Dates, latest odds and betting tips for the 2023 Cheltenham Christmas Meeting.
We are just a few days away from the third dose of Cheltenham action in the 2023/24 National Hunt season. After this, it’s just New Year’s Day and Trials Day remaining before the 2024 Cheltenham Festival in March at the home of jump racing.
Cheltenham Christmas Meeting 2023 Dates
When is the Cheltenham Christmas Meeting 2023?
Cheltenham’s two-day Christmas Meeting 2023 will take place from 15-16 December.
The feature of the meeting is undoubtedly the December Gold Cup, held on Saturday 1:50pm, which is the second in a string of middle distance handicap chases throughout the season.
Unlike November’s Paddy Power Gold Cup, December’s race will be run on the more stamina sapping new course.
Although offering slightly less prize money and prestige than its November counterpart, it is still one of the biggest handicap chases of the season and will be a key trial for the Plate at the Festival, as 2021 winner Coole Cody proved when following up at the 2022 Festival.
Cheltenham Christmas Meeting Odds
Who is the favourite to win the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham?
The Olly Murphy-trained Thunder Rock is the bookmakers’ favourite to win the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham’s Christmas Meeting (best price 9/2 through oddschecker).
Here are the latest betting odds for the race at the confirmation stage.
| Winner | Best Price | Worst Price |
|---|---|---|
| Thunder Rock | 9/2 | 3/1 |
| Il Ridoto | 6/1 | 5/1 |
| So Scottish | 6/1 | 6/1 |
| Easy As That | 10/1 | 9/1 |
| Fugitif | 10/1 | 7/1 |
| Monmiral | 10/1 | 5/1 |
| Fakir D'oudairies | 12/1 | 7/1 |
December Gold Cup Runners at Cheltenham
Thunder Rock
Upon looking at his last two runs, it’s very easy to see why Olly Murphy’s horse is the race favourite. On seasonal debut last month, he won the listed Colin Parker Memorial Chase, a prestigious race won by the likes of Many Clouds, Saphir Du Rheu, Waiting Patiently and Lostintranslation in recent years.
He beat Mahler Mission off level weights that day, a horse who was subsequently 2nd in Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup and is now rated 155. Prior to that, the Shirocco gelding was 2nd at Ayr’s Scottish National meeting behind a certain Datsalrightgino, the horse responsible for beating Mahler Mission in the Coral Gold Cup, and a horse who is now rated 159, 15lb higher.
Despite this performance also coming off level weights, Thunder Rock is able to race off 146, 9lb lower than Mahler Mission and 13lb lower than Datsalrightgino.
Having established he’s well handicapped, it’s also comforting to know he has course form, having run a gallant third in last season’s Dipper behind subsequent Brown Advisory winner The Real Whacker. He was only beaten 3½ lengths that day and wasn’t beaten much further in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles the following month behind a certain Gerri Colombe (13/2 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup).
He’s won three times from four handicap starts with Sandown’s 2022 EBF final marking his only defeat at the level. Back in a handicap for the first time since when beating subsequent Grade 2 winner Solo by 8½ lengths nearly a year ago, he’s got a massive chance.
Il Ridoto
Paul Nicholls has won five of the past 13 renewals, 10 of the last 17 have come from November’s Paddy Power Gold Cup, eight of the past 11 have carried 10st 10lb or less, and 22 of the past 25 were aged between six and eight. Il Ridoto fits the above trends for the race, a fact conspiring to make him 6/1 second favourite.
The son of Kapgarde’s record in these 2m 4f handicap chases at Cheltenham now reads 44163 with his 6th in the festival’s plate the only time he’s failed to make the frame. That is no bad feat, either, with that race working out particularly well.
Indeed, Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino was pulled up, 12th placed Frero Banbou was 3rd in the Sefton, 11th placed Midnight River won at the Aintree Festival, 10th placed Celebre D’Allen won a handicap by 16 lengths on reappearance, 5th placed Haut En Couleurs was 4th in the Topham at Aintree and 2nd in a listed race on reappearance whilst 4th placed Gevrey was 2nd in the Irish National next time out.
Il Ridoto arguably boosted the form himself when 3rd in last month’s Paddy Power and now races off 143, 3lb lower than March and 1lb lower than last month. Moreover, last month’s race was run on the old course, a tighter track that favours more prominent runners, something resulting in front runner Stage Star landing the spoils.
