ITV Racing Tips on December 13th - Saturday's tips at Cheltenham and Doncaster
The ITV Racing team returns to Cheltenham and Doncaster for exhilarating races, including the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham and significant races at Doncaster. Expect thrilling performances from runners like Party Vibes in the Mares' Handicap Chase, Alcedo in the bet365 Pennine Chase, and Williethebuilder in the Handicap Hurdle. Leading contenders such as Country Mile are highlighted for their potential in competitive fields. Racing enthusiasts can follow these exhilarating events live on ITV Racing for Saturday's top action.
- Free tips for the ITV races on Saturday 13th December
- Cheltenham and Doncaster feature on the ITV Racing schedule
- Country Mile and Williethebuilder feature in our ITV selections
- ITV Racing Schedule
- 1:15pm Cheltenham - Mares' Handicap Chase Tips
- 1:50pm Cheltenham - December Gold Cup
- 2:05pm Doncaster - bet365 Pennine Handicap Chase Tips
- 2:25pm Cheltenham - Handicap Chase Tips
- 2:40pm Doncaster - Mares' Hurdle Tips
- 3:00pm Cheltenham - Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Tips
- 3:17pm Doncaster - bet365 Handicap Hurdle Tips
- 3:35pm Cheltenham - Mares' Handicap Hurdle Tips
Saturday's Tips
The ITV Racing team will return to Cheltenham on Saturday, ready to capture the best of the action on December Gold Cup day. Five races will be shown live on day two of Cheltenham's December Meeting, along with three strong races from Doncaster.
Here are my best betting tips for Saturday's ITV races.
ITV Racing Schedule
| Time | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1:15pm | Cheltenham | Quintessentially Mares' Handicap Chase (Class 3) 2m4½f |
| 1:50pm | Cheltenham | Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 2m4½f |
| 2:05pm | Doncaster | bet365 Pennine Handicap Chase (Class 2) 3m |
| 2:25pm | Cheltenham | Read Meg Nicholls' Blog At betmgm.co.uk Handicap Chase (Class 2) 2m½f |
| 2:40pm | Doncaster | bet365 Doncaster Mares' Hurdle (Listed Race) 3m½f |
| 3:00pm | Cheltenham | Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) 3m |
| 3:17pm | Doncaster | Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m½f |
| 3:35pm | Cheltenham | Download The BetMGM App Mares' Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m4½f |
ITV Racing Tips - Saturday 13th December
1:15pm Cheltenham - Mares' Handicap Chase Tips
16 runners will contest this intriguing mares' race. At a lengthy price, I'm going to chance PARTY VIBES (16/1) who was backed into 7/2 ahead of the Grade Three Mares' Novices' Handicap Chase held over this course-and-distance in April.
Henry Daly's mare went into that Premier Handicap on the back of an impressive victory at Leicester. Party Vibes didn't jump the first fence fluently, and never seemed to regain her rhythm. David Bass rode his mount into most of the fences, and although Party Vibes was positioned well to challenge at the top of the hill, she ran out of steam, eventually crossing the line 27 lengths adrift of Theatre Native back in fourth.
Daly gave his seven-year-old a spin over hurdles to prepare for this meeting, and Party Vibes ran OK to finish a distant third behind the rampant Lud'or at Bangor. Sam Twiston-Davies comes in for the ride today, and if he can help his mount jump fluently early on, Party Vibes is classy enough to get involved.
1:50pm Cheltenham - December Gold Cup
Read our full guide to the 2025 December Gold Cup to get the latest odds, key trends and our best betting tips.
Visit our December Gold Cup Live Stream page if you plan on watching any of Saturday's races via a mobile or tablet.
2:05pm Doncaster - bet365 Pennine Handicap Chase Tips
Docpickedmehad a hard race when third in the Rehearsal Chase, so it could be worth taking the favourite on with ALCEDO (4/1).
Venetia Williams' seven-year-old claimed victory on Rehearsal Chase day at Newcastle, getting the better of the well-handicapped Grand Geste in a pulsating two-and-a-half-mile handicap.
Ned Fox's mount received a six-pound hike for that success, but remains lightly-raced and proven he could handle decent ground at Newcastle. Stepping back up to three miles could bring about further improvement, and Alcedo is a dangerous contender is what looks a fairly modest Class 2.
2:25pm Cheltenham - Handicap Chase Tips
I'm going to chance COUNTRY MILE (6/1), as Dan Skelton's novice takes on his elders. Skelton's six-year-old won his maiden hurdle at this meeting 12 months ago, and was put away for novice chasing after a distant fifth in the Formby at Aintree.
