over an hour later.

Two things matter for bets over this period:

• Non-runners. Big handicaps such as the Welsh Grand National often lose runners, which can trigger a Rule 4 deduction from winning bets. If a 20p-in-the-pound deduction applied to £50 of winnings, you would lose £10 of that. Our Rule 4 calculator shows the effect.
• Extra places. Bookmakers often add places on big handicaps. See our guide to extra place races and read the terms before you stake.

A worked each-way example shows why terms matter. Take £5 each-way at 10/1 (11.0 decimal), with the place part paying a quarter of the odds. The bet costs £10. If the horse wins, you receive £55 for the win part and £17.50 for the place part, £72.50 in total. If it only places, you receive £17.50, which is £7.50 more than your £10 stake.

Check how many places your bookmaker pays and at what fraction, because both change the place return. Our horse racing odds explained page covers the conversions.

Before you tune in

Bookmark the four dates, 26 to 29 December, and expect ITV to announce channels and times closer to Christmas. Until then, work from the confirmed meetings and headline races, not older Christmas guides.

Set a stake limit before the first race and stick to it, especially on a long festive day of racing. You must be of legal age to gamble in your country.

Frequently asked questions

When is ITV Racing on over Christmas 2026?

ITV Racing is scheduled to cover four consecutive days, 26 to 29 December 2026, according to the BHA. The days are Kempton (26th and 27th), Chepstow (28th) and Newbury (29th).

Is the King George VI Chase on ITV in 2026?

Yes, ITV is covering the Boxing Day meeting at Kempton on Saturday 26 December. ITV had not confirmed whether it will be on ITV1 or ITV4, and the race has traditionally gone off at 2.30pm.

When is the Welsh Grand National in 2026?

The Coral Welsh Grand National is on Bank Holiday Monday 28 December 2026 at Chepstow, a day later than its previous 27 December slot.

Has the Kauto Star Chase moved in 2026?

Yes. The Ladbrokes Kauto Star Chase moves from Boxing Day to Sunday 27 December, the second day of Kempton's Christmas Festival.

Can I watch ITV Racing online for free?

Live ITV Racing is available free on ITVX for viewers in the UK. Races ITV does not show are usually on subscription services such as Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing.

Will ITV show Leopardstown or Cheltenham this Christmas?

Neither is in the announced four-day ITV line-up. Leopardstown races on 26 to 29 December and Cheltenham on 1 January 2027, but check ITV's programme information for any additions.