Cheltenham Day 2 Tips: Our best bets for Wednesday

horseracing.net

14 March 2023

Cheltenham Day 2 Tips: Our best bets for Wednesday

The 2023 Cheltenham Festival is underway and as is the case every year, we've got you covered! Find a whole host of Cheltenham tips on our dedicated section from a host of racing writers including our resident big price tipster Raceolly. In this article, Billy Grimshaw is tasked with providing us a tip in each race and he's certainly gone for some eye-catching selections in his magnificent seven...

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Kicking off Day Two we have another intriguing novice hurdle and there are plenty in here that will be fancying their chances. The talking horse in the build up to the race has been Impaire Et Passe for team Willie Mullins. With the market confidence behind him in recent weeks he has usurped the long-time favourite Hermes Allen, a good Tolworth winner who has had his form franked. Impaire Et Passe has been carefully minded since two runs over December and January with this race in mind and it is clear at Closutton he is very highly thought of, but on what we've seen he's a bit too short in the betting for me.

Since the Dublin Racing Festival I have been keen on GOOD LAND for this race and the lack of market support for him has done nothing to put me off. Running for owner/trainer Barry Connell, he was free enough over 2m 6f at Leopardstown but to my eye showed plenty of zip, which is always needed in a Ballymore. Talented rider Michael O'Sullivan was brilliant in his winning ride on Marine Nationale in the Supreme 24 hours earlier and he will now know all about Cheltenham, so I fancy he can get the fractions right again and this proven stayer can power up the hill to claim the Ballymore.

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Through the years some smashing staying chasing prospects have taken this race before featuring prominently in Gold Cup thoughts the season after, and my fancy for the 2023 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase already has his fans dreaming of Gold Cup glory in 2024. I am strongly with the favourite GERRI COLOMBE, in fact he is probably my Nap of the entire meeting for Gordon Elliott. He is unbeaten throughout his whole career and has shown himself to be a phenomenal chaser, particularly last time out when landing the Scilly Isles at Sandown.

Seeing off Balco Coastal, who would be an interesting each-way poke in the Turners come Thursday, over 2m 4f around Sandown is no mean feat and with Gerri Colombe doing all his best work at the finish, this step up to 3m will be right up his street. Many have mused he may need soft ground, but I'm not convinced of his ground dependency. Nevertheless, it is good to see the rain has come at Prestbury Park and this big brute of a horse can claim another Grade One here. The Real Whacker and Thyme Hill are respected rivals, but hopefully we see a performance of star quality from Gerri Colombe to win authoritatively.

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14:50 Cheltenham - Coral Cup

Always one of the toughest punting puzzles of the week to solve, the 2023 Coral Cup promises to be another fiercely competitive handicap. 8/1 the field shows the challenge connections face in priming a horse to win this race, and there will undoubtedly be multiple runners taking their chance with plenty in hand from the handicapper. Last season I made LANGER DAN my Nap of the whole festival in the Martin Pipe, a race he finished second in in 2021 behind a certain Galopin Des Champs. Having backed him all winter at bigger prices, seeing him sent off the 7/2 favourite I thought I was sitting pretty... until he was brought down at the first obstacle by a faller. Ahh, Cheltenham.

I still think there is a graded horse in there somewhere for the Skelton team, and cannot resist an each-way play on him in this race with all the extra place concessions from a range of betting sites. His form this year has been nothing short of rank, but Dan Skelton is a wily operator and can plot a horse for a handicap tilt like few others. Touted as a Stayers' Hurdle contender at the start of the season, seeing Langer Dan now able to run here off a mark of just 141 is tantalising and I'm putting my faith in the Skeltons that they have this horse back to his best and he can finally secure his Cheltenham Festival win..

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15:30 Cheltenham - Champion Chase

Much like the two mile novice chase at the Cheltenham Festival 2023, the Champion Chase is being billed as a match between the two market protagonists. And much like in the Arkle, I am taking both on with a bold front running type. It is no secret to anyone who has been paying attention how well those that take the lead at Cheltenham do compared to expected results, and with Gentleman De Mee recently ruled out (he was on the shortlist) my opinion of the race has firmed up. I'm backing to prove his Clarence House win was no fluke.

Energumene and Edwardstone are ahead of him in the market but were behind him that day, with Willie Mullins' defending Champion Chaser facing major questions coming here regarding his retained ability and indeed the form of last year's win. Edwardstone is a more solid proposition, however he got past Editeur Du Gite last time at this course yet the Gary Moore runner battled back to come home in front. I can see this race panning out very similarly to the Clarence House and without a proper pace rival, I think Editeur Du Gite is a cracking bet to win the Champion Chase for the same team that claimed the race with Sire De Grugy back in 2014.

