December Gold Cup is all about intent - and this course-and-distance winner looks primed to strike at a big price

The question of horses reappearing so late into the season is of vital importance to this year's Virgin Bet December Gold Cup. We will be two-thirds of the way through the 2023-24 season in less than a fortnight's time, yet two of the pivotal runners will be having their first outing of the campaign.

Monmiral is the second favourite and presumed Paul Nicholls first string, with Harry Cobden aboard. He last ran at the Grand National meeting. So too did Fakir D'Oudairies, the topweight whose presence means nothing else is carrying more than 11st 3lb.

Going back to 2010, there have been 16 horses whose connections have made the December Gold Cup their first outing of the season. The headline from analysing their performances is that it seems to make little odds either way.