Gemirande denies Madara in December Gold Cup thriller at Cheltenham!

They're off. 11 of them jump away. It's the Night Timber December Gold Cup. They're heading to the first of 17 scheduled fences. The stablemates are up there. Early Stage Star in the mauve and Il Reddotto in the red. And they're the leading pair over the first. Short Touch was the early back marker. So Stage Star and Harry Cobden lead Olive Nicholls aboard. Il Reddotto approaching the second. Le Patron out wide. Handy in the purple and yellow. Mistake from Fugitive there in the last group of three. Violet Jacket. He just got a little bit close to it. Currently racing upsides in Excelsis Deo as they head over the intersection and move towards the third. Stage Star with now Gemerond around the outer under Charlie Deutsch in the blue and white. Going handy and just applying a little pressure for the lead as they move into the first turn. Stage Star then on the inner of Gemerond. Bearing left-handed at a little over 30 miles an hour at the moment. Il Reddotto is tracking the leading pair. Racing ahead of Grandia Dam in a sheepskin noseband. Red and white check jacket. Guard your dreams with the red and yellow on the sleeves. He's down on the running rail as they turn on in. Upsides Madara. The orange silks are Harry Skelton. Le Patron is a little deeper out in the purple and yellow. Small break then to Fugitive racing upsides Galore in the emerald green. Crossing out over the fourth at which Stage Star was a little slow in Excelsis Deo. The white cap and sure touch are the final pair. Making their way on to their fifth. Gemerond over Stage Star. Il Reddotto in third. Jumping fluently. And now a couple more fences before they embark upon one complete circuit. Gemerond and Stage Star. The leading duo. Approaching the sixth. Stalked by Il Reddotto. Guard your dreams down on the inner. The noseband at Grandia Dam to Madara and Le Patron the purple and yellow. Then Galore. Fugitive, sure touch and in Excelsis Deo. Approaching the seventh. Gemerond. The early pace is just steadied a little. Gemerond jumping soundly in front. Over Stage Star who will have the rail as they turn to meet rising ground. Il Reddotto in the slipstream of the leading pair. Guard your dreams under Sound Twist and Davis racing in fourth up the running row. One off the fence Madara Harry Skelton the orange and dark blue. And then Grandia Dam and the red and white checks. Fugitive. Last year's winner down on the inside violet jacket has just inched past Le Patron who's lost a position or two. And then the patiently ridden Galore ahead of sure touch and in Excelsis Deo. And they're moving on towards fence number eight. Stage Star is back alongside Gemerond. But Gemerond the quicker through the air. And Fugitive not for the first time was just reaching for it. He scattered a little of the birch. On towards the water jump. Approaching halfway on the night timber December gold cup. Gemerond and Stage Star. Take off and land almost as one. Sure touch was just about the last of touchdown. They're moving on now towards the first of the open ditches. Fence ten. Gemerond. Stage Star came up well there for Harry Cobden. Guard your dreams left a trailing leg. And they're about to race towards the top of the track. Moving on now towards fence eleven. Gemerond. Stage Star second stable mate. Il Redotto a close third. Madara's had a good trip through the race so far and has moved up into fourth under Harry Skelton. Out wide. Then guard your dreams back on the rail. Followed by Grandia, Damler, Patron, Fugitive, Galore, Sure Touch and in Excelsis Deo. As they take the open ditch at the top of the hill. That was six from home. And Gemerond striding on again. Extends the lead to a little over two lengths from Stage Star. But now Madara has moved up to just about nose into third as they come to five out. Gemerond jumping accurately in front. In Excelsis Deo was the last to land. Sure Touch bustled along last but one. They're about to turn on down the hill at nearly thirty miles an hour. They've got four more fences left to jump in the Nightimber December Gold Cup. Gemerond then approaching four out. Stage Star down on the inner. Then the strong travelling Madara. Guard your dreams has been pulled out wide by Sam Twiston Davis. Red and yellow on their sleeves. In fourth place. Il Redotto in behind on the red and white. Then in the nose band Grandia Dam is a handy sixth on the descent. Galore is further back with Sure Touch. Le Patron. Fugitive has got work on. In Excelsis Deo is last of all. That was the third last. And Gemerond Charlie Deutsch glancing in behind. He begins the swing back towards home with Madara now moving up menacingly into second. Stage Star ridden along in third. Then guard your dreams. Fugitive is just trapped a little on heels. Violet jacket but he's beginning to make eye-catching progress. In behind. Trying to thread his way through. Away to the left. Galore making an effort. They're closing in on their second last. And Madara now comes to have a crack at Gemerond. They collide in the air. Gemerond came away from it the quicker from Madara. Fugitive now moving off in pursuit. Here's the final fence coming up. Gemerond and Madara. They were in the air as one. They settle down to fight it out up the hill. Fugitive is back in third. Madara got up sides. Hasn't got past. Gemerond is digging in. It's another super Saturday for Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch. Gemerond wins the night timber December gold cup over Madara. Back in third was Fugitive. And in fourth guard your dreams. And then we'll try and get a word with the winning rider. What a month it's been for him. Gelo and Royal Pagai. Charlie you're running about as fast as he ran through most of that race. Some thrill I'd imagine. Real thrill. I had a great spin on him at Ascot last night but he's running a lot of these good races around here and we just haven't quite finished. But god the minute I got in front of stage star and I just, he just relaxed and then we were just able to pick our strides and his jumping is so quick isn't it? So really pleased. Where did you manage to get a breather into him if indeed you did? At the top of the hill I got a breather and then as we came past the stands on that top bend we got a breather as Harry and I both got a breather but he is quite a keen going sort so I was very conscious we need a breather just to get round just to finish our race but going into the last we weren't on a brilliant stride but he's so quick over them and I knew I had a little bit there it's just how much Madara had left as well but he's so genuine he sticks his neck out so it didn't matter. And he was going on again at the line he's won today off a mark in the mid-130s is he getting back up there do you think? He's definitely got better with age anyway that's for sure he's just struggling to finish his races early on in his career but a lot of these French horses take a bit of time it seems that way, well most horses do don't they but no it's just nice he's genuine and he was unlucky a lot last year and the year before so it's nice that he's getting there now And everything's clicking for you at the moment, Gelo and Royal Pagaya and others and this horse today have you ever felt better in the saddle or in your career? I try not to think about it to be honest because things can change so quickly but I'm really enjoying it I'm confident and I just enjoy I know how Venetia works now and I just really enjoy riding for her as well and you have so much confidence in her and her horses so that's a huge plus as well. And she and you likewise well done Charlie. Thank you very much Racing now on RacingTV.com