The Long Walk is an underappreciated festive gem - it almost always delivers

What is your favourite race over the festive period? If you asked 100 racing fans, the King George would almost certainly be top. I’d expect a decent number of mentions for the Welsh National and Christmas Hurdle, while I'd predict a smattering of races from Leopardstown like the Savills, Matheson and Paddy Power Chase to enter the discussion.

I’m not disputing the quality of those races, but I can’t help but feel the Long Walk Hurdle is the underappreciated Christmas gem. 

Maybe it’s because it’s positioned just before Christmas, rather than in the festivities after. Maybe there are too many distractions on the final Saturday before the big day to commit to six minutes in front of the television or spare an afternoon for a trip to Ascot.