Who remains in contention for the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday?

Ante-post favourite Thunder Rock is one of 15 still in contention for Saturday’s Virgin Bet December Gold Cup (1.50) at Cheltenham following Monday's five-day confirmation stage.

The Olly Murphy-trained seven-year-old is 7-2 with Sky Bet for the £130,000 contest, with Grade 1-winning hurdler Monmiral second-favourite at 5-1, although he has yet to win in three starts over fences for Paul Nicholls.

Thunder Rock has some strong form intertwined with the Coral Gold Cup one-two this year. He finished second behind the winner Datsalrightgino in the Grade 2 Future Champion Novices' Chase at Ayr in April, and made a successful return to action when beating Newbury runner-up Mahler Mission in a Listed contest at Carlisle last month.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Il Ridoto could return to Cheltenham after finishing third behind stablemate Stage Star in the Paddy Power Gold Cup. The six-year-old enjoyed a course-and-distance victory last term and could be part of a strong hand for the champion trainer as he bids for a first win in this race since 2018.

Cheltenham Festival runner-up Fugitif, who is a general 7-1 shot for the race on Saturday, is another contender and made his seasonal return when fourth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup. 

Owner JP McManus could be double-handed in the 2m4½f event with the Emmet Mullins-trained So Scottish and four-time Grade 1 winner Fakir D'Oudairies also entered. Railway Hurricane, who is trained by Gavin Cromwell, is the only other Irish runner in contention.

Venetia Williams was victorious in this contest in 2014 and could saddle Easy As That and Frero Banbou, while Dan Skelton's sole representative is set to be be Jay Jay Reilly.

Grandeur D'Ame and course-and-distance winner Torn And Frayed remain in contention. Madara, Do Your Job and Prince Escalus complete the remaining entrants.

The Jamie Snowden-trained Datsalrightgino was one of seven to be scratched alongside the Nicholls pairing of Complete Unknown and Solo, and Skelton's duo of Le Milos and Walk In Clover. In Excelsis Deo, Richmond Lake and War Lord were also removed.

'Hopefully we've seen the worst of the rain' - Cheltenham officials hopeful of dry meeting

Cheltenham clerk of the course Jon Pullin is optimistic the weather will stay predominantly dry for the track’s two-day December meeting that begins on Friday.

Racing will take place on the New course for the first time this season, with conditions soft and soft, heavy in places on the cross-country track.

Pullin said: "Hopefully we’ve seen the worst of the rain. We could get a little bit more on Tuesday, with around 3-4mm on most of the forecasts, and after that we might get some light drizzle on Wednesday, but it looks pretty dry from Thursday onwards.

"We’re fortunate to have switched from the Old course to the New course for this fixture. It’s not been raced on this season, which obviously helps, and it’s taken the rain we’ve had – which is the best part of two inches – very well."

December Gold Cup confirmations

Fakir D’Oudairies Joseph O'Brien
Fugitif Richard Hobson
Thunder Rock Olly Murphy
Monmiral Paul Nicholls
Il Ridoto Paul Nicholls
So Scottish Emmet Mullins
Jay Jay Reilly Dan Skelton
Easy As That Venetia Williams
Do Your Job Lucinda Russell
Grandeur D’Ame Alan King
Frero Banbou Venetia Williams
Torn And Frayed Nigel Twiston-Davies
Prince Escalus Jonjo O'Neill
Railway Hurricane Gavin Cromwell
Madara Sophie Leech

December Gold Cup (1.50 Saturday, Cheltenham)

Paddy Power: 3-1 Thunder Rock, 5 Monmiral, 6 Il Ridoto, So Scottish, 7 Fakir D’Oudairies, Fugitif, 9 Frero Banbou, 10 Easy As That, 12 Grandeur D’Ame, Torn And Frayed, 16 Jay Jay Reilly, 20 Railway Hurricane, 25 Madara, 33 Do Your Job, Prince Escalus

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