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Delta Work was the pantomime villain when claiming the 2022 Cross Country Chase, denying the legend and his owner/stablemate Tiger Roll a winning swansong. Luckily horses couldn't care less how a crowd reacts to them as he was comedically booed as he came into the winners' enclosure, but I think history may repeat itself in 2023 and a younger Gordon Elliott stablemate can depose the defending champion.

My selection to take the 2023 Cross Country is GALVIN, who has been heavily backed since being confirmed for the race and being chosen by Davy Russell over the defending champion. We are taking his handlers at their word that he has taken to this new discipline, and usually you'd want a horse with experience over these obstacles, but I cannot believe a horse that was second favourite for the Gold Cup last year has lost so much of his ability that he won't have a major class edge over this lot. Delta Work is the other classy sort in here but both at their peaks I would argue Galvin was the better horse, and he is considerably younger with less miles on the clock. Russell has called this one right to my eye and he should take the world of beating.

16:50 Cheltenham - Grand Annual

As is often the case at the Cheltenham Festival, form from previous years is a great starting point when it comes to the Grand Annual. A curious quirk of this race is the fantastic record beaten favourites have the year after they are beaten in the race, which will mean plenty of punters side here with Andy Dufresne. The case for him is obvious on last year's run and he has a brilliant chance, but the Grand Annual is another race in which it pays to be on the front end and I cannot understand the price of another of last year's runners.

The horse in question was in fact the winner last year, GLOBAL CITIZEN for Ben Pauling. The trainer has a fabulous record at the Cheltenham Festival, and although Global Citizen is now a veteran at 11 and has been running poorly all season, there is little doubt in my mind a defence of his Grand Annual crown has been the plan all year. Luca Morgan will ping him out in front once again and he can give backers a brilliant run for their money. Maybe some younger legs will get past him this time, but he rates a superb each-way bet with all the extra places.

17:30 Cheltenham - Champion Bumper

In recent years playing at the top of the market in the Champion Bumper has been the way to go, and usually it is a Willie Mullins runner sitting atop the tree. Perhaps I am foolish to be ignoring these factors when giving my selection then, but I can't resist backing KING OF KINGSFIELD at massive odds for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown. He scoped dirty after disappointing last time out at Leopardstown so that flop can be forgiven, and I liked what I saw in his debut Down Royal victory.

"If he was trained somewhere else, I’d say he’d be running on the Flat. He could win over a mile on the Flat, he’s that fast." These quotes about this horse in Elliott's stable tour grabbed my attention and looking at the forecast the ground could dry up a fair bit before the Bumper, which would enhance King of Kingsfield's chances. He obviously has to bounce back, and if he really could win over a mile on the flat his stamina must be a worry, but at prices north of 40/1 I'm willing to take the risk and back him to cause an upset in the Wednesday closer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Day 2 Of The Cheltenham Festival

Where can I watch day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival?

Starting at 1 PM and continuing until 4.30 PM, ITV1 will broadcast coverage of the event and five races will be shown which can also be accessed online via ITV X. Beyond this time, viewers will need to switch to a subscription-based channel, such as Racing UK (Sky Channel 426, Virgin Channel 536), for continued coverage of the final two races. Alternatively, if you have a funded account, you can also find coverage through most betting sites, such as Betfair, Paddy Power and bet365.

Additionally, ITV4 (and ITV X) will offer a preview show of the day's racing from 8.30 AM to 10 AM.

What is the weather forecast for day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival?

Day 1 provided soft ground and overnight we might see temperatures drop to -1° celsius. The morning is set to start brightly with sunshine from 7 AM - 11 AM with the temperature set to hit a maximum of 7°celsius. Once the racing starts rain is being forecast but this is set to be the light variety with a gentle breeze and will continue like this for the rest of the day.

What Happened On Day 1 Of The Cheltenham Festival

It was a day for the punters as favourites romped home in the majority of the day 1 races. However, the day's racing did begin with the 9/4 fav Facile Vega being beaten by Marine Nationale in the Supreme. Fortunately for punters, in the Arkle, 11/10 favourite El Fabiola secured a win. This was followed by a second successive victory in the Ultima Handicap for Corach Rambler, the 6/1 JF.

The big race of the day was won by the big winner, the heavily backed 4/11 favourite Constitution Hill, who, as expected convincingly won the Champion Hurdle. This was followed by the retiring Honeysuckle (9/4 JF) winning the Mares Hurdle in a dream end to her career with the partnership of Rachael Blackmore. A brief respite for the bookies came in the Juvenile Handicap with a surprise win for Jazzy Matty (18/1). It was back to bookie bashing for the final race of the day with 10/11 favourite Gaillard Du Mesnil denying Chemical Energy in the last gasp of the race.