Race for Christmas Number 1

New bookies favourite emerges to rival X Factor winner...

10:23 07 December 2011

Simon Cowell looks set to be disappointed this year, as bookies label the Military Wives choir as their favourite to bag the top spot in the charts this Christmas.

The choir was put together by choirmaster Gareth Malone for a documentary which was shown on BBC Two last month.

The series followed the wives and girlfriends of men from Devonshire who serve in the armed forces.

With the X Factor winner's song being the main competition, bookmakers are shocked with the reception the Military Wives single, Wherever You Are, is receiving.

Rupert Adams from William Hill told the Daily Mail:

"This is sensational news as it takes a serious weight of money to move the market this much."

With worry constantly in the forefront of their minds, many signed up to the project in order to pass the time until their loved ones return.

The lyrics of the song come from passages from letters written between the wives and their husbands.

The single is doing well on Amazons bestseller chart leading bookmakers to slash the odds of it becoming the Christmas Number 1.

At a reception at 10 Downing Street, David Cameron told troops that no other party had given him such "great honour" and thanked the troops and their partners for their service to the country.

All profits from the single will be given to military charities.

Wherever You Are is available to pre-order on Amazon now.