Ascot Howden Christmas Racing Weekend 2025

Howden Christmas Racing Weekend 2025 – Ascot Racecourse

Enjoy the 2025 Howden Christmas Racing weekend in some style with VIP Hospitality at the iconic Ascot Racecourse

Friday 19th December – Saturday 20th December 2025

At Eventmasters, we are an Official Hospitality Supplier (OHS) who is appointed directly by Ascot Racecourse, and we are delighted to be offering official VIP Howden Christmas Racing Weekend Hospitality. This is the final major race meeting at Ascot for the calendar year, and it will be taking place from Friday 19th December to Saturday 20th December 2025.

Look no further than the Windsor Forest Hospitality Package that offers you and your guests and clients the ultimate experience of this much anticipated race meeting. It has plenty to offer, including champagne on arrival, a three course lunch, afternoon tea, a complimentary bar, and race day admission.

This race meeting will see a full weekend of enthralling racing take place, and some races in particular stand out amongst the rest. On day one, there is the Howden Noel Novices’ Chase, which has seen some of its past winners go on to achieve success at the Cheltenham Festival – such examples include Simonsig and Politologue. The most recent winner is Mark Of Gold, ahead of runner-up Personal Ambition and pre-race favourite Johnnywho in third place.

Another highlight of the Christmas Racing Weekend at Ascot is the Howden Long Walk Hurdle, which takes place on the second and final day of action in this event on an annual basis. The most recent winner of the race was crowned back in December 2024, and it was Crambo, ridden by Jockey Jonathan Burke who came away victorious ahead of runner-up Personal Ambition and Johnnywho, who was the pre-race favourite.

Anticipation and excitement are most certainly growing ahead of the return of the Howden Christmas Racing Weekend in December 2025, and all eyes will be on this year’s winners of the races, including the Noels Novices’ Chase and the Long Walk Hurdle.

There is no better way to experience the 2025 Howden Christmas Racing Weekend than with an Eventmasters VIP Windsor Forest Hospitality Package at Ascot Racecourse. Go ahead and book now to avoid disappointment!


All eyes will be on the iconic and historic Ascot Racecourse in December 2025 when the much anticipated Howden Christmas Racing Weekend makes its annual return to one of Britain and the world’s most famous racecourses. The 2025 Christmas Racing Weekend will be taking place from Friday 19th December to Saturday 20th December 2025. It is the final major race meeting of the calendar year at Ascot Racecourse.

The event itself has been going on for several decades, with the list of winners of the races going back decades. Two races do stand out amongst the rest across the two days of enthralling action, and they are the Howden Noels Novices’ Chase and the Long Walk Hurdle.

Starting with the Noels Novices’ Chase, the 1990s were dominated by the legendary jockey Richard Dunwoody. Dunwoody holds the current record for the most wins of any other jockey in this race with no less than 5 – the first came with The Proclamation in 1989. However, the rest came in the 1990s in what was a dominant period in this race from Dunwoody, who won with Remittance Man in 1990, Simply Dashing in 1996, Chief’s Song in 1997, and Kurakka in 1998.

At the turn of the 21st Century, the first dominant force in this race was that of Jockey Tony McCoy, who alongside trainer Martin Pipe won all three of the first three Noels Novices’ Chase races from 2000 to 2002. These wins came with Galant Moss (2000), Seebald (2001), Tarxien (2002), and with Supreme Prince (2003).

It was Sam Twiston-Davies who was the jockey who had the most wins in this race in the 2010s, doing so with Ptit Zig in 2014, Le Mercurey in 2015, and with Politologue in 2016, with the trainer for all of these wins being with trainer Paul Nicholls. Nicholls was the most successful trainer in this race in this period, with his fourth coming when Harry Cobden was victorious with Pic D’Orhy back in 2021.

The most recent winner was Mark Of Gold, who was ridden to victory by Caoilin Quinn ahead of the likes of runner-up Personal Ambition and pre-race favourite Johnnywho who came in third place in the end.

Moving on to the Long Walk Hurdle, this was most recently won back in December 2024 by Crambo ridden by Jonathan Burke. Crambo finished just ahead of the likes of Darragh O’Keefe’s Hiddenvalley Lake in second, whilst it was Sam Twiston-Davies’ Beauport ended up rounding off the top three with a third place finish in the end. This was a second successive victory for Jonathan Burke and Crambo, who also won in 2023. Fergal O’Brien was the successful trainer on both occasions.

The winner exactly 50 years before the 2025 edition of this race was Lanzarote, who was ridden to victory by John Francome, with Fred Winter the successful trainer back in 1975. Winter had been victorious with Soloning a couple of years before that in 1973. John Cherry had two wins in three years after victory in 1977 and 1979 with Steve Smith Eccles and Harry Thomson Jones being the jockey and the trainer on both of these occasions.

From 2009 to 2011, Big Buck’s won all three Long Walk Hurdle races in a row, with Ruby Walsh as the jockey in 2009 and 2011, whilst the victory back in 2010 was achieved with Tony McCoy as jockey. Paul Nicholls was the trainer on each occasion.

Then came Reve De Sivola, who also won three in a row between 2012 and 2014. Richard Johnson was the jockey for the first two wins, whilst it was Daryl Jacob who led Reve De Sivola to victory back in 2014.

Aidan Coleman had three wins with Paisley Park, with his three wins coming back in 2018, 2020, and 2022.

The most successful jockey to date in the Long Walk Hurdle is Richard Johnson, who had four wins in his career, tasting success with Anzum in 1999, Mighty Man in 2006, and Reve di Sivola in 2012 and a year later in 2013.

Baracouda is the most successful horse in this highly prestigious race with 4 wins in 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2004. Francois Doumen was the trainer for all four of these victories, and as a result, the French trainer is the most successful in this race so far.

With the excitement already building for the next Howden Christmas Racing Weekend at Ascot Racecourse in 2025, there is no better way to experience world-class racing action than with a Windsor Forest Hospitality Package.


2025 Howden Christmas Racing Weekend and Ascot Racecourse FAQs

When will the 2025 Howden Christmas Racing Weekend take place at Ascot Racecourse?

The 2025 renewal of the Howden Christmas Racing Weekend will be taking place from Friday 19th December to Saturday 20th December 2025.

What is the dress code for the Windsor Forest VIP Hospitality Package?

Gentlemen are required to wear jacket, collared shirt, and a tie, meanwhile hats and headpieces are encouraged. A dress, suit, or jumpsuit are all acceptable with a hat or headpiece. As for Children, if they are aged 17 or under, they should adhere to the dress code, but this does not apply to very young children.

What is included in the VIP Windsor Forest Hospitality Package?

The following is available to enhance the experience of you and your guests and clients: Champagne on arrival, Race Day Admission, a three course lunch, a cheeseboard, afternoon tea, a complimentary bar including beer, wine, spirits, and soft drinks, betting facilities on-site, race cards, racing papers, as are table flowers.

Where can I park at Ascot Racecourse?

There are no less than 5 car parks and more than 8,000 parking spaces that are available in various locations around this iconic racecourse – but please note that the majority of the parking spots will be on fields so some caution is required. There are also some accessibly parking close to the entrances themselves, but you must remember to clearly display your Blue Badge.

Where can I park at Ascot Racecourse?

You can contact us directly via the form at the bottom of this page, or you can feel free to call our team on 020 7989 6500.


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