We head back to Cheltenham this weekend, for their traditional December meeting, now called the Christmas Meeting, with racing taking place across Friday and Saturday.
In terms of the quality of racing on offer, it may not be the highest quality meeting we have all season, but I do think there’s plenty of reason to watch, and some potentially very interesting novice races on the card, that will give us plenty of clues for the future.
The ITV Racing cameras will be there for both days of the meeting.
Friday 13th December
Headlining the first day of action we’ve got a staying 3m2f premier handicap, with Chianti Classico heading the weights. Set for the Coral Gold Cup at one point, he’s missed that and could run here, he’s 5lb higher than when winning a Grade Three handicap at Ascot last time out.
King Turgeon, favourite for the Becher Chase last week which was abandoned, is another interesting runner, while if there’s rain, Fontaine Collanges will relish the test this race brings.
The Cross Country race on the card could feature the likes of Mister Coffey, Stumptown, Fakir D’Oudairies, Delta Work and Coko Beach, while there’s a similar feel to the veterans chase. Shan Blue, Dashel Drasher and Shakem Up’arry could all feature.
As for youngsters on the card, there’s the potential for Regents Stroll (12:10pm), Caldwell Potter, Peaky Boy, Better Days Ahead (all 12:40pm), Valgrand and Bo Zenith (1:15pm) to all feature, if they do, then their runs will certainly be worth watching with the future in mind.
If I had to choose one, then it’s Valgrand, who is down to carry top weight off 139 in a handicap hurdle. A good run from him would boost the form of Potters Charm immensely, a horse who won with ease at the last meeting, and is amongst the fancied runners for a couple of the novice races in March.
Saturday 14th December
The racing on Saturday goes up another level, with the December Gold Cup headlining as the feature at 1:50pm. Plenty of runners from the Paddy Power Gold Cup at the November meeting look set to do battle again, including winner Il Ridoto.
However, stats go against him, just one of the last 12 winners of the Paddy Power Gold Cup have won next time out, so he’s looking to buck that trend. Second placed Ga Law, fourth placed Madara and fifth placed Fugitif all look set to do battle again.
Stage Star could join them off top weight, winner of the 2023 Paddy Power Gold Cup.
The Grade Two Bristol Novice Hurdle at 3:00pm could feature Skyjack Hijack, who’s won six in a row before this, though this is a big step up in grade. The Kim Bailey trained Clondaw General won on rules debut at Worcester, won his only point to point, and is a horse with a big reputation, he would be an exciting runner.
In the 2:25pm, we could see Master Chewy very quickly running again here, a faller in the Tingle Creek last week, he would be very interesting back in handicap company off 154, if he runs here.
Libberty Hunter would be of interest in the same race, should he make his seasonal reappearance. He signed off his novice campaign last season with a second in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival, before finishing third in the Grade One Maghull Chase at Aintree.
Master Chewy was 11 lengths ahead of him that day off level weights, but has 10lb more weight here, which would certainly level the playing field, if they were to take each other on again.
Finally, moving all the way back to the start of Saturday’s card, we have a juvenile hurdle at 12:10pm to kick us off. Trainer James Owen is quickly becoming a man to follow in these races, and he does well at Cheltenham.
He’s currently got three possibilities, Liam Swagger the best of his entries, but he also trains Ambiente Amigo and Lavender Hill Mob. Whatever he chooses to run out of those three would definitely be worth a second look. One of his runners not entered here, East India Dock, currently heads the betting for the Triumph Hurdle.