Horse racing predictions: Wednesday’s Cheltenham tips

Four Grade 1 contests feature on day two of the Cheltenham Festival, including the Champion Chase and the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle.

There are also some competitive handicaps on the card and we’ve provided selections for all six of the races below, including a couple of each-way fancies.

Cheltenham racing tips – Wednesday March 13

Matthew Ireland has recommendations for all six races today and you can read the analysis behind his selections below.

Odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

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1.45 Cheltenham – Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle

There seems to be little point opposing star novice BALLYBURN. He has clearly been Willie Mullins’ No 1 novice this season and he has scared away most of the opposition, who have defected to either the Supreme or the Albert Bartlett.

The step up in trip to 2m 5f looks sure to suit this brother of Noble Endeavour and he is already a Grade 1 winner, having triumphed at the Dublin Racing Festival last month. While he is short in the betting, his chance is hard to knock based on everything we know.

Selection: Ballyburn@ 1/2 with BetMGM

2.30 Cheltenham – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

This isn’t always the strongest Grade 1 race at the Festival but it has produced a competitive field this year, with a top-quality match-up between FACT TO FILE and Stay Away Fay over an extended 3m. 

The former may just be the one to side with, despite his rival’s open-company form when finishing third in the Cotswold Chase. The JP McManus-owned runner put Gaelic Warrior in all sorts of trouble with a slick round of jumping at the Dublin Racing Festival and the sectional times of that race suggest he could be something special.

Selection: Fact To File @ 10/11 with BetMGM

3.15 Cheltenham – Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle

With 24 runners expected to go to post, the Coral Cup looks as competitive as ever, but one who can go well is last year’s winner LANGER DAN.

Remarkably, he returns on the same winning mark after a dismal campaign, but this race will have been the long-term target and his trainer reports that he’s in better form now.

Selection: Langer Dan @ 7/1 with BetMGM

4.00 Cheltenham – Queen Mother Champion Chase

El Fabiolo will be all the rage but he can make errors and that’s far from ideal when taking such a short price, particularly on the sharp Old Course in a race that is always run at a terrific pace.

It may be worth taking him on with EDWARDSTONE, who bounced back to form last time and is proven on testing ground. He could be dangerous if he can get an uncontested lead.

Selection: Edwardstone @ 7/1 with BetMGM

4.50 Cheltenham – Grand Annual Handicap Chase

LIBBERTY HUNTER is favourite but there may still be some juice in his price. He has obvious claims now the rain has come after back-to-back wins on soft/heavy ground in his last two starts.

The Evan Williams-trained eight-year-old got the better of a nice prospect, Matata, who was fourth in the Arkle on Tuesday, when winning here on New Year’s Day.

Selection: Libberty Hunter @ 6/1 with BetMGM

5.30 Cheltenham – Champion Bumper

This isn’t an easy race to predict but THE YELLOW CLAY has shaped with a lot of promise and he stayed on nicely in Graded company at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out.

He was unbeaten prior to that run, which included a Listed success, and he looks a little overpriced for the finale on day two.

Selection: The Yellow Clay @ 9/1 with BetMGM

Looking for more horse racing picks for today’s action?

Find horse racing selections for every race, provided by Telegraph Sport’s champion tipster.