December Gold Cup betting: Thunder Rock still clear favourite

“He really likes Monmiral (pictured below), but we beat him quite nicely at Sandown I thought, and we were closing on him fast in the Dipper before that when The Real Whacker won, and we didn’t jump well that day.

“Paul is confident he’s got him right after a long break and Harry (Cobden) has chosen him but his other runner, Il Ridoto, has a chance, too. It’s going to be a tight race and it’s great to be involved.

“We’re sort of thinking we’ll get one chance to win a big handicap off 146 and, for once, we think he’s well handicapped. We think he’s a good horse and the dream is still alive that he can run in a Grade One here or there, and who’s to say he can’t have a crack at the Ryanair if he runs well in this.

“This time last year, we were in the Graded novice chases and he wasn’t a million miles behind Gerri Colombe and look what he’s rated now. I’m not saying ours is Gerri Colombe by any stretch, but I do think he’s handicapped to a level where he should be really competitive on Saturday.”

McNeill, who sponsors a contest at the Cheltenham Festival in March through his Ultima brand, has famously never won a race at the big meeting, and admits he would forego that for another year if it meant he was successful on Saturday.

He said: “I know this isn’t March, but if somebody said to me you can win a December Gold Cup but not have a winner at the Festival, I’d sign it now!”

A total of 12 were declared on Thursday, with JP McManus responsible for top-weight Fakir D’oudairies and Emmett Mullins’ So Scottish.

Fugitif, Grandeur D’Ame and Frero Banbou are also among the field, of which four are out of the handicap.

Coral’s David Stevens said: “Thunder Rock has shortened from an opening 9/1 down to his current 7/2, and while the Carlisle winner remains at the head of the December Gold Cup betting, the market mover this week has been Monmiral, and Harry Cobden’s mount could yet be sent off favourite for Saturday’s race.”

December Gold Cup betting odds

7/2 Thunder Rock

5/1 Monmiral

6/1 So Scottish, Il Ridoto

8/1 Fakir d’Oudairies, Fugitif

9/1 Frero Banbou

16/1 Grandeur d’Ame, Torn And Frayed

20/1 Do Your Job, Railway Hurricane

25/1 Jay Jay Reilly

View the latest horse racing odds

All odds and market correct at date of publication