Here’s our top ten in the Christmas charts, with some stars of the sport, Cheltenham Festival and Epsom Derby winners included!
1. Santa Claus
The big fella famously drops down chimneys across the world to reward well-behaved kids on Christmas Eve but the horse named Santa Claus delivered on Flat racing’s biggest stage in 1964.
He won three Classics – the Irish 2000 Guineas, Derby and Irish Derby – during a golden summer for Irish trainer Mick Rogers.
His second in the Arce de Triomphe underlined his position as the season’s champion three-year-old.
When he retired to stud, he helped spread the festive cheer by siring lots of horses with Christmas named. The best of them was Irish St Leger hero Reindeer.
2. Christmas
There was an air of excitable expectation ahead of Christmas’ debut in 2018.
As a son of champion stallion Galileo and American Grade-1 winner Christmas Kid, he was bred to be a star.
Although he didn’t quite hit the heights expected of him, he did win a Listed race at Tipperary as a two-year-old before finishing second behind subsequent Derby hero Anthony Van Dyke in the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at the Curragh.
He was the pick of the family but his half-brothers – Father Christmas and Michaelmas – both won races for champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien.
3. French Holly
The giant French Holly – named after the favourite Christmas decoration – was the best horse Ferdy Murphy trained.
He won half of his 20 starts, including what is now the Grade 1 Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 1998.
His misfortune was to be around at the same time as Istabraq. He twice chased home Aidan O’Brien’s great hurdler in Grade 1 races and also finished third behind him in the 1999 Champion Hurdle.
4. Kris Kringle
There was plenty of hope Kris Kringle could deliver Classic cheer in 1988.
Racing in the colours of powerful owner Robert Sangster, he burst on to the scene with victory in the Derrinstown Derby Trial for trainer Vincent O’Brien and jockey John Reid.
He couldn’t quite muster any magic in the Classics, finishing in midfield in the French Derby and the Irish St Leger, but he did win the Group 2 Blandford Stakes later in the season.
His name comes from the much-loved equivalent of Father Christmas for kids across Europe, including Germany and Switzerland.
5. Plum Pudding
Regulars at Newmarket loved tucking into Plum Pudding during the late 2000s.
In total, seven of his eight career victories came at the home of Flat racing. The highlight was his all-the-way success in the prestigious Bunbury Cup in 2009 when Ryan Moore was in the saddle.
He was trained by Richard Hannon throughout his career and he even won when ridden by Bryony Frost’s older brother, Hadden.
6. Panto Prince
Everyone loves a good Christmas pantomime and there was plenty of cheering during Panto Prince’s career.
He was touched off by Desert Orchid in one of the greatest finishes to a jumps race in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot in 1989.
Trained by Chris Popham and ridden by Brendan Powell, he twice won Wincanton’s Badger Beer Chase. The second of those victories came at the grand old age of 12 in 1993.
7. Cold Turkey
Not everyone likes Cold Turkey but fans of all-weather racing loved Gary Moore’s stayer.
He won a dozen races on artificial surfaces with his trademark fast-finishing kick. His style of racing was ideally suited to Lingfield, where he won eight races.
He also won four times on turf – including Epsom’s historic Great Metropolitan Handicap – and was even successful over hurdles.
8. Christmas Gorse
Deck the halls with boughs of gorse.
We’re not sure we’ve got the lyrics of the festive favourite song quite right but Christmas Gorse certainly hit all the right notes at the 1994 Cheltenham Festival.
He landed the National Hunt Chase under amateur jockey Marcus Armytage – now the Daily Telegraph’s racing correspondent – for trainer Nick Gaselee.
9. Balthazar King
Named after the wise man who arrived at the birth of Jesus with the gift of myrrh, played a starring role at the Cheltenham Festival.
He twice won the Cross-Country Chase at jump racing’s most important meeting. He won over the unique obstacles on two other occasions and he finished runner-up behind Pineau De Re in the 2014 Grand National for regular rider Richard Johnson.
Melchior King – another wise man from the nativity – ran in the same colours of the owners, The Brushmakers. He wasn’t as good, but did win a Chepstow maiden hurdle for Philip Hobbs in 2019.
10. Star Of Bethlehem
He looked like he was going to shine brightly when beating subsequent Grade 1 winner Watson Lake in a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle in 2003.
It didn’t quite work out that way as his career was cut short after winning over hurdles at the Punchestown Festival the following year.
His name – the star that guided the wise men to the birth of Jesus – makes sure he sneaks into our top ten.
One To Watch - Bauble
This unraced three-year-old filly – in training with John and Thady Gosden – might well make this list next year.
Owned and bred by Lordship Stud, she is a niece of QIPCO 1000 Guineas winner Legatissimo from the family of Irish Derby and Gold Cup hero Fame And Glory.
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