December Gold Cup tips and predictions: Thunder Rock one to watch

Day two of the Christmas Meeting at Cheltenham features the December Gold Cup Chase, one of the most keenly contested handicaps over fences at the celebrated Cotswolds venue in the opening half of the season.

Run over the Ryanair Chase course and distance, the race typically goes to an improving sort with their best times in front of them – with eight winners aged between four and seven since 2010.

A field of 12 have been declared for this afternoon’s contest and our expert has picked out a trio to follow.

December Gold Cup, Cheltenham, Saturday December 16, 1.50pm 

December Gold Cup tips

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Olly Murphy’s charge to Thunder home

Connections of THUNDER ROCK, who is running off a mark of 146, should be confident that the seven-year-old Shirocco gelding will be good enough to land this big pot.

To judge by the pick of his form, his current rating is very attractive – and if he runs anywhere close to his best, he should take some beating in what is not a vintage renewal of the race.

He spent the majority of his previous campaign running in graded novice chases, serving it up to proper Grade 1 horses such as Gerri Colombe and The Real Whacker. 

Second to Datsalrightgino at Ayr at the end of last season – a horse that has since gone on to win the Coral Gold Cup – Thunder Rock had too much pace in the closing stages when seeing off Mahler Mission on his seasonal return at Carlisle.

Connections will only get one crack to win a big handicap off this kind of rating. If he can do the business, all roads could well lead to the Ryanair Chase at the Festival here on March 14.

There’s a Fugitif on the loose

If Thunder Rock fails to deliver and punters are looking for an each-way alternative, Richard Hobson’s ultra-consistent FUGITIF could be the answer.

Only two horses have carried more than 11st to victory since 2012. Nobody can forget the brilliant weight-carrying performance by Frodon in 2018 – but this is not as deep a race as some of the other years so that has to be factored in.

Fugitif has had several near-misses in some big handicaps around Cheltenham – and Hobson, whose yard is only 20 miles from Prestbury Park, would love to train a big local winner.

Runner-up to Seddon in the Plate at the Festival last season, he finished fourth behind Stage Star and Notlongtillmay in the big handicap here last month and has been dropped 2lb for that effort.

One at a big price to keep an eye on

Irish trainer Gavin Cromwell is in red-hot form at present and if there is a strong pace set up front, RAILWAY HURRICANE could have a better race than his current price suggests.

He is running from out of the weights but Conor Stone-Walsh takes off a valuable 5lb in the saddle. Railway Hurricane was badly hampered when trying to make ground here behind Ginny’s Destiny last month. He could pick up the pieces for a place late on.

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