With a total prize pot of £125,000, the December Gold Cup of 2025 is the feature Premier Handicap chase at Cheltenham on Saturday, 13 December. Action from Prestbury Park switches from the Old Course to the New now meaning a slightly longer distance than its November counterpart.
Just the latest in a series of big handicaps over fences and roughly two-and-a-half miles, just a dozen entries remained at penultimate declarations. Among those are plenty of so-called Cheltenham horses, i.e. those with previous experience of running at the Cotswolds track. Which one frames the handicap will give this race its shape.
At the moment, topweight in the December Gold Cup of 2025 belongs to Ga Law. One of two still left in the contest trained by Jamie Snowden, he managed ninth in this very race 12 months ago off 2lb higher. Ga Law has two wins from six starts in Premier Handicaps across the Old and New Courses, but sits some 4lb higher in the handicap than the latest of those.
Lambourn handler Snowden’s other potential runner Colonel Harry could inherit joint-topweight if the Cheltenham regular doesn’t run. That would mean a further 6lb rise for the entire field. Colonel Harry landed the Grand Sefton over the famous Grand National fences at Aintree last month, so could have a return to Merseyside in the spring for the Topham Chase as a long-term target.
Also set for a share of topweight if Ga Law doesn’t run is JP McManus’ Jagwar. Pulled out of the Paddy Power Gold Cup by training duo Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero due to testing ground, this six-year-old Cheltenham Festival winner of the Plate is the only entrant left in the December equivalent without a run under his belt this season.
Jagwar, Vincenzo, Hoe Joly Smoke All Prominent in Betting
Connections didn’t fancy dragging the guts out of Jagwar under the welter burden of 12st last month, but have to start somewhere. Now 9lb higher than his heroics in the Festival Plate, the prospect of carrying topweight isn’t something he may be able to escape again. Jagwar brings a perfect 2-2 record over course and distance into the December Gold Cup of 2025, however.
It’s for that reason and because of his relative youth that the best Cheltenham betting sites online in the UK favour him. That lack of race fitness is an issue for punters thinking of backing Jagwar due to a mixed record fresh. Challenging him towards the top of the market, however, is Paddy Power second Vincenzo for Sam Thomas and Walters Plant Hire.
A beaten favourite here last month by the lightly-raced mare Panic Attack, who subsequently went in again in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, this second season chaser hasn’t finished out of the first two in five starts over fences. That run at the November Meeting was Vincenzo’s first for 259 days, so he should strip fitter for it.
Dylan Johnston, the stable jockey at Thomas’ Lisvane base in South Glamorgan, has since ridden out his claim. That effectively puts Vincenzo on a 5lb higher mark in the December Gold Cup from last month. On that run, he has a couple of lengths in hand over Dan Skelton inmate Hoe Joly Smoke back in third. Recent Cheltenham results have seen him fill that spot at the track’s last two meetings.
Although his winning chase form is on a clockwise course, Sandown, and over further, Hoe Joly Smoke shaped nicely in-behind the front two here. Switching to the New Course, which puts even more emphasis on galloping, is an element in his favour.
French Import Kim Roque, Will The Wise Fly Flag for Ireland
Only two horses based in the Emerald Isle could cross the Irish Sea for this. First of all, Joseph O’Brien newcomer Kim Roque had a sighter at Cheltenham races when runner-up on stable debut last month after new owner Ronnie Bartlett purchased him from France. Aged five and racing from 3lb out of the handicap if Ga Law runs, the rigours of a December Gold Cup may come too soon for him at this stage of his career.
Kim Roque won over fences across the Channel, however, where they start them young in this discipline. He also placed in a couple of Listed handicaps, including at two-and-three-quarter miles, so stamina shouldn’t be an issue. Similar comments apply to Gavin Crowmell’s Pertemps Final sixth Will The Wise dropping back to this trip after a fine fourth in the Troytown at Navan.
Nudged up 3lb by the BHA handicapper for that placed effort, he’s still in his novice season over fences and open to further improvement as a six-year-old. Away from this youthful Irish challenge, the December Gold Cup Cheltenham race card contains another standing dish in these Premier Handicaps in Paul Nicholls’ Il Ridoto. He managed sixth in the race 12 months ago.
Il Ridoto looks on the exposed side now after 27 steeplechase starts, but he’s a battle-hardened handicapper dropped just 1lb for finishing 8th in the Paddy Power. The rain-softened ground wouldn’t have been ideal for him last time. At least Il Ridoto completed, as Alan King’s Es Perfecto pulled up and doesn’t seem to like the Cheltenham hill.
Imperial Saint, best known for his exploits around Aintree, and Ascot specialist Martator join Faye Bramley’s out the weights Glengouly in completing the field.
December Gold Cup 2025 Shortlist & Verdict
The most appealing angle for this race is hedging your bets on Paddy Power second and third VINCENZO and HOE JOLY SMOKE. This pair’s efforts behind Panic Attack last month suggest they could win a race of this nature on the New Course. Vincenzo probably has more improvement in him, while Hoe Joly Smoke needs his stamina to come into play.
Jagwar has the distinct disadvantage of coming here without a run. Recent history says a horse that hasn’t been on the track within the last month can’t win, but trends are there to be broken. Appealing instead at bigger prices are Irish raiders Kim Roque and Will The Wise. Snowden’s pair don’t really appeal at these weights, so it could be between four or five runners.