So far over fences, Country Mile has twice been beaten by Alnilam. Harry Skelton's mount jumped poorly as the two made their chasing debuts at Worcester, where Alnilam scored a four-length win.
As Olly Murphy's star established a clear lead here at Cheltenham during the October Meeting, Skelton seemed intend on teaching Country Mile to jump. Dan Skelton's youngster was much better over his fences, and Harry was still sitting confidently coming down the hill. That was until Country Mile made a terrible blunder at the tricky second-last fence, and didn't have time to get back into the contest.
Switching from the Old to the New Course will certainly suit Country Mile, and Skelton has had 50 more days to work on his novices' jumping. I have no doubt that this strapping son of Ocovango will be a better chaser than a hurdler, and this mark of 137 could turn out to be fairly lenient.
2:40pm Doncaster - Mares' Hurdle Tips
No bet for me here.
3:00pm Cheltenham - Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Tips
Conman John dominates this betting heat, and I wouldn't be surprised if Lucinda Russell's star went off at odds-on. Derek Fox's mount made all to score a convincing success over three miles during the October Meeting, and there's been two winners and three seconds from the beaten horses since.
One of those winners was KASINO DES MOTTES (16/1), who stayed on from the rear to finish 20-lengths behind Conman John in fifth. On his second start over hurdles at Kempton, Joe Tizzard's star rallied brilliantly for pressure to beat a short-priced favourite of Nicky Henderson's, Fresh Kicks, who scored a six-length victory at Plumpton earlier this month.
Kasino Des Mottes was having his first start under rules during the October Meeting, and showed a clear improvement between his first and second starts. Brendan Powell's mount has plenty to find with Conman John, but there's certainly scope for further progress and Tizzard's five-year-old offers value from an each-way standpoint.
3:17pm Doncaster - bet365 Handicap Hurdle Tips
In the finale at Doncaster, I'd give a chance to WILLIETHEBUILDER (13/2), following a resurgent effort from Christian Williams' recruit at Windsor.
Once rated in the 130s for Dan Skelton, Williethebuilder completely lost his way before making the move to Glamorgan. There were little signs of life when Jack Tudor's mount finished last of six on his stable debut at Wetherby, and Williams' six-year-old was sent off at 33/1 on his most recent run.
Williethebuilder was held up out the back by Kielan Woods, but finished like a train to cross the line just two lengths adrift of Hardy Du Seuil in third. Tudor's mount remains well-handicapped off this mark of 123 and the long run for home at Doncaster should suit.
3:35pm Cheltenham - Mares' Handicap Hurdle Tips
I'd be very surprised if Jubilee Alpha didn't turn the tables on Sweet Caryline, and Paul Nicholls' course winner is a worthy favourite. Further down the market, my eyes are drawn to PRETENDING (20/1), who won the Mares' Challenger Series Final held here at Cheltenham's April Meeting in 2024.
Lucy Wadham's six-year-old made it two wins in a row when scoring on her reappearance at Uttoxeter last October. Pretending then struggled for a while off marks in the 120s. Tom Cannon's mount returned to Cheltenham in April to try and defend her Challenger Series crown, and hit the front on the approach to the final flight, before eventually finishing third behind Greyval and Bethpage.
Despite being the lowest-rated runner in the field, Pretending travelled quite nicely into the Listed Mares' Hurdle at Kempton in November, but the tank emptied rapidly down the home straight and Wadham's mare finished fifth. Pretending was entitled to need that reappearance, and she could be a danger dropping back into handicap company.
Verdict
Saturday's Top ITV Tips:
Alcedo
2:05pm Doncaster
@4/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS
Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad
Country Mile
2:25pm Cheltenham
@6/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £40
in free bets
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.
Williethebuilder
3:17pm Doncaster
@13/2 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS
Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad
Party Vibes E/W
1:15pm Cheltenham
@16/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £40
in free bets
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.
Top Betting Sites
Betting offers
Upcoming Events
28 May 2026
- CDL 2026 Stage 4 Major Qualifiers -
- Esports
06 June 2026
- VALORANT Masters London 2026 -
- Esports
10 June 2026
- Volleyball Nations League 2026 -
- Volleyball
Load More
ITV Racing at Cheltenham and Doncaster
Today's Acca Tips
-
Soccer tips
-
Horse Racing tips
