The Cheltenham December meeting, or Christmas meeting, is the final time we’ll see racing at Cheltenham in 2025, and as is usually the case, the meeting looks full of competitive races.
While a couple of the better-quality races are now elsewhere, there’s still plenty to look forward to here, across the two days of action.
Saturday’s December Gold Cup is the weekend highlight, a tough handicap that looks fiercely competitive.
Day One – Friday
Some competitive racing awaits on the opening day, where I’ve picked out three runners to look at in depth.
Before the three races I’m looking at, there’s a novice chase at 12:40 pm that looks above average and may be worth a watch, with an eye on the future.
Onto the ones I like, the first of which is Leloopa at 1:15 pm.
She’s a real gutsy mare, who is up in quality here, but I was considering backing her in the Greatwood Hurdle here last month, only for the ground to go against her, so connections took her out of the race.
This is much calmer than that, but better than the race she won at the track last time out. She’s up 6lb for that, but it was a race where rider Tom Broughton couldn’t claim his allowance, here he can, so that takes care of 5lb from the rise.
She can run her race again and go well at a price here.
Next up, I would love to see Doyen Chief go well here at 1:50 pm, after a really unfortunate incident in the Coral Trophy at Newbury two weeks ago.
Whipped round at the start, the record books will say he was pulled up, but actually, he never got going.
Fancied to go well there, he’s clearly in good order at home, and did have decent pieces of form in the book.
Twice a winner last March, he’s handicapped to go well, and with four others out of the handicap, that’s something else that’s in his favour.
We’re announcing today that the December Gold Cup will be run as the Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup this weekend 🏆
The fund aims to raise for charities that help and inspire young women.
Fundraiser 👉 https://t.co/CoExWKFuwL
More info 👉 https://t.co/j3Twt2XBal pic.twitter.com/z9nGIufLDX— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) December 8, 2025
The veterans chase at 2:25 pm looks to be full of closely matched runners, but Torn And Frayed is the one I like, he should be an each-way price here.
With three runs already this season, he’s been kept busy, and they’ve all been in better races than this, resulting in a win, second place and third place, so he’s been ultra consistent.
He’s dropping in trip here, so don’t be surprised to see him staying on late, surely he holds a chance in this slightly easier contest.
Friday Tips
- 1:15 pm – Leloopa
- 1:50 pm – Doyen Chief
- 2:25 pm – Torn And Frayed (EW)
Day Two – Saturday
I’m starting the second day with the big race at 1:50 pm, and here I am prepared to give the exciting Imperial Saint another go, after disappointing last time out.
He’s a really good horse, I think he’s got a big handicap in him and was backed into favouritism at Aintree for one last time out.
But on this trip, I think he needs a much stronger pace and a hill finish, because ideally, he should be running further. He didn’t get that last time, but will here, a strongly run race, he needs to keep in touch and come late.
The faster they go the better for us, despite a poor run last time, I’ll give Imperial Saint another chance.
In the 2:25 pm, I’m happy to give a chance to the ultra-consistent Torneo, who’s looking to rounds off a really good 2025 campaign.
A win, two seconds, a third and a fall (when in second and trying to challenge), I think there’s another good run in him, despite going up again in the handicap.
At just five, he’s only really just maturing properly. His run last time out was a good second in a race like this at this course. He should be an each-way price here too, which further adds to the appeal.
My final selection comes in the last race on the card, where Jubilee Alpha for Paul Nicholls can go well under top weight.
She was well backed when second on her seasonal reappearance at Wincanton, and I think that was a very strong run behind a nice horse.
Up 4lb, that makes this tougher, but the race itself, I don’t think, is any tougher. She could well improve for the run, too, which only makes her more interesting.
A final positive, she won over course and distance to round off last season, so knows her way around here.
Saturday Tips
- 1:50 pm – Imperial Saint
- 2:25pm – Torneo (EW)
- 3:35 pm – Jubilee Alpha