As the Christmas period began to roll closer and closer, the sport of racing would start to wind down for a much needed festive break. The final meeting at Ascot of 2025 would provide action of the highest quality, a pre-Boxing Day appetiser for racing fans. The Grade One Long Walk Hurdle is a synonymous race to racegoers and the staying hurdle contest has a rich history of previous winners, all of whom were much loved during their careers. The feature race would be form part of a high quality triple header, complimented by handicaps over hurdles and fences. These races added extra competitiveness and value to the card and have also been won in the past by some famous names. A graduation chase and pair of lower graded hurdle contests would complete the bill and entertain the crowd which was filled with festive cheer and excitement. 

Race One: The Karen Codd Novices' Handicap Hurdle - Class Four - Three Miles - Runners:
The opening event of this quality race day would be a handicap hurdle for novices who have found winning opportunities hard to come by. Races of this nature are often aimed at the more longer term prospects who showed only minor promise in novice hurdles previously and are now operating at a much more realistic level. Last year, the race saw just a handful of runners, but the Georgia Nicholls-trained Thank You Ma'am would be a topical winner at the Royal venue as the gelding snapped a long run of placed finishes under Olive Nicholls.

Race Two: The Howden Handicap Chase - Class Two - Two Miles, Three Furlongs - Runners:
Next up would be the turn of the more experienced horses with this chase over the intermediate distance of two and a quarter miles. The class two contest would feature horses who are rising through the ranks taking on others who have competed at a much higher level without recent success. Twelve months ago, the race would go the way of Kotmask, who was well positioned throughout to give the Gary and Josh Moore stable a success on the day. 

Race Three: The Howden Graduation Chase - Class Two - Two Miles, Five Furlongs - Runners:

The action would begin to warm up on this chilly December afternoon with a graduation chase taking place at the bottom of the racecourse over two and a half miles. Graduation chases are few and far between, but are limited to horses who have won no more than two races over fences, which often attracts some classy novices from the previous season. Last year's event saw a small field dominated by Irish runners and the very lightly raced ten-year-old Jungle Boogie picking up the pieces and taking victory for the Henry de Bromhead yard. He would then line up in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on his only other run of the season.

Race Four: The Howden Long Walk Hurdle - Grade One - Three Miles - Runners:
The centre piece of this Christmas cracker of a race fixture would come in the form of the Long Walk Hurdle for the warriors of National Hunt racing. Since it was promoted into a pattern race back in 1990, some of the best staying hurdlers have won this race multiple times. They would include Baracouda, who holds the record of most wins in the race with four between 2000 and 2004, stayer supreme Big Buck's who dominated the scene during his time on track and the quirky but much loved Paisley Park who won this in 2018, 2019 and 2022.  Horses at this level face off against each other on a regular basis, but their longevity and battling qualities see them become firm favourites in the racing fraternity. The last two renewals of this race have gone to Fergal O'Brien's Crambo, who bravely held off Hiddenvalley View and Beauport in a thrilling finish.

Race Five: The Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase - Class One - Three Miles - Runners: 

The first of two premier handicaps would take place, with this chasing contest taking place over the stamina sapping three miles. This would be a test of grit and determination for all the horses involved and the race is usually viewed as a trial for next spring's Grand National at Aintree. The almighty Arkle won just the second ever running of this race back in 1966, followed by subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Cool Dawn in 1997, but in more recent times the race has gone to some course specialists such as Annsam and Regal Encore. Venetia Williams-trained Victtorino is another fan of the Berkshire venue and two of his four Ascot wins have come in this race, in 2023 and 2024. He would be strong at the finish to successfully defend his crown. Last year's race also saw The Changing Man finish a close second before going to win at Grade Two level and place in numerous high class handicap chases in 2025.