However, Saturday’s race run on the new course is over 83 yards further, including another jump and is run in a smaller field aiding to prevent the runners from getting too spaced out.
All this means that Il Ridoto will not be so inconvenienced if held up again. His win on trials day last year was run on the new course and having never won when fresh, he’s entitled to come on from last month’s 3rd. He’s my idea of the winner.
So Scottish
Although many might have been disappointed with So Scottish’s 7th in the plate, perhaps expecting another Emmet Mullins, JP McManus handicap plot. He had been kept back for it, though, having over 100 days off, probably to reserve his mark.
On this occasion however, he races off a 2lb lower mark and has had a spin to blow away the cobwebs, over an inadequate 2 miles at Gowran last month. Therefore, this six-year-old, who got within nearly a length of the 18lb higher Boothill last November, has excellent claims to reward those most faithful to him.
Easy As That
Another horse who ran in last month’s Paddy Power is Easy As That. As a Venetia Williams horse running off a break in November, many may have expected better than his 6th placed finish. However, he was never involved out the back that day, and with the first four all midfield or prominent, the switch to Saturday’s new course looks sure to suit.
Moreover, he was beaten in a match at Ffos Las when last returning from a break before winning two handicap chases in his next two starts, so he could actually improve for the run.
Although turning nine next month, the Sans Frontieres gelding has only had five chase starts to date and with Ventia Williams winning this race in 2014 and twice since saddling the runner up, he has strong claims in a race that connections might have had in the diary for a while.
Fakir D’oudairies
It may be surprising to see a four-time Grade 1 winner in this line-up, but it could serve to exemplify shrewd race planning from connections with last season perhaps signalling to them that the son of Kapgarde’s time at the top table is over.
Despite that, he was last seen finishing 2nd in the Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree, a race won by Pic D’Orhy who has since come out and won the 1965 Chase by 16 lengths.
Therefore, just because his time for winning Grade 1’s may have passed, do not labour under the delusion that all is lost. A course winner on trials day as a juvenile, he has since finished 4th in the Supreme as well as 2nd in both the Arkle and Ryanair, results giving him an excellent course record.
Nevertheless, running off top weight in a competitive handicap will be no easy task and Joseph Patrick O’Brien’s horse will need to be at the top of his game, especially lining up without a prep run.
Fugitif
Another with an excellent Cheltenham record is Fugitif who has finished 2nd, 2nd and 4th in three runs in Cheltenham’s middle distance handicap chases.
Both 2nd’s were on Saturday’s new course with the latter being in March’s Plate. He’s 2lb lower now and wore first time cheekpieces when 4th in last month’s Paddy Power Gold Cup, where he was seemingly outstayed again despite travelling strongly.
That has seemed a patter in his three defeats over course and distance, and his breakthrough may come when dropping back in trip. However, Saturday’s likely smaller field, as well as the lack of any fierce trailblazer, may help and he should definitely be in the shake-up of things at the business end.
Monmiral
Another who will be attempting to boost Paul Nicholls' record in this race is once upon a time Grade 1 winner Monmiral. That success was at the 2021 Aintree festival when readily accounting for Triumph Hurdle 2nd Adagio. After a quiet season when contesting open hurdle races, his novice chase campaign contained significant promise.
In his first run at Warwick he was beaten seven lengths by Jonbon off level weights, a horse now rated 18lb higher. Conversely, Monmiral is rated 4lb lower despite an excellent 2nd in the Dipper over course and distance behind The Real Whacker, a race in which Saturday’s favourite Thunder Rock was in 3rd.
That form is amongst the best, and with Harry Cobden set to take the ride, perhaps this Grade 1 winner can account for what may prove a generous mark. However, he is returning from a long break on account of injury issues, and it’s therefore unknown to his readiness first time out despite having a wind operation.
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Cheltenham Tips for the December Gold Cup
Although some may reason that Fugitif shouldn’t be twice the price of Il Ridoto, a horse he finished behind in the Plate and only a length in front on Trials Day, Paul Nicholls horse is only a six-year-old, and as such, is open to plenty of improvement.
Easy as That is very interesting but may have to wait until stepping up to 3 miles before returning to the winning enclosure whereas So Scottish may need to jump better if he’s to pay back JP McManus investment in him.
With Bryony Frost set to ride, Il Ridoto should be up to winning this.
