Cheltenham
Big race form guide – Cheltenham 2.30
I will refer to this race as the December Gold Cup as the sponsors keep changing and I can’t keep up with the various sponsor’s names!
Medermit won the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter and ran 3rd to Master Minded at Ascot. He is yet to win in 6 visits to Cheltenham. Ghizao looked high class at times last season but could only finish 4th to Medermit at Exeter. Divers is interesting. A winner of a novice handicap at the Cheltenham Festival he was 3rd in the Paddy Power over course and distance. Salut Flo is lightly raced and could be ahead of the handicapper.
Great Endeavour won the Paddy Power and went on to finish 3rd in the Hennessy. It would be a big ask to win here after two such hard races. Woolcombe Folly has winning course form and represents Paul Nicholls in a race where those higher in the weights have a good record.
Divers will do for me with Salut Flo an interesting dark horse.
12.10 Hinterland won well at Cheltenham on his last start and the second and third in the race have both won since. He should be too good for his rivals here with Irish raider Canna the one most likely to chase him home.
12.45 Join Together, Mossley and Champion Court all have claims. Join Together beat a subsequent winner over a furlong less at this track last time out. Mossley had some very smart hurdles form finishing runner up in the Albert Bartlett and has already got off the mark over fences winning at Kempton last month. Champion Court was 4th in the Albert Bartlett and has got his chase career off to a promising start. A win at Aintree was followed by a very creditable 2nd to Grand Crus at Cheltenham. This trio all have excellent course form and are hard to split but my idea of the 1-2-3 is Mossley, Join Together and Champion Court.
1.20 Havinggotascoobydo is preferred to Robinson Collonges.
1.55 Rev It Up goes for the hat trick after wins at Chepstow and Ffos Las. The trip should suit.
2.30 See big race form guide.
3.05 Menorah, Overturn, Brampour, Pittoni and Grandouet are all worth considering. Greatwood winner Brampour deserves respect as does Irish runner Pittoni who is getting weight from his rivals. Philip Hobbs has a great record in the race and saddles Menorah while Overturn is looking for a four timer. Grandouet is the one for me despite slight reservations about him handling the track. He has impressed me with the way he has travelled in his races and he looks to be improving.
3.35 Oscar Whisky should win with the main danger coming from The Knoxs.
Doncaster
12.30 Rose of the Moon (danger Ballycarney)
1.05 Saint Are (danger Lively Baron)
3.20 Benny be Good
Lingfield
12.55 Castlerock
2.05 Golden Chieftain (danger Alfie Spinner)
Navan
12.15 Mystic Desir
12.45 Rourkes Cross
1.15 Reizovic (danger Dedigout)
1.45 Pineau de Re
3.25 Bishops Walk
From the archives
The Paddy Power Chase and the December Gold Cup are run at Cheltenham over the same distance 4 weeks apart. Great Endeavour is looking to land the double this season. Pegwell Bay became the first horse to win both races in the same season in 1988. The dashing grey Senor El Betrutti did the double in 1997 while Fondmort won both races but in different seasons.
Today’s picture, of the recently retired Denman, is by the artist Lisa Miller.
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