Cheltenham-bound contenders are drawing attention from experts ahead of Saturday's December Gold Cup Handicap Chase. Vincenzo, who impressed with a second-place finish to Booster Bob in the Greatwood Handicap Chase, now heads the market alongside Hoe Joly Smoke.
The pair's performances have generated significant interest among betting enthusiasts, with many predicting that they will dominate the field at Prestbury Park. However, some pundits believe that Imperial Saint could offer value at 12/1, given his recent form and the fact that he was only beaten by a substantial margin in the Old Roan Chase.
Sam Boswell notes that while Vincenzo's Paddy Power run looks promising, it remains to be seen whether he can replicate that success over two miles and four furlongs. He also cautions against backing Hoe Joly Smoke too short, as his jumping issues may resurface in the handicap chase.
Declan Rix is more forthcoming about Imperial Saint's chances, citing a "rock-solid" bet at 12/1 despite the horse's recent disappointing run. The jockey believes that Imperial Saint will run much better than expected and could be an each-way player.
Meanwhile, Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch are also well-represented in the field, with Martator shaping up as a potential contender. However, doubts have been raised about Kim Roque's ability to compete, leaving his backers to weigh their options carefully at 11/2.
Ultimately, Saturday's December Gold Cup Handicap Chase is expected to be a closely contested event, with several horses capable of landing the top prize.
The pair's performances have generated significant interest among betting enthusiasts, with many predicting that they will dominate the field at Prestbury Park. However, some pundits believe that Imperial Saint could offer value at 12/1, given his recent form and the fact that he was only beaten by a substantial margin in the Old Roan Chase.
Sam Boswell notes that while Vincenzo's Paddy Power run looks promising, it remains to be seen whether he can replicate that success over two miles and four furlongs. He also cautions against backing Hoe Joly Smoke too short, as his jumping issues may resurface in the handicap chase.
Declan Rix is more forthcoming about Imperial Saint's chances, citing a "rock-solid" bet at 12/1 despite the horse's recent disappointing run. The jockey believes that Imperial Saint will run much better than expected and could be an each-way player.
Meanwhile, Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch are also well-represented in the field, with Martator shaping up as a potential contender. However, doubts have been raised about Kim Roque's ability to compete, leaving his backers to weigh their options carefully at 11/2.
Ultimately, Saturday's December Gold Cup Handicap Chase is expected to be a closely contested event, with several horses capable of landing the top prize.
Declan Rix must've really seen something in the horse lol. on the other hand, I'm low-key skeptical about Hoe Joly Smoke's chances... jumping issues are no joke, you know? 
as for Vincenzo and Booster Bob, they both looked solid in their previous races, but can they translate that form to a handicap chase? 
it's gonna be a tough one to call on Saturday! 
I mean, he's been beaten by some decent fields and Vincenzo is doing okay but not out of this world... 12/1 seems like a steal, don't you think? 
Maybe Declan Rix knows something we don't?
! It seems like Vincenzo and Hoe Joly Smoke are the ones to beat, but I'm also keeping an eye on Imperial Saint - 12/1 is a great value if he can pull off some magic! 
. And Martator looks like a solid contender too! It should be an epic finish at Prestbury Park 
but like, can we talk about how ugly the layout of this handicap chase is? 
it's all over the place... first you got your top 2 contenders, vincenzo and hoe joly smoke, at the top of the market, then you got imperial saint sneaking in at 12/1 like "hey guys, i'm gonna crush it" 
declan rix says imperial saint is gonna run way better than expected, but like what's the format for that? can we have a clear section for "each-way bets"? 
. Of course, Vincenzo is still the favourite but let's not count out Imperial Saint just yet 
. I'm keeping an eye on him, especially with that 12/1 odds, seems like a good value bet to me 
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. And can we talk about Martator for a sec? Venetia Williams is always on point with her horses 
! But yeah, gotta keep an eye on Kim Roque - you never know what's gonna happen when he jumps into the fray 
their cauliflower crust is so good, I don't even miss the cheese anymore lol anyway back to horse racing... I mean I'm not a huge fan but my friend is and she always gets me hyped for these big events. speaking of which have you tried those new energy drinks that are supposed to give you a boost? I was thinking of trying one out before the holiday season 
where's the excitement in that? And don't even get me started on Imperial Saint, being a long shot at 12/1 but somehow Declan Rix thinks he's got a "rock-solid" bet going on... 
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. Anything can happen on the day, and I think that's what makes it so thrilling for us racing fans 
. Bring it on! 
Declan Rix seems like he knows what he's talking about btw 