IF you were looking for a form boost for Thunder Rock, favourite for this afternoon’s Virgin Bet December Gold Cup at Cheltenham, you could hardly have hoped for a better result than you got in the Coral Gold Cup.

On Thunder Rock’s final run last season, he finished a close-up second behind Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino in the Grade 2 Future Champions Novices’ Chase at Ayr.

On his first run this season, Olly Murphy’s horse won the Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle, beating Coral Gold Cup runner-up Mahler Mission into second place. And he had all his shoes on.

Thunder Rock has a big chance today, he was good in winning at Carlise, he is progressive, we know that he goes on good to soft and on soft ground, and his trainer’s horses are in really good form.

Go Dante’s win at Cheltenham yesterday brought Olly Murphy’s December stat to four winners from 15 runners.

But Mahler Mission was probably competing over a trip that was short of his best at Carlisle, on his seasonal debut, a stepping stone to Newbury. And Datsalrightgino probably improved for the step up in trip too, up to a trip that he had never tried before.

Thunder Rock has been beaten in his two runs at Cheltenham. And he is short, in a race that hasn’t been won by the favourite since Poquelin won the first of his two in 2009.

Progressive

Monmiral has a slightly different profile to Thunder Rock’s, but he is just as interesting and just as progressive, and he looks over-priced.

Paul Nicholls’ horse was a top-class juvenile hurdler, he won his four races as a juvenile hurdler in Britain, his first season there culminating with victory in the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting, when he beat the Triumph Hurdle runner-up Adagio into second place.

He was an exciting hurdler for the following season, he was sent off as second favourite behind Epatante for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle on his debut that season, but he was well beaten there. Actually, he didn’t win that season. Although he did finish second to the same Epatante in the Aintree Hurdle on his final run that season, after Zanahiyr had departed at the last.

Monmiral didn’t win last season either, his first season over fences, but his first two runs were good: second to Jonbon at Warwick in November, and second to The Real Whacker in the Grade 2 Dipper Chase at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

He had Thunder Rock just behind him in third place that day, over today’s course and distance, and he can probably be marked up at least a little on the bare form of that run, as he was the only one to really put it up to the subsequent Brown Advisory Chase winner, whereas Thunder Rock picked up the pieces a little, coming from the rear to take third place.

Go well fresh

Monmiral is making his seasonal debut today, but he can go well fresh. Also, he goes well on soft ground, and this intermediate trip is a good trip for him.

Also, significantly, Harry Cobden has chosen to ride him in front of Il Ridoto, who has a chance too, he goes well at the track and he ran well to finish third in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at the November meeting. But Monmiral is less exposed and, racing for the first time today after a wind operation, he could take a nice step forward.

He is only six and he has raced just three times over fences in his life and just 12 times under all codes. He has the potential to be better than the handicap rating of 145 off which he races today.

Bristol Novices’ Hurdle

Later in the day, the Grade 2 Bristol Novices’ Hurdle, sponsored by Albert Bartlett, is all about potential.

Shanagh Bob won his only point-to-point for John O’Donovan, and he won his only hurdle race to date for Nicky Henderson and Marie Donnelly, staying on well to win a two-and-a-half-mile novices’ hurdle at Plumpton last month.

He will probably improve for the run, and for the step up in trip, but he will need to. He is short, and Nicky Henderson has only won this race once since he won it with Remittance Man in 1989 when it was run over two and a half miles.

Kerryhill looks over-priced against the favourite. And Ruth Jefferson’s horse is a much bigger price than Codell is, despite the fact that he beat Lucinda Russell’s horse at Kelso last month.

True, he is 7lb worse off with that rival today, and the sedate early pace wouldn’t have been in Codell’s favour, but it wasn’t definitely in Kerryhill’s favour either. The Soldier Of Fortune gelding travelled like the most likely winner from a fair way out that day, he made his ground easily, and he stayed on well up the run-in when he was challenged by Codell.

Also, that was his first run under rules, his first run since he won a point-to-point in April, whereas Codell, also a point-to-point winner, had had a run over hurdles and in a bumper.

Out of a half-sister to Boychuk and Golden Chieftain, Kerryhill should appreciate the extra distance today, and there is every chance that he will improve for his debut under rules. His chance could have been under-rated by the market.

Monmiral, 1.50 Cheltenham, 11/2 (generally), 1 point each-way

Kerryhill, 3.00 Cheltenham, 10/1 (generally), 1 point win

Donn’s two recommended bets last week were Spirit D’Aunou, (advised at 6/1) who won the two-mile handicap hurdle at Sandown, and Percussion (advised each-way at 11/2) who finished third in the Becher Chase at Aintree.