13:50 Cheltenham

Saturday 13 December 2025

All12:1012:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 5m 12.24s

Jagwar^t²⁷⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 148| CD

11/4

Good-looking sort who improved at a rate of knots switched to fences last season, winning 4 of his 5 starts including Timeform Novices' Handicap in January and Plate at the Festival in March (both over this C&D). Up 9 lb for latter success, but he's only a 6-y-o and probably has more to offer.

Form: 5/11311-

Colonel Harry^t³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 148| D

9/1

Useful chaser who was successful twice as a novice (at up to 19.4f), including in Grade 2 company. Endured a truncated campaign last term, but perfect start to this season when landing the Grand Sefton at Aintree (21f, good) and likely to remain competitive following a 4 lb rise.

Form: 64/20F-1

Imperial Saint⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Houlihan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 143| BF

14/1

Won 3 times over fences at Aintree last term and solid second in a valuable contest at the Grand National meeting during the spring. Below par on return in the Old Roan, but he's consistent on the whole and performed well when third in a major C&D handicap on sole previous visit here in January.

Form: 71342-5

Martator^p²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 141

18/1

Form tailed off after back-to-back Ascot handicap victories last November and ran no sort of a race on return at Exeter. However, much more like it when finding just one too good back at Ascot (16.8f, soft) 3 weeks ago and he's equally effective at this trip and on left-hand tracks. Key player.

Form: 7608-52

Il Ridoto^t,p²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 141| CD

12/1

Better than ever when seeing off Ga Law in last season's Paddy Power Gold Cup here. Followed that with a series of lesser efforts, though, including when sixth in this race 12 months ago, and was again below his best when bidding to follow up in this year's Paddy Power.

Form: 6807-28

Vincenzo^t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Dylan Johnston| T: S Thomas| OR: 139| BF

7/2

Likeable sort who was successful on 2 of his first 3 starts over fences at around 2m last winter and took his form up a notch when second in the Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury in March. Another big effort when runner-up in the Paddy Power on return last month and he's a must for the shortlist.

Form: 61212-2

Es Perfecto^p²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King| OR: 133| D

22/1

Dual winner over fences last season, latterly at Sandown in February, and continued the good work when fifth in C&D Grade 2 novices' handicap at the Festival in March, edged out of the frame close home. However, reappearance effort in the Paddy Power was poor and he now has a bit to prove.

Form: 16415-P

Hoe Joly Smoke^t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 131

11/2

Improved switched to fences last term, winning twice at Sandown. Has shown himself to be fully effective round here with fine efforts in back-to-back big handicaps since returning to action in October, latterly finishing third of 12 in the Paddy Power. Strong each-way claims from an unchanged mark.

Form: 151P-33

Kim Roque²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: R Deegan| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 125

5/1

Fairly useful winning hurdler/chaser in France and very encouraging start for new connections when runner-up in a novices' handicap on the Old Course here (20.2f, soft) last month. Jumped with aplomb save for a mistake at the final fence that day and this unexposed 5-y-o is interesting.

Form: 6-1F422

Glengouly^t,p²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: S Bowen| T: Faye Bramley| OR: 121

33/1

One-time useful chaser for Willie Mullins and got it together for this yard when making the frame at Aintree and here (both at around 2m) last month. Moving back up in trip won't hurt, but the quality of the opposition and fact that he's 7 lb 'wrong' at the weights are potential stumbling blocks.

Form: 7PP034

Non-Runners

Ga Law⁴²

Weight: 12-0| Age: 9

T: Jamie Snowden J: Isabelle Ryder

Forecasts

Jagwar (11/4), Vincenzo (7/2), Kim Roque (5/1), Hoe Joly Smoke (11/2), Colonel Harry (9/1), Il Ridoto (12/1), Imperial Saint (14/1), Martator (18/1), Es Perfecto (22/1), Ga Law (25/1), Glengouly (33/1)

British-trained runners have largely held sway in this in recent years, but KIM ROQUE is taken to strike for his top Irish yard. He probably would've given the winner a scare but for a mistake at the last on his first run for Joseph O'Brien here last month and improvement is on the cards. Jagwar is 2-2 over C&D and will surely have a big say if fully tuned-up, while Vincenzo and Hoe Joly Smoke filled the places in the Paddy Power and they both have strong claims, along with Martator.