Cheltenham Day 2 Betting Tips – Preview and Tips for Wednesday’s Racing at the Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham day 2 tips, race by race preview and predictions for all seven races on Wednesday 13th March from the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.

There are seven races across the day, with the Champion Chase the big one but we also have a potential superstar in Ballyburn at 1.30pm. Ciaran Murphy has given his thoughts ahead of the day 2 races with a preview and tips for all seven races. See all our Cheltenham Wednesday tips below.

 

Tuesday’s Cheltenham Tips for Day 2

Race	Tip	Odds
1.30pm - Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle	Predators Gold (ew)	10/1 Bet
2.10pm - Brown Advisory Novice Chase	Fact to File	10/11
2.50pm - Coral Cup	Guard Your Dreams (ew)	25/1
	Brazil (ew)	16/1
3.30pm - Queen Mother Champion Chase	El Fabiolo double with Ballyburn (1.30pm)	5/4
4.10pm - Cross Country Chase	Coko Beach	4/1
4.50pm - Grand Annual Chase	Liberty Hunter (ew)	13/2
5.30pm - Champion Bumper	C’est Ta Chance (ew)	16/1
	Cantico (ew)	12/1

 

13.30 Gallagher Novices Hurdle 

The Newly Named Gallagher Novices Hurdle is the eventual destination for this season’s hype horse, Ballyburn. In the long-running Supreme/Baring Bingham saga, which had more twists than a Christopher Nolan Movie, the only question was which race he was going to run in; winning was a given. So is it that straightforward? Well, the last 4 renewals have seen Irish “Bankers” get the job done, with the last 2 of these representing Willie Mullins. 

Official ratings put him 7 pounds clear of anything in the field, and on similar ground and trip at Christmas, he put a current Cheltenham favourite (Cleatus Poolaw) away by 25 lengths. I genuinely can’t see him being beaten here but at 4/7 he is short enough. There may be a way to play him but I’ll come back to that later. With Willie having 5 of the 8 runners, it won’t be that big a shock if he fills the places and that may be with the next 2 horses in the betting. Ile Atlantique has been much maligned for his finishing efforts but being outstayed by the Albert Bartlett favourite is hardly a disgrace and Firefox another of his conquerors (by less than a length) is 4/1 for a Supreme. If anything goes wrong with the favourite, he may be the one to pick up the pieces. Predators Gold could complete the podium lineup with a strong showing behind Caldwell Potter at Christmas followed by a decent run over a trip too far at the DRF.

• 1.30pm Tip: Predators Gold (each-way) – 10/1 with Coral.

---

2.10 Brown Advisory 

In my January antepost tips for this race (see it here) I tipped up Fact To File and Montys Star and I have seen nothing since to make me change my mind. The case for the former has been strengthened by his clock-shattering dismantling of Gaelic Warrior at the DRF but the 10/11 odds are reflective of this. He is certainly the most likely winner but this will clearly be his biggest challenge to date.

Montys Star has shortened to 6/1 despite not having run since that piece was published. I do think he will run a big race but with 12 pounds to find with the front 2 in the market, his odds are tight enough. American Mike has been supplemented but his form doesn’t look too strong to me and, to put it kindly, he is a very inconsistent type and makes no appeal to me here. 

Of the other main players, Stay Away Fay is clearly a strong stayer at the trip but as many have suggested, has questions to answer on whether he has the pace to lie up with these. Stones too can be thrown at the level of his form. At 12/1, I liked the chances of Broadway Boy but he was scratched at declaration stage due to a dirty scope. He was also the pace angle of the race, a fact that is likely to force Stay Away Fay to try and make all and I think that this will suit the classiest horse in the race FACT TO FILE who I can see travelling in behind and using his pace to power clear. I’d imagine Even Money will be available in the morning and it’s the best bet in the race for me. 

• 2.10pm Tip: Fact to File – 10/11 with bet365.

---

2.50 Coral Cup 

The obvious place to start here is with defending champion Langer Dan, running off the same mark as 12 months ago. In likely similar conditions to last year, the question to ask yourself here is do you believe that this is a well-hatched trainer plan, ably assisted by lenient handicapping, or is the horse just not regressing? For me, it could be a bit of both and at 10/1, there are too many questions to answer in what is arguably the most open handicap of the meeting.

That statement could be tested by favourite Sa Majeste whose Irish mark of 140 was left unchanged and on a strict line through Noble Yeats is chucked in here. However, 3rd that day (just 9 lengths back) was 107 rated Just Three. If Willie’s stable tour comments, putting him forward as a possible Gold Cup horse are accurate, this would be no contest, but again at 5/1, I am happy to look elsewhere.

Built by Ballymore represents owner/trainer connections who have finished close up 2nd in the last 2 renewals and is in my opinion underpriced on that basis (albeit the trainer is massively respected). Doddiethegreat has snuck in off a featherweight but is well-found in the market and I’ll be paying close attention to the stable form on Tuesday. 

I’m going to play 2 at bigger prices here. BRAZIL is probably best known as the horse who beat Gaelic Warrior of 129 but has not really done anything since. However, he shapes as if a step up in trip will suit and Aidan Kelly knows how to get the job done, having steered JP’s Iroko to festival success last year. His claim effectively sees him running off the same 137 mark as that famous Cheltenham victory and I am happy to take a chance he has been laid out for this. 

