December tis season to see Joly win gold
CHELTENHAM is the scene of another big Saturday with the feature of their two-day Christmas Meeting being the Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup (1.50pm), renamed this year in honour of commentator John Hunt and family.
Horses that have run in November’s Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham have a very good record when lining up in this, accounting for six of the last 10 winners.
Dan Skelton won the November race with Panic Attack, and while that mare doesn’t line up here, he also saddled the third in HOE JOLY SMOKE.
It was an eye-catching run from a horse that I thought was ridden like the yard’s second string on the day, as he stayed on well at the finish to be beaten just over six lengths.
With form over further than this two-and-a-half miles, he clearly stays this trip strongly, and with this race being run on the more stamina exacting New Course, it looks set to suit him better.
The ground will probably be a shade more testing than last month too, with a good deal of rain around suggesting we are set for genuine soft ground on Saturday.
Hoe Joly Smoke remains on an unchanged mark of 131 and doesn’t have his stablemate to worry about this time around.
Jagwar is a classy rival, but this is his return and his opponents have race fitness on their side, while I think Vincenzo could be vulnerable to stronger stayers at this trip.
It’s hard not to see Hoe Joly Smoke involved in the finish, so 5/1 each-way looks a fair price.
If the ground is as predicted then I expect JPR One not to take his chance in the two-mile handicap chase (2.25pm), and that could open the race up.
Triple Trade got the better of Torneo over two miles here in November but the second looked a bit unlucky there.
He may be up to turning the form around, although both have been hit with rises in the weights, while CABHFUILFUNGI, who finished only five lengths behind the front two, runs off an unchanged mark.
Kerry Lee’s nine-year-old travelled noticeably well through the race and was still in contention off the home turn only for his run to flatten out on the run in.
That was his seasonal return and improvement from it would see him seriously involved, so a price of 16/1 looks big in comparison to Triple Trade and Torneo, who are both under half the price.
Soft ground suits him and he proved himself around Cheltenham last time, so there’s enough in his favour to suggest he can outrun his odds.
In the finale at Cheltenham, the mares’ handicap hurdle (3.35pm), Jubilee Alpha and Sweet Caryline are set to reoppose after fighting out the finish at Wincanton last month.
However, there could be more value to be had by taking a chance on Fergal O’Brien’s SIOG GEAL.
She finished nearly three lengths behind Jubilee Alpha when the pair met at Windsor last season, but is now 11 pounds better off under these race conditions.
Her reappearance was full of promise, when finishing a close third behind the well-handicapped Hartington at Carlisle, and there’s potential for better from her now back into mares’ only company and racing off just a pound higher.
She also has Cheltenham form to her name, having finished runner-up behind Seo Linn in a Listed bumper last season.
She’s consistent and at 5/1 looks a solid bet.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Hoe Joly Smoke e/w 1.50pm
Cabhfuilfungi e/w 2.25pm
Siog Geal e/w 3.35pm