This year's contest would see Beauport carry top weight for the Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies yard. The nine year old stays all day having won the Midlands National and the Berkshire National during 2024 before finishing placed on this card in the Long Walk Hurdle. He would look in need of the outing at Cheltenham in November, but this trip looks to be his minimum nowadays. Jamie Snowden's GA Law has been around for what feels like an eternity, but the nine year old has been a regular fixture in these sort of events. He has struggled in some high class races, so this would be slightly easier than his distant third in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. An Irish raider would come in the form of Terence O'Brien's' Answer To Kayf, who landed the valuable Troytown Chase at Navan over this trip in November. The nine year old remains lightly raced and could have even more improvement to unlock. The talented Threeunderthrufive finished third in this race last year and Paul Nicholls's ten year old would aim for a better outing this time around. He would go close once again over course and distance in February, but was well held at Wincanton on his comeback run last month. The grey Marble Sands made a good impression on his season comeback run at Cheltenham where he landed a Grade Three contest with plenty in hand. The nine year old would now drop back in distance but looks as good as ever for David Killahena & Graeme McPherson. Another last time out winner in the field would be Henry's Friend from the Ben Pauling yard. The eight year old's progress stalled in the spring, but bounced back with a good win over course and distance back in November. The defending champion of the past two years Victtorino would return once again for a hat trick attempt. Venetia Williams's seven year old loves Ascot as all of his British wins have come here, the latest in a similar contest back in February this year. Anthony Honeyball has won this race in the past with the quirky Regal Encore and would aim to do so again with the progressive Leave Of Absence. The eight year old had been largely consistent up until last time out at Cheltenham where fluffed his lines. The gelding has also previously finished second here in a Grade Two last season. The veteran Two For Gold has some very smart form lines at this course throughout the years and is still going strong at the age of nearly thirteen. The Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls-trained gelding finished down the field on his reappearance here last month. The very smart but frustrating Johnnywho holds just the one win over fences, but the Jonjo & AJ O'Neill-trained eight year old finished in the frame at Cheltenham and the Irish National last season. He would make a bold bid when fifth over the National fences at Aintree in November's Grand Sefton Chase. A second high class runner for the Paul Nicholls yard would be Knappers Hill. The high class hurdler has been rarely seen in recent seasons and made a satisfactory comeback when fourth in a graduation chase at Haydock last month. Another flying grey in the field would be the Nicky Henderson-trained Hyland. He would enjoy a profitable novice campaign which featured a tilt at this year's Grand National and has since run respectfully in competitive handicaps during the autumn. Another guaranteed stayer in this contest would come from Ireland in the shape of Yeah Man for trainer Gavin Cromwell. The eight year old has form in plenty of valuable contests and chased home Answer To Kayf in the Troytown Chase last time out. The Tom Lacey-trained Blow Your Wad looked to be trip limited earlier in his career and his last win came eighteen months ago, but the seven year old shaped with promise on first try over this trip with a third in a similar event at this venue in November. The Doyen Chief has been a stayer to follow for Alan King having won some decent prizes at the start of the year, but he was have little chance of getting involved after a messy start in the Coral Trophy at Newbury and had a chance to redeem himself. The formerly French-trained Deep Cave looks to have been transformed by the Christian Williams stable and landed a big handicap hurdle on Grand National day at Aintree in April. He then transferred his ability to fences by winning a useful prize at Bangor last time out and looks to be going the right way. A second runner for the Ben Pauling yard would be Your Darling, who is relatively lightly raced as a ten year old. Having already won two races at this level, this would be a rare attempt over three miles, having finished last of four over two and a half miles here last time out. He would be joined by the eccentric Pic Roc, who is a sporadic winner, but talented on his day. He would land a first win over fences in impressive style two starts ago before posting a career best of fifth in last month's Coral Gold Cup at Newbury. Another enigma in the line up would be the Gary & Josh Moore-trained Goshen. The popular nine year old has an affinity for Ascot's hurdles course, but mixes it over fences nowadays too. After running well over course and distance back in February, he would run below his best at Sandown on seasonal reappearance. The Dan Skelton-trained Joyeaux Machin has some smart pieces of form of late, but made a rare start over fences here. Having won over fences back in 2023, he remains unexposed in this discipline for his ultra-shrewd trainer. In d'Or won a lesser race over course and distance back in January for his owner/rider David Maxwell, but has since moved to the Fergal O'Brien yard during the off season. He would show promise on his return to action at Sandown last month when taking third despite some sketchy jumping. The Olly Murphy-trained Doctor Ken has some smart form over the intermediate distances in the past, but has also won over a trip slightly shorter than this one at Taunton in 2023. Since then, the nine year old weakened into fourth on his seasonal return over three miles at Kempton last month. David Pipe has enjoyed plenty of success at this meeting over the years and would saddle Neon Moon for this contest. The nine year old has some useful form over this trip, but landed a small field handicap here over half a mile shorter on his latest start in November. The eight year old Transmission has finished third over hurdles here in the past, but the Neil Mulholland-trained gelding has spent a lot of time racing at Cheltenham of late. After winning an amateur riders' contest in 2024, he hasn't been quite at his best over longer distances recently. The Joe Tizzard has been in top form of late and would look to continue the hot streak with Rivers Corner. The seven year old has been gradually improving over fences and made a career best effort when staying on strongly into third in the London National at Sandown earlier in the month. Completing the line-up would be another Neil Mulholland runner, Kelce. He would land a small field contest at Wetherby at the end of last season, but has only managed to finish in the midfield in two amateur riders' contests at Cheltenham this season.

Winner: