The 2025 December Gold Cup

Eleven declared for tomorrow's December Gold Cup, to be run this year as The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup in support of the fund set up by BBC racing commentator John Hunt and his daughter Amy in memory of Carol, John's wife, and daughters Hannah and Louise. 

The going in Gloucestershire is currently described as good to soft; curmudgeonly, perhaps, given recent rains, but the forecast sunshine is likely to prove problematic and may well lead to fences being omitted.

Favourite Jagwar won the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase over course and distance at the Festival in March. He missed his intended return in the Paddy Power Gold Cup four weeks ago on account of heavy ground and shows up here surrounded by whispers he could be a Graded level performer.

His rivals may possess a race-fitness edge but the gelding tends to travel well through a race and clearly has an engine; the jumping isn't always foot perfect though while the stable is just starting to emerge from a quiet spell - Passing Pleasure won at Musselburgh on Monday and Gamesters Guy beat sole rival Moon Rocket (1/3f) in the opener at Doncaster earlier today.

Although run over a slightly shorter trip on the Old Course, last month's Paddy Power Gold Cup is a pertinent piece of form. 

Vicenzo and Hoe Joly Smoke finished second and third respectively behind Panic Attack, with Il Ridoto eighth - beaten 16 lengths - and Es Perfecto pulled up before the last, jockey Tom Bellamy reporting the gelding stopped quickly.

On revised terms Vicenzo and Hoe Joly Smoke look closely matched. 

The latter, ridden by Kielan Woods last time as stable jockey Harry Skelton was aboard the winner, made a mistake two out which may just have cost him second place. Having won over three miles, Hoe Joly Smoke is likely to benefit from the greater emphasis the New Course places on stamina but perhaps wouldn't be best suited by fences being omitted.

Five-year-old Kim Roque, second in the Listed Grand Steeple-Chase de Dieppe in the summer, has his second start for Joseph O'Brien since moving from Daniela Mele's yard in France.

On his first start for current connections he finished three lengths behind Kdeux Saint Fray over two and a half miles on the Old Course four weeks ago; he runs off a mark three pounds out of the handicap. 

Since 2000 only two runners younger than six have come home in front - Unioniste (2012) and Frodon (2016), both four-year-olds and both trained by Paul Nicholls.

I have to say I was impressed with Colonel Harry's victory in the Grand Sefton five weeks ago - was there even a hint he had more up his sleeve? 

Sixth behind Grey Dawning in the 2024 Turners at the Festival, he would probably prefer a bit more cut underfoot, but he has only been raised four pounds for that win over the National fences..

Stablemate and top weight Ga Law won the 2022 Paddy Power Gold Cup and finished second behind Il Ridoto in the 2024 renewal of the same race. 

Isabelle Ryder can claim seven but, much like my good self, he isn't getting any younger and these days is prone to make the odd mistake here and there.

Having watched a replay of last month's Paddy Power, I was struck by how open the race was as they turned for home. Il Ridoto, prominent throughout, had his chance, as indeed did Es Perfecto. 

Il Ridoto goes off a mark of 141, the same mark off which he won last year's Paddy Power (although Freddie Gingell claimed three pounds).

On his Betfair blog this evening handler Paul Nicholls said:

"The more it dries out, the better for Il Ridoto, he's a good ground horse who has bits and pieces of form on the soft but doesn't really like it."  

Imperial Saint showed a liking for the New Course when third behind Moon d'Orange in January.

Sent off 2/1 favourite at Aintree on seasonal debut seven weeks ago he disappointed, eventually finishing fifth. Subsequently the Racing Post reported Richard Johnson, manager of several syndicates, saying:

"[Imperial Saint] tweaked his backside before Aintree and and I think that's what got him upset before the race that day. He still ran okay but he definitely wasn't on his A-game. That's sorted now and I'd like to think he goes there with a decent chance." 

Just by way of an aside I suffered a similar misfortune on a car park in Braintree some years ago and had to take three months off work.

The winners have been a while coming for Venetia Williams this season but the yard appears to have turned a corner - Djelo won the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on Sunday and Authodidcate won at Uttoxeter on Tuesday.

After a poor run in the Haldon Gold Cup - fifth of six, beaten 65 lengths - Martator hinted at a return to form when second behind Calico at Ascot three weeks ago. The fact the majority of his chase form is on right-handed tracks is a concern, although he did finish midfield behind Jazzy Matty in the Grand Annual at the Festival. 

Glengouly faces a stiff task from seven pounds out of the handicap.

The 2025 Paddy Power Gold Cup wasn't the strongest renewal and similar comments apply to this race; 7/2 Jagwar could look a big price after the weigh-in.

I'm going to take a chance on Martator, the one to beat on Racing Post ratings. He has won over this trip and shouldn't be inconvenienced by drying conditions.

Martator is the each-way suggestion, 14/1 generally at the time of writing, with bet365, Paddy Power and Sky all paying four places.

The 2025 Becher Chase

There are plenty of options for a staying chaser this weekend: the London National (3.35 Sandown Saturday); the Welsh Grand National Trial (1.36 Chepstow Saturday); the Becher (2.40 Aintree Saturday); and the Scottish Borders National (2.00 Kelso Sunday). Earlier this afternoon Art Decco won the Hawke Barn Wedding & Special Events Handicap Chase run over an extended three and threequarters miles at Exeter.

Helpfully, Google (AI Mode) informs me that a staying chaser with a turn of foot is 'a highly valued description in horse racing, referring to a horse that possesses both the stamina for long-distance races and the ability to accelerate quickly at a crucial point in the race.'

Rather less helpfully, Google (AI Mode) doesn't provide an example of any such beast currently in training, and in any case comes with the catch-all caveat that AI responses may include mistakes.

Just the sort of paradox I thought I might bring up with Keira Knightley if, on the off chance, I happened to bump into her in the local Waitrose this morning, but, of course, the actress was nowhere to be seen, and I left the premises in the full knowledge I'd paid over the odds for a selection of sundry seasonal items that any Cassandra in the store would describe as nothing more than Christmas tat.

Enough.

Thirteen are set to face the starter for the Becher feature tomorrow (2.40 Aintree) run over a trip of three miles two furlongs - and over the Grand National fences; the going on the National course is currently described as good to soft, soft in places, with further rain forecast.

Favourite and top weight Mr Vango had some season last year. 

Sarah Bradstock's charge started off by winning the London National at Sandown off a mark of 135, followed up in the Peter Marsh at Haydock, and then added the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter in March. 

On a mark of 143 in February when the weights for the Grand National were framed, the front-runner wasn't high enough in the handicap to ensure a place in the final field of 34; now rated 152, there should be no concerns on that score this time around. 

Connections will undoubtedly have the Aintree showpiece in April as his ultimate aim; along with Monbeg Genius he makes his seasonal debut tomorrow. Both horses also hold entries in the Welsh Grand National (Chepstow Saturday 27 December), as do last year's winner Val Dancer and Westerninthepark.

Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero saddle two, Gaboriot and White Rhino.

The former, second behind Colonel Harry in the Grand Sefton four weeks ago (Excello third, Mahons Glory fourth and White Rhino ninth of the ten to finish - over 20 lengths behind the winner), races from one pound out of the handicap and won a hunters' chase over four miles at Cheltenham in 2024 so looks guaranteed to stay. 

White Rhino's chance was compromised to some extent by the fall of Seddon at the Chair, although I wasn't totally convinced he took a real cut at his fences that day. 

With just five chase starts to his name, he's relatively unexposed but wouldn't be certain to see out the trip - on his penultimate start he was pulled up behind Moroder in the Grimthorpe at Doncaster and was found to have bled from the nose. 

Of the pair Gaboriot looks the more solid option.

Seven days ago three pound claimer Tristan Durrell landed a big Saturday prize aboard a mare called Panic Attack and he goes for a famous double tomorrow aboard a mare called Galia Des Liteaux.

Last time out she finished fifth behind Sound And Fury in the Cumberland Handicap Chase at Carlisle, a pertinent piece of form. That day O'Connell (current favourite for the London National) and Westerninthepark finished ahead in third and fourth respectively, with Val Dancer last of the nine runners.

On revised terms, taking Durrell's three pound claim into account, she's weighted to finish just ahead of Westerninthepark but that only tells half the story. 

Westerninthepark travelled through much of that Carlisle race looking the likely winner; set alight by Sean Bowen approaching the last, Olly Murphy's charge found nothing for pressure, losing two places in the final 110 yards. 

The comments in running compiled by Andrew Sheret in the RP Weekender results section record that the gelding appeared to blow up after the last and remains unexposed over three miles plus; he's sired by Walk In The Park whose progeny includes Walk In The Mill, winner of this race in 2018 and 2019.

Val Dancer won last year's renewal of the Cumberland off 121 before going on to win the Welsh Grand National off a mark of 126 (Monbeg Genius fourth, Galia Des Liteaux fifth). 

Mel Rowley's charge has won five of his ten chase starts and been placed on four occasions, so has to be respected; he was beaten just over 15 lengths off 132 at Carlisle five weeks ago and has been supported in the market this afternoon.

Bill Baxter showed his liking for the National fences when winning the 2023 renewal of the Topham run over two miles five furlongs. Trainer Warren Greatrex was firmly of the opinion the grey would stay a trip but subsequent 20 length defeats in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury and the Tommy Whittle at Haydock told a different story. 

He won a listed handicap chase over three miles at Punchestown in May - the first time he has won over that distance - but in my book still has to prove he stays three and a quarter miles.

Current stable form is the main concern with Bioluminescence (Gavin Cromwell 1 win from 61 runners in the past fortnight) and Monbeg Genius - the first runner for the O'Neill yard following a three week shutdown, Sugar Road, was pulled up at Southwell on Tuesday having bled from the nose.

Both Excello and Mahons Glory ran well to finish third and fourth respectively in the Grand Sefton but neither looks guaranteed to stay. 

Of the pair Excello is less exposed but since 2000 only two under the age of eight have come home in front - Silver Birch (2004; subsequently won the 2007 Grand National at 33/1) and Vieux Lion Rouge (2016).

By contrast, since 2000 eight winners have been aged ten or older and both Twig and Roi Mage won last time out.

Twig finished tenth behind Nick Rockett in this year's Grand National and held Courtland and Only The Bold a neck and a neck in a four runner veterans' handicap chase at Sandown four weeks ago.

Roi Mage came home in seventh behind Corach Rambler in the 2023 Grand National and won a listed cross country race in France at the end of September; Patrick Griffin's charge will appreciate any further rain. 

An open renewal with question marks surrounding a number in the field; two pertinent pieces of form are the Grand Sefton at Aintree four weeks ago and the Cumberland at Carlisle five weeks ago.

I'm going to chance Westerninthepark with Brian Hughes up. 

He travelled well the last day but the way he was passed after the last was disconcerting. In a recent stable tour article on the Sporting Life website Olly Murphy told readers:

"There could be a nice staying handicap chase in him. He didn't fulfill (sic) what we hoped he would do last season. He wants soft ground, but he is a grand horse.

"I think those nice three mile handicaps at Ascot, and races like that, are the sort of races we can look at with him.

"He won at Stratford and ran a cracker at Cheltenham at the November Meeting. He then went to Aintree and never turned up, but he ran better at Leicester.

"He ran okay in the Kim Muir, but good ground didn't suit. Hopefully he can run well at Carlisle." 

Westerninthepark is the each-way suggestion, at the time of writing 10/1 generally, with bet365, William Hill and Betfred among the layers paying four places.