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Horse Racing Betting Tips - Antepost - Friday 12 December 2025 - Cheltenham

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Publish Date: 09/12/2025

Fact checked by: Jordan Noble

Key Points

Today’s horse racing betting tip is now 8lb below his last winning mark
This horse shaped like he needed the run last time out
All of his best form has come over this distance on the New Course

It’s a new week for my betting articles and I kick this one off with an antepost selection for you. We have action at the home of Jumps racing again this weekend and I have looked ahead to the Middle Distance Veterans Chase Series Handicap Chase, which runs on Friday on Cheltenham's New Course. I think this horse has been laid out for this race and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him significantly shorten in the market between now and the off.

If you’re just reading my articles for the first time today, I’m RacingGav, a full-time racing tipster. I provide free horse racing tips here at Betting.co.uk, and I also publish big race trends, educational guides and much more! I also offer a paid tips service over on my Discord server and the details for that are available at the bottom of this article.

If you enjoy antepost betting (which I assume you do if you’re reading this article!), be sure to check out the existing selections I have. The value on my King George VI Chase tip has long gone now sadly but many others including races at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival and selections for the 2026 Grand National still retain tons of value!

Betting advice

Friday 12 December - 14:25 Cheltenham - Fugitif @ 6/1 (3 places) - 1.5pt each way

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I believe Fugitif has been lined up for this race and he could blow them away!

Fugitif has been laid out for a couple of races in the past and he has delivered big wins for connections, both on and off the track. They have flirted with Veteran company, entering him at Warwick last season but he’s been so talented that they have avoided it until this season. After a spin in Veteran company to blow the cobwebs away, I think he can do much better here.

Fugitif shaped like he needed the run last time out

At one stage, Fugitif was the short-priced favourite for the Veterans’ race at The November Meeting. He ended up going off joint favourite, but at a significantly bigger price of 7/2. The drift that day suggested that he would likely improve for the run and he shaped exactly like that. After the third last, he moved into third place, but quickly weakened at the business end.

If you look at his record second time out, it is particularly eye-catching and I feel it can be enhanced again here. In both 2022 and 2023, Fugitif had a run to blow the cobwebs away before winning his second race. Connections adopted similar tactics in 2024, but he could only finish third in the valuable December Gold Cup. The ground likely wasn’t soft enough for him that day and he didn’t put in his best round of jumping. The fact he was short of room on the home turn further sealed his fate. But with that run under his belt, which as a 10-year-old he probably needed, I think we will see a different Fugitif today.

Fugitif is now 8lb below his last winning mark

The other benefit from Fugitif needing that first run, is that it looked poor, seen at face value. In factual terms, he finished fifth of eight and he was beaten by 37 lengths. Nobody looking at that form would call it a good run, which actually means good news on the betting front. Firstly, the handicapper has dropped him a further two pounds to a mark of 143. Secondly, he’s now opened up at a much more appealing price for this race.

Fugitif’s revised mark of 143 is 8lb lower than his mark when he won the December Gold Cup at this meeting two years ago. Likewise, it is 7lb below the mark that he placed from in the same race last season. Whilst I appreciate he is older now, I feel he retains the vast majority of his ability and he’s well up to winning off this mark in Veteran company.

All of his best form has come over this distance on the New Course

Although this is another Middle Distance Veterans' Chase Series Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, it’s a very different race to his last one. Last month, the race was held over 2m 4f and it was run on the Old Course, which is Cheltenham’s speed-orientated track. However, Friday’s race is over a further half a furlong, and it will be run on the New course, Cheltenham’s stamina orientated course. This longer distance and stiffer track will both be of huge benefit to Fugitif.

If you judge Fugitif on RPRs achieved, his best three all-time performances have come over this C&D. His fourth best was also on the New Course, but over a 2m 0.5f trip in the Grade 1 Clarence House in January 2024. To further drill home the fact that he loves it here at Cheltenham, his fifth best performance was also over this C&D. It’s clear that Fugitif performs very well on the New Course, he has race fitness in his favour, and a reduced mark. All of these are factors that indicate a vastly improved performance on Friday.

Can Fugitif land another big prize for connections?

Fugitif landed £74,000 when he won the 2023 December Gold Cup, and although not quite in the same league, the £21,784 going to the winner here is still a fantastic prize, especially for a Veteran. As always, I weigh up the positives, negatives, and the price when deciding on my bets, and the same applies here. The positives are strong and plentiful. Fugitif is race fit, he runs off a reduced mark, and this is a slightly longer trip on his favoured New Course. A considerable amount of rain has been forecast for Cheltenham, so Fugitif should also get his favoured softer ground conditions. Plus, Charlie Maggs has been booked early to take the ride and his 5lb claim is yet another positive here.

On the negative side, Fugitif does need to bounce back from a “poor” run, but I have no problem forgiving that on the basis he was lacking fitness for it. We also have to factor in that he is 10 going on 11 now, so he may not be the force he once was. That said, I saw more than enough last time out to believe he retains the majority of his ability, and certainly more than enough for this level.

Finally, we have the price. He first opened up at prices varying between 6/1 and 8/1 for Friday’s race, but that quickly shortened, meaning 6/1 is the best price now, but it warrants a very solid each way bet in my eyes. I believe Fugitif will take an awful lot of beating, especially if the ground comes up soft or worse on the day. Frankly, I will be very disappointed if he isn't in the frame, making him well worth a 1.5pt each way bet. To be honest, it’s only his age and inevitable regression that’s keeping me from putting more on!

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