Another of Cheltenham’s thrilling feature handicaps, the December Gold Cup will be sought by 11 participants in the 2024 renewal. GG writer Joe Napier previews the race, and gives his predictions.
In an engrossing race last year, Fugitif ran down Il Ridoto on the line for Gavin Sheehan and Richard Hobson.
FUGITIF
(Richard Hobson/Sean Bowen)
Where better to start with the defending champion? Fugitif seemingly emerged from the clouds to pinch the prize from Il Ridoto a year ago, coming from a forlorn position with three to jump. He was still virtually last at that point, but as it became ever clearer that the front-runners had gone off too quick, Fugitif always looked like poking his head in front where it mattered.
Fast forward 12 months and he has struggled to sniff success, although he was a respectable third in the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase in January. Life has been tougher since, but a fifth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup saw his rating drop 1lb below last year’s winning mark. It does not take too much faith to believe he will be in just as good shape this year, but will the race be run to suit as well as it was last season?
MADARA
(Dan Skelton/Harry Skelton)
Still only a five-year-old, Madara won a handicap chase on this card last season before following up on a venture to Leopardstown. That was when he was trained by Sophie Leech, but a brief stop at Kieran Burke’s did not last long before he found his way to Dan Skelton’s yard. He could not be in better hands in Britain at this moment.
His debut for the yard saw him staying on very stoutly for fourth in a similar manner to that of Fugitif in this race last year. 3lb claimer Tristan Durrell was aboard that day, but Harry Skelton gets the leg up today, showing he is a decent priority. That does mean his 1lb drop in the weights is negated, and he cannot fall as far behind here, but he could well be dangerous off this mark with the natural improvement possible at his age.
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Mon 09 Dec 2024GA LAW
(Jamie Snowden/Gavin Sheehan)
A seasoned regular over this course and distance, Ga Law has the benefit of the last year’s winning rider Gavin Sheehan in the saddle. While he has been successful twice at this venue, once each on the Old Course and New Course, he has developed a habit of finishing second of late, filling the runner-up spot on his last three starts.
The latest of those came when closing on Il Ridoto in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, but he was possibly flattered by getting as close as he did. Nevertheless, among those second-placed finishes was one in a Grade 2 at Sandown, and his New Course success in January came off only 6lb lower. It would be a surprise if he were not heavily involved and Jamie Snowden’s yard are in decent form.
IL RIDOTO
(Paul Nicholls/Freddie Gingell)
After an immensely frustrating 2023/24 season in which he kept filling the frame in Cheltenham’s handicaps of this nature, Freddie Gingell’s increasingly useful 3lb claim worked the trick on Il Ridoto as he deservedly earned his day on the Old Course. Nevertheless, he knows his way round the more stamina-sapping New Course too, as he was caught on the line when given an enterprising front-running ride by Bryony Frost a year ago.
That was off 6lb lower, and the weights favour defending champion Fugitif to win it again. However, the way Il Ridoto won the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month suggests he may still be the one to take forward, being two years Fugitif’s junior and shaping as if he was value for a wider winning margin in November. His rise in the weights is effectively 8lb rather than the official 11lb, and he will be primed to challenge again.
THE FIELD
Harry Cobden may be Paul Nicholls’ number one, but in handicaps of this nature, his booking is no guarantee that he is on their most likely winner, as was proven when Ginny’s Destiny pulled up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month. However, Stage Star should still make the shortlist, being 7lb higher than when winning the 2023 Paddy Power Gold Cup in good style, while he was far from disgraced in the Ryanair. His mark is on the decline, but may still need a little more leniency.
Grandeur d’Ame’s winning form at Chepstow at the start of this term has worked out superbly and a 4lb rise is generous handicapping. He lacks proven Cheltenham form compared to some of these, but he was fourth in this a year ago when racing too close to the furious pace. That contrasts with In Excelsis Deo, who is too risky a conveyance, but has run well every time he has completed at Cheltenham and remains on a mark he has the talent to win off.
Both Gemirande and Le Patron are now on career high marks, albeit their recent victories at Ascot and Newbury were worthy of significant handicap amendments. The former has been beaten here too often for comfort, but Le Patron was a Grade 1-winning novice and may yet pull put more under 5lb claimer Freddie Mitchell.
Guard Your Dreams is relatively new to fences so is only worth watching for now, though he did run well here in what might prove a useful novices’ handicap last month. Last in the market is Sure Touch, who would have been the form horse in the race but for finishing fifth in the Grand Sefton last time out. His best form came over the summer which means he now looks exposed.
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After two very near misses with his last two ante-post selections, Matty Sutcliffe is backing a familiar name to get the job done in the December Gold Cup… Headline Tip – Fugitif 8/1 1pt WIN The December Gold Cup has a habit of throwing up a winner at a nice price, with the shortest SP…
Wed 04 Dec 2024VERDICT
More or less the whole field is worth at least a second look, and plenty could be determined by jumping and the way the race is run. On recent running, the safest bet is probably Paddy Power Gold Cup winner IL RIDOTO, who was idling up the hill when his winning margin that day was cut to 4½ lengths by Ga Law, who should also give his running again. Freddie Gingell’s 3lb claim can continue to prove very useful aboard the selection, who seemingly never runs a bad race here and comes into this in the manner of a horse who is still on the upgrade. Fugitif us 7lb better off with Il Ridoto for his short-head defeat of him a year ago, so will go well if in the same form, while top-weight Stage Star, Dan Skelton’s new recruit Madara, Newbury winner Le Patron, and course and distance scorer In Excelsis Deo (if able to jump round), are all worth considering too in what should prove a fiercely competitive handicap.
- Il Ridoto
- Fugitif
- Ga Law
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