The December Festival Hurdle is a prestigious Grade 1 race held annually in December at Leopardstown Racecourse during the Christmas Festival. Run over two miles with eight hurdles, it has been won multiple times by notable horses such as Istabraq, Hurricane Fly, and Sharjah, each securing four victories. The race market is moderately competitive, with an average over-round of 113% over the past 20 renewals, indicating bookmakers expect to pay out £100 for every £113 bet. The fastest winning time was set by Brighterdaysahead in 2024 at 3:45.20, while the slowest was by Brave Inca in 2006 at 4:17.40.

Expert analysis highlights a strong trend linking the December Festival Hurdle with the Morgiana Hurdle, as 11 of the last 14 winners had previously won the Morgiana, including the last five consecutive winners. Despite some success in backing winners next time out, the overall betting returns have been negative. Andy Powell, an OLBG horse racing expert, advises using these trends and expert tips to make informed betting decisions rather than relying on gut instinct alone.