Entain Backs The Festive Four, a New Christmas Racing Festival
United Kingdom – 10 November 2026 – www.zonadeazar.com Entain, one of the world’s leading sports betting and entertainment groups, has announced its involvement in The Festive Four, a new initiative bringing together four consecutive days of horse racing during the Christmas period in the United Kingdom.
The programme will run from 26 to 29 December 2026 across Kempton Park, Chepstow and Newbury racecourses, with live television coverage provided by ITV.
A New Initiative for British Horse Racing
The Festive Four aims to strengthen the visibility of British jump racing by bringing together some of the most prestigious fixtures on the racing calendar.
The programme will feature four major events:
- 26 December: Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.
- 27 December: Ladbrokes Kauto Star Chase at Kempton Park.
- 28 December: Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow.
- 29 December: Coral Challow Hurdle at Newbury.
Trophies will also be awarded to the festival’s leading jockey and leading trainer.
Entain Strengthens Its Commitment to Racing
The initiative represents a strategic commitment by Entain to British horse racing at a time when several other operators are reducing their investment in sports sponsorship.
Companies including bet365, Betfred and Flutter Entertainment are among those scaling back their commercial involvement in the sector.
In contrast, Entain aims to consolidate its presence through its Ladbrokes and Coral brands, which will support the festival’s headline races.
Collaboration Across the Racing Industry
The project brings together major industry stakeholders, including The Jockey Club, Arena Racing Company (ARC), Newbury Racecourse, Racecourse Media Group (RMG), the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), ITV Racing and Great British Racing (GBR).
The partnership seeks to expand the commercial and broadcasting reach of racing during one of the busiest periods of the British sporting calendar.
Ticketing and Television Coverage
As part of the initiative, organisers have introduced a special £64 ticket, allowing racing fans to attend all four days of the festival.
For the first time, all four racing days will also be broadcast live on ITV, providing greater media exposure for the participating events.
The television coverage offers an opportunity to attract new audiences and strengthen the position of horse racing within the Christmas sporting schedule.
Statements from Entain
Simon Clare, representing Entain, highlighted the importance of bringing together major Christmas racing fixtures across four consecutive days.
“Christmas racing is already one of the most important periods of the jump racing season. The Festive Four makes this period even better by giving fans a major racing event to enjoy every day,” he stated.
Clare also emphasised that the programme would provide an opportunity to showcase the sport to a wider audience over the festive season.
Industry Impact
The launch of The Festive Four comes at a time of increasing financial pressure on British horse racing and its sponsorship arrangements.
Entain’s decision to expand its involvement contrasts with the partial withdrawal of other bookmakers and could help strengthen commercial relationships between betting operators, racecourses and sporting organisations.
Through this initiative, the group reinforces its commitment to one of the most established sectors of the British sports betting market.
Edited by: Cristobal R.
