Day two of Cheltenham‘s December meeting takes place on Saturday and Matty Sutcliffe has a whopping five best bets at Prestbury Park, including a confident fancy in the December Gold Cup, for 13 December.
Cheltenham Racing Tips (Saturday 13 December 2025)
12:10 Cheltenham – JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (Novices’ Championship Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (3yo) – Minella Study 5/2 1.5pt WIN
One Horse Town is the worthy favourite in here in seek of a five timer, but he was given a soft enough lead around the Old Course last time out in receipt of 5lbs from the second, who had to come from rear to challenge and threw his chance away at the last, switching courses multiple times in the process.
It may pay to take him on with Minella Study, who’s unbeaten in two starts over obstacles having added to his tally in October for Adam Nicol after joining from John Nallen in the summer. Mineral Study looked to be up against it in the Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle with the unbeaten James Owen trained Amnes looking the likely winner at 2/5F, but there appeared to be little fluke in the performance from Minella Study who made most of the running under Ryan Mania with Ammes in the box seat throughout.
Ammess made a bar error three out, but Minella Study made an even worse one at two out which gave the favourite a chance. Despite that error, it was seriously impressive for a three year old to regather his stride and pull away again from Amnes, always doing enough up the hill. That form has been boosted since as the third was second next time out to a Gordon Elliot trained mare in Listed company at Newbury, and The Bellhop, who was racing upside the front pair for the most part, has come out and won five lengths for the Moore’s at Fontwell since.
Musselburgh was the initial target for Minella Study, but connections are happy to pitch him into deeper company here and the way he stayed on up the hill at Wetherby suggests the New course here will bring his stamina into play.
12:40 Cheltenham – Michael Eakins Senior Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+) – First Confession 9/2 1pt WIN
Nine of the last ten winners of this contest won the race on their third start of the season and the sole qualifier in here is First Confession for a yard who won this with Sizing Tennessee in 2017. First Confession made his chase debut at Carlisle last month when ten lengths behind The Jukebox Kid though failed to jump as fluent as the winner, who set some good fractions with the runner up from he middle part of the race onwards. First Confession stayed on well late in the day, and a subsequent 10lbs swing in the weights along with more experience may negate that deficit.
He then stepped up to three miles at Kempton when a well backed favourite and while he failed to reward his backers, it was a satisfactory enough display behind an Emmet Mullins trained winner and the second, Viroflay, has previously only been beaten three lengths by No Questions Asked who was runner up to Wendigo in the G2 John Francombe Novices’ Chase next time out.
It would be a concern that he’s yet to run a solid race going left handed, but he won his point going that way and now he’s had two runs over fences it’ll be no surprise should he be a touch more streetwise than the rest, and the form of beating Crest Of Fortune over hurdles last season reads strongly in the context of this race with a mark of 128 bound to underestimate him in this sphere soon.
1:50 Cheltenham – Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Vincenzo 9/2 1pt WIN
Vincenzo would have been crowned a solid two length winner of the November edition of this contest had he not bumped into thriving mare Panic Attack, who’s now rated 12lbs higher after winning the Coral Gold Cup next time out.
He put to bed any stamina doubts there and had Hoe Joly Smoke held in third, thus it would be a surprise should he fail to back that up here on a sounder surface. The son of Doctor Dino took his record over fences to 12122 there, and he ran an excellent race in defeat in the Greatwood Gold Cup behind Booster Bob last season who’s since franked that this term to now be rated 13lbs higher. The third Saint Segal has also franked that form having won three times since now rated 9lbs higher (likely to go up a further 8lbs for last weekend’s Kelso success).
Sam Thomas remains in good form with three of his last five runners returning as winners, and a mark of 139 can still underestimate him.
2:25 Cheltenham – Read Meg Nicholls’ Blog At betmgm.co.uk Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – David’s Well 5/2 2pt WIN
Harry Cobden and Chris Gordon rarely team up with each other but when they have, their record reads 19-6-4 (£8.76) so the eye is immediately drawn to David’s Well. The son of Getaway could only manage the one success in four starts over hurdles when a 1/2F winner at Plumpton, but since switching to fences the former pointer’s form now reads 111.
He won his first two chases with any amount of ease, impressing with his jumping and notably how he quickened away from his fences. He was off the track for 330 days prior to returning this season at Haydock in 0-130 company and despite running keenly and looking in need of the effort, he once again jumped well to fend off the 5/2 favourite Escapandevade with the pair pulling twelve lengths clear of the third.
While on the bare form he’d have to improve again to take this, the second from Haydock was previously second to Highlands Legacy on seasonal debut who was only beaten 3/4L by subsequent winner in Mambonumberfive next time out. He’s entitled to come on from that effort and a revised mark of 128 looks more than workable for this fluent jumper.
3:35 Cheltenham – Download The BetMGM App Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Siog Geal 4/1 1pt WIN
Siog Geal is yet to finish out of the first four in her eight raced career with form figures of 12214213 and this drying ground will be very much in her favour.
She returned this season in a valuable handicap at Carlisle when a length behind Hartington giving him 2lbs, and that one is now rated 9lbs higher after being beaten a neck by Electric Dreams in the valuable G3 Betfair Stayer’s Handicap Hurdle at Haydock last time out.
She blew up a touch late on before staying on once more shaping as if in need of the run, and she receives 18lbs pounds from Jubilee Alpha here who only beat her two lengths at Windsor last season giving her 3lbs, thus a switch in results looks likely on that evidence provided she comes on from that reappearance.
Matty Sutcliffe’s Best Bets
Minella Study VincenzoMatty Sutcliffe’s Racing Tips – Saturday 13 December
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets at Cheltenham across Saturday13 December’s cards.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s Cheltenham tips were published at 9.25am on Friday 12 December
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival.