December Gold Cup tips: ante-post bets for the Cheltenham feature

The 12-1 available for FUGITIF with Bet365, Ladbrokes and Coral in the ante-post betting for the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham this month looks too big, and he’s worth siding with at those odds. 

Richard Hobson’s stable star went into plenty of Racing TV Trackers, including mine, following his effort in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on his return this season, and I expected him to be single figures for this £125,000 showpiece on Saturday week before the race was priced up. 

He was held up before making eye-catching headway, and the RaceiQ figures show he was the quickest contender through furlongs 18 and  19 as he began to make ground. 

His effort petered out in the final two furlongs as the lack of race fitness began to take its toll. He is a huge horse, and looked in need of the outing beforehand, while his market weakness also signalled he’d improve for the run. 

This was also his first effort since a wind op, and he improved bundles on his second outing following that procedure in 2021, so will hopefully do so again. 

The selection was beaten a similar distance in last year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup en route to winning this race and is now on a 1lb lower mark. He did well to catch Il Ridoto, who was given a brilliant ride by Bryony Frost, 12 months ago, and wasn’t beaten that far in Grade One company next time out. 

Those gruelling efforts probably scuppered the rest of his season, and I’d be surprised if a repeat bid here hasn’t been the plan for some time. He should be primed to run a big race now, and we know he’s capable of scoring off his rating. 

Another eye-catcher from the Paddy Power Gold Cup was MADARA and I can’t let him go unbacked at the 10-1 on offer with Bet365, BetMGM and LiveScoreBet. 

I advised backing him ante-post for the Plate at the Cheltenham Festival following that outing plus there’s a chance he could be campaigned with that race in mind, and connections will therefore be keen for his mark to drop a few pounds. 

However, that was also a potential sighter for the December Gold Cup, and he’s been nibbled in the ante-post market in recent days (he’s as short as 8-1 with some firms having opened at 12-1). 

Dan Skelton’s charge stayed on into a never-nearer fourth last time out on his first start for the yard and wasn’t given the hardest time under pressure (the RaceiQ data showed he clocked the fastest sectional in the final furlong) plus he remains on the same rating (although is technically a pound lower as he ran off a rating of 141 in the Paddy Power Gold Cup). 

He was successful on the New Course, which appears to suit him better than the Old Course, at Cheltenham last season when trained by Sophie Leech before landing a valuable handicap with a bit to spare at Leopardstown. He’s rated 7lb higher now, but certainly looks capable of winning a nice prize off a rating of 140. 

The five-year-old also raced without his usual tongue tie and cheekpieces last time, so it will be a positive sign if they’re reapplied. He should have plenty more to offer this season, and any further market support will boost confidence. 

FUGITIF (win) at a best-priced 12-1 with Bet365, Ladbrokes or Coral. 

MADARA (win) at a best-priced 10-1 with Bet365, BetMGM or LiveScoreBet.