English/Ire
King’s best bets - 13th December 2025
Sam King is back with three selections on Saturday.
Day two of Cheltenham's December meeting gets underway at 12.10 with the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle and it's tough to look past One Horse Town, who looks a fair price at around even money as he bids to stretch his unbeaten record to five.
Harry Derham's hurdler made a mockery of his rivals on his first three outings over hurdles and was arguably equally as impressive when successfully stepping up to Grade 2 level in the Triumph Trial at Cheltenham last month.
He carries a 7lb penalty here, but he's uncomplicated, clearly progressive, and it's tough to gauge just where his ceiling might lie. Harry Derham's charge sets the standard on that latest effort and can successful defy the 7lb penalty to remain unbeaten over hurdles.
One Horse Town – 1pt Win
Odds – Evs.
The following Michael Eakins Senior Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (12.40) has produced some useful staying chasers over the years and there's a strong suspicion that The Jukebox Kid might make up into just that.
A 16-length winner of his point-to-point before winning twice over hurdles, Ben Pauling's charge looked an absolute natural over fences when making a successful chasing debut at Carlisle.
It was tough not to be impressed with how he jumped on that first outing over fences, while his proven point-to-point stamina came to fore when he pulled nicely clear up the Carlisle hill.
This track ought to be tailormade for a horse of his calibre and with the prospect of further progress on the cards, he gets a confident vote to follow up.
The Jukebox Kid – 1pt Win
Odds – 7/4
Jagwar could prove a class apart from his rivals in the feature Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup Handicap Chase, but he's skinny enough at the prices and Kim Roque looks equally interesting as an alternative.
A multiple winner in France, Kim Roque fairly caught the eye when runner-up in a handicap novice chase over this trip here, jumping fluently on the whole until making a costly error at the final fence.
It's probably fair to say that final flight mistake didn't cost him any chance of winning but there's no doubt that he would have been much closer if keeping momentum going over the last.
A 5lb rise in the weights demands more here, but he's unexposed for this handler and with that British chasing experience now under the belt, Joseph O'Brien's charge might well prove up to the task.
Kim Roque – 1pt Win
Odds – 11/2
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