The other is GUARD YOUR DREAMS who after over a year off returned to run in 2 graded contests over a now inadequate 2 miles, dropping to a mark of 137 (12 pounds lower than when winning a course and distance handicap 2 years ago). If any of his old ability remains he can surely get in the shake up at a big price of 25/1

• 2.50pm Tip: Guard Your Dreams (ew) – 25/1 with William Hill (6 places)
• 2.50pm Tip: Brazil (ew) – 16/1 with Coral (6 places)

---

3.30 Champion Chase 

The feature race of the day was, earlier in the season, being put forward as one of the contests of the meeting. However, in the meantime, one of the main protagonists has severely fluffed his lines. Jonbon was beaten by 10 Year old Elixir Du Nutz with his much vaunted jumping the main source of his downfall. Home schooling videos released on Social Media wouldn’t do much to restore confidence in that regard either. And even if he was to return to his peak, he still has 5 pounds to find on El Fabiolo who seems to be improving with every race. While his jumping was used as a stick to beat him with earlier in the season, he hasn’t looked like falling in any race this season and with a clear round of jumps, is absolutely unopposable. In fact, I think we may be looking at an all time great here, possibly on a par with the great Sprinter Sacre and Moscow Flyer. No need to worry about the rest, just sit back and enjoy. 

Two Willie Hotpots on the day… Neither will be beaten. 

• Day 2 Double: Ballyburn and El Fabiolo both to win – 5/4 with bet365.

---

4.10 Cross Country (if it goes ahead) 

Another of my ante-post articles (see it here) put forward Foxy Jacks as a lively outsider at 12/1. He is now 16/1 4 places with Paddy Power (value achieved 🙄) but I do think the case remains strong. His rating of 157 puts him level with Delta Work but he is now over 4 times the price. I think he would be better off on better ground but he did run quite well in a Pertemps qualifier at Leopardstown at Christmas on heavy ground. I couldn’t put you off. 

I also mentioned the ground as being a huge consideration at the time and with it looking to be very soft on the Cross Country Course, COKO BEACH is a strong selection. The highest rated horse in the field, his form figures this year, all on ground with soft/heavy in the description are 3121. While course form is a notable miss, if he can handle the National fences and the Punchestown banks, I see no reason why he would struggle here. One note of caution with Jockey bookings: I wouldn’t be concerned with Jack Kennedy not getting off 2 time defending champion Delta Work. The issue is who has the second choice. If Keith Donogue had second choice and picked a ground dependant Galvin over Coko Beach that would rate as a massive concern but if Gordon gave Sam Ewing his choice of the 2, then it’s full steam ahead. Certainly, one to keep an eye on quotes if that becomes clear. 

• 4.10pm Tip: Coko Beach – 4/1 with bet365.

---

4.50 Grand Annual 

Another race that sees the defending champion turn up to retain her crown, this time off a 7-pound higher mark. Extra respect must be given here, with the 6-length second that day being the short-priced favourite for the Mares Chase Dinoblue, who subsequently went on to win at Fairyhouse and Punchestown and is now rated 19 pounds higher. However, my suspicion is that she was being tried as a Mares Chase contender herself, rather than being plotted for this and in that light, she has been disappointing. Similarly, Saint Roi in the green and gold is an obvious favourite, running down the fields in Grade 1 contests. However, he hasn’t been given much respite by the handicapper and on his last start, at the DRF, didn’t show much that love remained for jumping. 

Depending on how Matata runs in the Arkle, Liberty Hunter has the potential to shorten based on his defeat of that rival over course and distance on New Years Day. He was value for more than the 1 length margin of victory that day and is sure to be staying on strongly at the line. He will be assisted in the saddle by the brilliant Harry Cobden and I don’t see him out of the frame at 7/1.

• 4.50pm Tip: Liberty Hunter (each-way) – 13/2 with bet365 (5 places) 

---

5.30 Champion Bumper 

A wide-open renewal with a full field of 24 to conclude the 2nd day of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival. While 3 of the last 5 renewals have been won by short-priced favourites (and another the 2/1 second favourite), there has been no stand-out performer this season (apart from the injured Jerobaim Machin) and as a result, we are 6/1 the field. Top-rated is You Oughta Know, who was second in the DRF but he has been overlooked by both Paul Townend and Patrick Mullins. Jalon D’oudaries and The Yellow Clay are next top rated on official ratings and RPRs but with most of these having had just 1 or 2 runs there is wide scope for improvement.

A chance is taken on Willie Second String CANTICO who has the same sire as L’Homme Presse and Impaire est Passe and is sure to appreciate the dig in the ground. He wasn’t at his best on Stephen’s Day in Leopardstown where Willie often sends his best bumper horses and was much better when powering through deep ground at Navan last time out. Willie second strings won this race in both 2020 and 2021 and the rumours are that Patrick was torn between the selection and favourite Jasmin De Vaux. At over twice the price, a chance is taken that he got the marginal call wrong. 

And that is assuming that Cantico is indeed second choice. Once Patrick had opted for Jasmin De Vaux, retained rider Daryl Jacob was next in line for the ride on C’EST TA CHANCE who has had just 1 run for Willie. At the time, he was disappointed to lose a short head to William Munny but on that horses last performance, he could be the best bumper horse in Ireland and so if the selection shows a similar improvement, he should be bang in the mix and with Coral paying 5 places, 16/1 is a great price. 

• 5.30pm Tip: C’est Ta Chance (each-way) – 16/1 with Coral (5 places)
• 5.30pm Tip: Cantico (each-way) – 12/1 with Coral (5 places)

Follow Ciaran on Twitter for more Cheltenham tips throughout the week.

---

 

Get £50 in Free Bets when you join CopyBet:

1 Click this link to the CopyBet sign-up offer

2 Register for free and place a £10 bet

3 You get 5 free £10 bets added to your account

 

Cheltenham Wednesday Bookies Offers

Relevant news