'He is a Graded horse in a handicap' - our experts provide their tip for the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham

The VirginBet December Gold Cup Handicap Chase is the big betting race this weekend. Here our experts provide their picks for the 2m4½f event at Cheltenham (1.50) . . .

Fugitif

By Liam Headd, reporter

The Richard Hobson-trained eight-year-old has been unlucky not to get his head in front at this track, finishing second on three occasions and fourth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month. A Cheltenham Festival runner-up last season, Fugitif raced too keen on his return but stayed on well and should have come on for the run.

Three of his four runs at Cheltenham have come on soft ground, with two of them coming over this 2m4½f trip, so he should relish conditions and run another big race. 

Fugitif13:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Richard Hobson

Il Ridoto

By Jack Haynes, reporter

A greater emphasis on stamina on the New course will play to the strengths of Il Ridoto, who looks the one to beat on the back of his Paddy Power Gold Cup third last month.

Five of the last six winners of this race were beaten in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Il Ridoto's return behind talented second-season chasers Stage Star and Notlongtillmay was highly encouraging. He is a course-and--distance winner who ticks plenty of boxes.

By Tom Park, weeklies editor

Il Ridoto has been remarkably consistent in these types of races, with form figures of 844163 in big Cheltenham handicaps. He won a similar contest to this over course and distance in January and is just 5lb higher here, despite finishing a good sixth at the festival and third in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month. 

That was a terrific seasonal reappearance and I suspect he will come on plenty for it. His highest two RPRs have come on the New course so there is every chance he will improve for the switch of tracks too. Harry Cobden has been booked to ride Monmiral, but that is not surprising given the problems that horse has had, and Bryony Frost looks the perfect deputy.

Il Ridoto13:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Paul Nicholls

Thunder Rock

By Graeme Rodway, deputy betting editor

Produced one of his best efforts over course and distance last season when a fast-finishing third behind subsequent Brown Advisory winner The Real Whacker and the reopposing Monmiral in the Dipper on New Year's Day, and that isn't his only good run.

He was sixth in the Brown Advisory in March behind class horses like Gerri Colombe and I Am Maximus, then chased home Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino at Ayr in April.

Thunder Rock confirmed himself a classy performer in the making when producing an impressive turn of foot to beat Coral Gold Cup runner-up Mahler Mission at Carlisle on his reappearance last month and looks well treated here, having escaped a rise. He is a Graded-class performer in a handicap.

Thunder Rock13:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Olly Murphy

Do Your Job

By Charlie Huggins, reporter

Thunder Rock will be difficult to beat as all of his form is stacking up nicely and his mark of 146 looks extremely competitive. However, it might be worth taking a chance on Do Your Job at a much bigger price. The nine-year-old was seventh in October's Old Roan Chase, when finishing just in front of subsequent Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino. That was Do Your Job's first run for 329 days and the omission of six of the ten fences would not have suited him as he never ran in a bumper. 

A line can be put through his last run over an inadequate two-mile trip at Cheltenham's November meeting and consequently he has now dropped to a rating of 136, 6lb below his Old Roan run and 4lb lower than his last winning mark in a handicap. Do Your Job beat Il Ridoto by more than five lengths off level weights when landing a Grade 2 at Ayr in April last year and meets that well-fancied rival on 7lb better terms here. 

The last time Do Your Job ran on soft ground was when chasing home Edwardstone, who went on to win the Arkle and Tingle Creek Chase, in the 2021 Wayward Lad Novices' Chase so testing going should not be an issue.

Do Your Job13:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Lucinda Russell

Read more . . .

What's on this week: December Gold Cup and Hermes Allen the highlights as Cheltenham hosts two-day meeting 

Olly Murphy confident of big run from December Gold Cup favourite Thunder Rock with form 'stacking up well' 

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