2025 Cheltenham Christmas Meeting Saturday Tips – DS
2025 Cheltenham Christmas Meeting Saturday
We had a tough start on Friday. The ground was quicker than I thought it would be and that didn’t suit Brentford Hope. Peaches And Cream ran well but not well enough to place, he probably needs four miles to be seen to best effect. However, Titan Discovery turned the tide and landed the NAP at 12/1 in the lucky last. Check out Dave Stevos’ 2025 Cheltenham Christmas Meeting Saturday preview below.
1.15 – Mares’ Handicap Chase (Class 3)
A tricky heat to kick off the live action on ITV. The ground dried out to good to soft on Friday and that trend will likely continue on Saturday with no rain forecast. This race looks pretty open and the one I’m going to side with at a price is Georgi Girl.
A four time winner over hurdles, she has yet to get her head in front in five attempts over fences. However, one of her better efforts came in a stronger heat than this at this venue back in April when she finished a 10.5l third in a Grade 3 novices’ handicap and with her rider’s claim, she is effectively 5lb lower now.
She ran poorly on her seasonal reappearance at Kempton last month but I am hoping that run was badly needed from a fitness perspective. If Georgi Girl can get her act together in the jumping department, she has the ability to run well here and at 16/1, the odds are big enough to warrant a small e/w interest.
2025 Cheltenham Christmas Meeting Saturday Tip: Georgi Girl e/w @ 16/1 (5 places)
1.50 – December Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier)
Es Perfecto makes a bit of appeal at a price here. The 10yo son of Shirocco had a solid campaign last season, winning twice and signing off with a very respectable fifth behind Caldwell Potter here at the Festival in March.
He was 2lb wrong that day running off a mark of 134 and he is in here off his proper mark of 133. The reason this horse is 20/1 is because of his run on his seasonal reappearance here four weeks ago. To be fair, he was running ok until the closing stages but he weakened quickly and was pulled up before the final fence.
Just like with our selection in the previous race, I am hoping it was a lack of fitness that caused him to pull up last time. If he strips fitter, he is certainly capable of much better and while he may be vulnerable to younger legs for win purposes, hopefully Es Perfecto can run into a place at odds of 20/1.
2025 Cheltenham Christmas Meeting Saturday Tip: Es Perfecto e/w @ 20/1
3.00 – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
The one that looks a shade overpriced in this Grade 2 novice is Kasino Des Mottes. Trained by Joe Tizzard, this son of Balko was purchased for £130,000 after winning a point to point on yielding ground at Lingstown in March for Jonathan Fogarty.
He made his debut for Joe Tizzard in a 3m novice here and he could only finish fifth, trailing in 19.5l behind Conman John. However, the Russell and Scudamore horse had a run under his belt that day so Kasino Des Mottes may be able to get a lot closer now.
Tizzard’s charge clearly came on plenty for that first run. He next pitched up in a 2m5f novice at Kempton and stayed on dourly after the last to get up late and beat Fresh Kicks by a length. That horse went and won a Plumpton maiden by 6l on his next start so the form looks decent enough.
Given how he finished off his race last time, the step back up to 3m looks a plus for Kasino Des Mottes and a bit of an ease in the ground might suit him too. At odds of 16/1, he is the each way selection.
2025 Cheltenham Christmas Meeting Saturday Tip: Kasino Des Mottes e/w @ 16/1
3.35 – Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
Given her record at this venue, Pretending gets the vote in this mares’ handicap hurdle. Trained by Lucy Wadham, this 6yo daughter of Make Believe has run here four times, racking up form figures of 2183. The eighth came in this race last season off a mark of 122 (beaten 8.5L) and she is back for another go off 3lb lower.
In April this prominent racer was beaten just over 5l when third of 16 here behind Greyval. Ten days later she ran poorly on the AW at Southwell and after that, she was sent off on her summer holidays.
She made her seasonal reappearance in a listed mares’ hurdle at Kempton last month and while she finished well beaten, Lucy Wadham may have been using that race as a tune up for this contest. Good to soft ground is fine, she’s just 3lb above her last win and at odds of 16/1, hopefully Pretending makes a bold bid from the front.
