Cheltenham Trends For December Meeting 2023 On Saturday: ITV Racing Tips and Stats

See below the best Cheltenham trends ahead of day two of the 2023 December Meeting on Saturday. We’ve five more LIVE ITV races to enjoy at Prestbury Park and to assist in your search to find the winners you can put history on your side with Andy Newton’s past race stats.

1.

Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets New cust only. 3 days to claim & 7 days to place a qualifying bet to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. T&Cs apply. New cust only. 3 days to claim & 7 days to place a qualifying bet to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. T&Cs apply.

Claim Offer

Cheltenham Trends For Saturday 16th December: Christmas Festival Day Two

Horse racing continues at the home of National Hunt racing – Cheltenham on Saturday 16th December, for day two of their Christmas Festival. This will be the final time they race at Prestbury Park in 2023.

Don’t worry, the next Cheltenham meeting isn’t far away – it’s on New Year’s Day.

It’s another jam-packed afternoon of top National Hunt action that should serve up more Cheltenham Festival clues, plus we’ve five LIVE races on ITV.

You can see the full December Meeting schedule and race times here, and also use our key Cheltenham trends to put history in your betting corner

Five LIVE ITV Cheltenham Races On Saturday – Starting at 1:15pm

The Saturday LIVE ITV action starts at 1:15pm with the Quintessentially Handicap Chase in what looks tight little affair. It’s a race the Jonjo O’Neill yard have a top record in so if their Prince Escalus runs this one is respected. While the stats also tell us to look for horses with past Cheltenham experience (89%).

Can Thunder Rock Defy The Terrible December Gold Cup Favorites Record?

It’s the Virgin Bet December Gold Cup (1:50pm) next and all eyes will be on the favourite Thunder Rock for the Olly Murphy yard. However, it’s worth pointing out the market leader has only been successful once in the last 20 runnings. Trainer Paul Nicholls has the best stable record in the race with five wins and tries to better that with Monmiral and Il Ridoto.

Onto the 2:25pm – a competitive handicap chase – where cases can be made for many. One of those is Broadway Boy, who was a tidy winner at the November Meeting last month and represents the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard that have won two of the last nine runnings. While it’s interesting that the Venetia Williams yard are running Easy As That here rather than in the December Gold Cup. He stayed on well last time in the Paddy Power and should be better for that run. With just 10-2 in weight looks a big player.

The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle over 3m is next in line at 3:00pm and with ALL of the last 18 winners placed 1st or 2nd in their last race this is a ‘must-have’ stat to have onside. Running at Cheltenham last time (61%) and racing within the last six weeks are other trends to look for here.

This race is also always worth looking back on come the main Albert Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival – 13 of the last 18 winners of Saturday’s race ran there, with three winning. The most recent Kilbricken Storm in the 2017/18 season, who followed at 33/1 at the Festival.

We end the ITV Cheltenham action with a Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at 3:35pm. Just the seven past renewals to go on, but it’s a race the punters have got right with 71% of the last seven winners returning 4/1 or shorter. Plus, also keep the 5 and 6 year-olds in your corner as they’ve won 5 of the last 7 too.

1.15 Quintessentially Handicap Chase (GBB Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 2m 1/2f ITV

• 8/9  – Raced Cheltenham before (fences) (3 won)
• 8/9 – Raced the last 4 weeks
• 8/9 – 2+ past chase victories
• 7/9 – Top 5 finish last time
• 6/9 – Raced at Cheltenham last time out
• 6/9 – Irish bred winners
• 6/9 – Favourites placed in top two
• 5/9 – Aged 6 or 7 years-old
• 3/9 – Won by Jonjo O’Neill yard
• 2/9 – Favourites

1.50 – Virgin Bet December Gold Cup (Handicap Chase) (Grade 3) Cl1 2m5f ITV

• 19/20 – Aged 8 or younger
• 18/20 – Raced within the last 6 weeks
• 16/20 – Won over at least 2m4f (fences) before
• 15/20 – Top 3 last time out
• 15/20 – Went onto run at the Cheltenham Festival later that season (2 winners, Frodon – Ryanair Chase and Coole Cody – Plate)
• 15/20 – Won between 2-4 times over fences
• 14/20 – Had raced at Cheltenham (fences) (6 won)
• 13/20 – Officially rated 141 or higher
• 13/20 – Priced 9/1 or shorter in the betting
• 12/20 – Aged 6 or 7 years-old
• 12/20 – Favourites unplaced
• 11/20 – French bred
• 9/20 – Raced at Cheltenham last time out
• 9/20 – Carried 10-12 or more
• 9/20 – Raced in the Paddy Power (Nov) Gold Cup last time out (1 won)
• 6/20 – Placed in the top 5 in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last time out
• 5/20 – Won by the Paul Nicholls yard
• 5/20 – Won last race
• 3/20 – Won by Nicky Henderson yard
• 3/20 – Irish-trained winners
• 2/20 – Ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies
• 1/20 – Favourites
• 9 of the last 11 winners carried 10-12 or less
• The average winning SP in the last 20 runnings is 10/1

2.25 Favourite From The Sun Now Daily Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4yo+) 3m2f ITV

• 8/9 – Aged 8+
• 8/9 – Raced at Cheltenham in the past (4 won)
• 8/9 – Won between 1-3 times over fences
• 7/9 – Raced in the last 4 weeks
• 7/9 – Won over at least 3m (chase) before
• 7/9 – Carried 11st 1lb or less
• 6/9 – Rated between 133 and 139
• 6/9 – Priced 9/1 or shorter in the betting
• 6/9 – Favourites unplaced
• 6/9 – Aged 9+
• 4/9 – Raced at Cheltenham last time out
• 4/9 – Irish bred winners
• 2/9 – Trained by Venetia Williams
• 2/9 – Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies
• 2/9 – Ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies
• 2/9 – Ridden by Charlie Deutsch
• 0/9 – Favourites

3.00 – Albert Bartlett Novices´ Hurdle (Registered as The Bristol Novices´ Hurdle) (Grade 2) Cl1 3m ITV

• 18/18 – Placed 1^st or 2^nd last time out
• 17/18 – Ran within the last 6 weeks
• 16/18 – Aged 6 or younger
• 16/18 – Had won between 1-2 times over hurdles
• 15/18 – Winning distance 1 ¼ + lengths
• 14/18 – Priced 4/1 or shorter in the betting
• 14/18 – Favourites placed
• 13/18 – Went on run in the Albert Bartlett (3 won) at the Cheltenham Festival
• 11/18 – Won last race
• 11/18 – Irish bred winners
• 11/18 – Favourite (1 co, 1 joint)
• 11/18 – Raced at Cheltenham last time out
• 10/18 – Priced2/1 or shorter in the betting
• 9/18 – Went onto finish in the top 4 in a Cheltenham Festival race that season
• 9/18 – Won at Cheltenham before
• 8/18 – Won over 3m (hurdles) before
• 2/18 – Trained by Jonjo O’Neill
• 10 of the last 13 winners priced 3/1 or shorter in the betting
• 9 of the last 11 winners were aged 5 years-old

3.35 – Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Mares’ Handicap Hurdle Cl2 (4yo+) 2m4 1/2f ITV

• Just 7 previous runnings
• All 7 winners priced 4/1 or shorter
• 6/7 – Winners carried 10-11+
• 5/7 – Priced 4/1 or shorter
• 5/7 – Aged 7 or younger
• 5/7 – Aged 5 or 6 years-old
• 2/7 – Favourites
• Trainers, Lucy Wadham (2), Nicky Henderson, Dan Skelton, Noel Williams (2), Anthony Honeyball