Marten Julian’s Weekly Roundup 15 December 2025

The busy Christmas schedule next week should bring some much needed clarity to the ante-post markets for Cheltenham.

The highlight will be the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, for which Gaelic Warrior and Jango Baie currently head the market.

If the official ratings are taken literally it could be argued that Gaelic Warrior should be clear favourite by some margin.

It wasn’t long ago that Gaelic Warrior was labelled with the tag of being unpredictable or, more charitably, enigmatic after three successive defeats when favourite at Punchestown in May, 2024, then twice behind Solness at Leopardstown last Christmas and back there at the DRF in February.

Stepped up to 3m 1f for the first time he returned to winning ways when beating Grey Dawning by three lengths at Aintree and that was followed just over three weeks later by a victory in the extended 2m 6f Grade 2 at Sandown and then a triumphant return this season against Fact To File in the John Durkan.

The concern for his backers is that he appeared to have a hard race there and his trainer Willie Mullins has expressed concerns in this respect with the horse in the past.

Jango Baie is officially rated 9lbs inferior to Gaelic Warrior and is untried beyond 2m 5f, but the manner in which he finishes his races augurs well for the step up in trip while there is sufficient stamina in his pedigree to call upon. He also has an upward trajectory to his profile.

The Jukebox Man is rated on 156, 9lbs behind Jango Baie and 18lbs adrift of Gaelic Warrior. That would seem an insurmountable gulf to bridge, but Ben Pauling’s seven-year-old is most progressive and is a superb jumper. Tactically things could get interesting, as both he and Gaelic Warrior like to race up with the pace.

Djelo will be a popular choice, with Venetia Williams starting to find her form, while last year’s winner Banbridge should step up from his pipe-opener over an inadequate trip at Cork. Then there is the mercurial Il Est Francais, who could be allowed to set the early pace which could unsettle Gaelic Warrior and The Jukebox Man.

More thought will be given to this race next week, but my initial observations are that the race is more open than the ratings reflect.

The one thing that seems certain is a strong pace, and this could play into the hands of Jango Baie, who unveiled a powerful late surge to win the Arkle and then again last time at Ascot.

With an excellent programme of top-class action in Ireland we’re in for an informative few days.

Bye for now

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