Buckle up for ITV's Christmas racing treat as you've never seen it before

Is it the sign of a good idea when the natural reaction is to ask why somebody didn't do something like this years ago?

That might just be the case with ITV's Christmas Racing Festival, a concept that takes existing highlights in the festive racing calendar from both sides of the Irish Sea and packages them up in what should be an irresistible run of action over six of the next seven days across the main channel and its sister, ITV4.

No other sport will receive such wall-to-wall coverage away from the premium subscription services, with 41 live races hosted by 12 courses and all free-to-air.

The work of HRI, Racecourse Media Group and the BHA in the background means two days of Leopardstown's glittering four-day Christmas festival will be shown on mainstream British screens, while New Year's Day features a real geographical spread between Cheltenham, Musselburgh and Tramore.

Wales has always played a major role in the calendar at this time of year and the Coral Welsh National on Tuesday occupies pride of place. On Wednesday December 28 a visit to Leicester adds to a day with a proper Saturday feel, culminating in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown.

That race is due to feature last season's Gold Cup hero A Plus Tard and one of the biggest benefits of such a holistic approach to getting so much of the key action on racing's main broadcast outlet will be to generate even more excitement around the Cheltenham Festival.

In addition to a fascinating King George VI Chase, the two days of Kempton's Ladbrokes Christmas Festival will play host to red-hot Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill, Britain's leading Champion Chase challenger Edwardstone and Stayers' Hurdle perennial Paisley Park.

Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Facile Vega is just one of a host of Irish-trained stars set to feature on ITV Racing this ChristmasCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Put simply, the amount of festival intelligence shared around the sport's widest public forum has never been greater.

The whole roadshow kicks off with Monday's double-header at Kempton and Wetherby, with lead presenter Ed Chamberlin joined by a trio of King George-winning jockeys in AP McCoy, Ruby Walsh and Mick Fitzgerald.

Christmas has evolved as a holiday period since the dawn of the new millennium, with more people now able or choosing to take an extended break from work than was the case before the taste was acquired when extra bank holidays were laid on in 1999.

The audience is there and the weather looks likely to be cooperative. Now let the games commence.

Big-race previews:

12.45 Kempton: Champ v Paisley Park again: who comes out on top in a match of familiar foes?

1.10 Leopardstown: Triumph favourite Lossiemouth set for true test - but Paul Townend is unsure

1.20 Kempton: Nicholls pair McFabulous and Gelino Bello clash - but does Skelton hold the ace?

1.35 Wetherby: 'We hope he's still a Gold Cup horse' - Rowland Meyrick insight and key quotes

1.55 Kempton: Henderson on Constitution Hill: 'I'm buzzed up - but also desperately nervous'

2.20 Leopardstown: 'This has been the plan' - can classy Fil Dor bolster Arkle claims for Elliott?

2.30 Kempton: 'We haven't seen the best of him yet' - key trainer quotes for the King George

2.40 Limerick: 'He's done everything right' - Elliott and Mullins duel in Faugheen Novice Chase

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