Cheltenham Festival Day 2 Tips – Preview and Betting Tip for Every Race on Wednesday 16th March

Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival features the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the match-up everybody wanted between Shishkin and Energumene at 3,30pm. Elsewhere, Tiger Roll is looking to win at Cheltenham again and Sir Gerhard is a well-backed favourite. 

Wednesday’s action gets underway at 1.30pm with the Ballymore Novices Hurdle and the Champion Chase is at 3.30pm. One of the best races of the week is the Cross Country Chase and there will be no more popular winner than Tiger Roll.

 

Cheltenham Day 2 Tips

 

1:30 Cheltenham 

The opener on Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival is the Ballymore Novices Hurdle, a Grade 1 for the novices over the 2m5f trip.

It’s hard to oppose SIR GERHARD (8/11) here. This doesn’t look the deepest of renewals and I don’t see much pace in the race which will suit his potent turn of foot. He’s the speediest horse in the line-up and will be suited by getting a lead today instead of having to do his own donkey work. Stage Star has to step up again in my opinion and Journey With Me may need further. I’d expect Three Stripe Life to chase the favourite home again, just like he did last month.

 

2:10 Cheltenham

The 2:10 from HQ is the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices Chase, a real test for the Novice Chases over an extended 3m trip.

The one for me is AHOY SENOR (11/2) NAP. Although he was beaten by the favourite Bravemansgame comfortably on Boxing Day at Kempton, today will be a different ball game. This type of stamina test round Cheltenham will suit an awful lot more than the sharp Kempton track they raced on that day. He’ll relish the Cheltenham hill which has to be a doubt for the two market rivals in my opinion given they both look speedy sorts. Ahoy Senor is much better going left-handed than right and if he can cut out any silly novicey mistakes, I think he’ll win this and outstay the others.

 

2:50 Cheltenham

The first handicap on Day 2 is the forever competitive Coral Cup where 27 runners are set to go to post for this cavalry charge over 2m5f.

The one I’ve landed on is THE SHUNTER (8/1) EW. He absolutely hosed up in the Plate here last year despite making a mistake at the last and the return to hurdles for this years Cheltenham Festival bid can hopefully prove no problem. We see a lot of horses these days returning year on year and running their best races of the season and I think the same can be said for this lad. He has a fantastic record here at Cheltenham which includes a victory in the competitive Greatwood Hurdle over hurdles and I’d expect this 2m5f trip to suit him well. He’s ran at Grade 1 level last season and wasn’t disgraced by any means. He’s a classy sort running in a handicap and he’ll be able to go the pace comfortably and will have no issues handling the big field size or the occasion.

 

3:30 Cheltenham

The feature on the second day is the eagerly anticipated renewal of the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Grade 1 contest for the speedy chasers over the minimum 2m trip.

This is an interesting race and you could watch this race easily without a bet. I’d be happy to chance ENERGUMENE (7/2) at the prices. This race is 2f less than the Ascot contest Shishkin beat him by a length and although he got the run of it, Shishkin hit 8/1 in play that day and if he didn’t jump the last two fences perfectly, I doubt he would have got up. Energumene didn’t have the ideal preparation for that either, having a slight setback over Christmas so you could argue he was entitled to improve slightly for that effort. I think Townend will actually go slower today on him and try and use that turn of foot which could prove decisive.

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4:10 Cheltenham

Next up at Cheltenham is the unique Glenfarclas Chase ran over the Cross Country course. Only cross country specialists need apply.

I’m predicting a fairytale victory for TIGER ROLL (13/8) in his final race. This has obviously been the plan again this year and conditions have certainly come right for the old boy. He’ll get the quick ground he needs to show his best form and if he is anywhere near the level of form he showed us last season here, he’ll win again doing handstands. The market vibes have been positive for him over the last few weeks which suggest connections are really happy with him. Has to be tough to beat.

 

4:50 Cheltenham

The 4:50 from Cheltenham is Grand Annual Chase, a thrilling handicap to watch as they go a right gallop over the 2m distance.

I have liked BUDDY RICH (7/1) for this race for a while now. This has definitely been the plan all season and I’m adamant he’s a lot better than a mark of 144. He’s ran well here at Cheltenham earlier in the season which was likely an eye-opener and to get him used to travelling. He’s been kept fresh for it since running a great race behind Dunvegan back in November. That horse has since boosted the form running well in decent graded races. Davy Russell takes the reigns for this and he’s the master round this track, especially in handicaps.

 

5:30 Cheltenham

The finale on the second day is the eagerly anticipated Champion Bumper, a Grade 1 National Hunt flat contest over 2m. This years renewal looks a cracker.

The one I like here is AMERICAN MIKE (5/2) NB. He’s looked a real star in the making for the Gordon Elliot winning his two bumper runs decisively including a 17l romp last time out. He’s very well regarded and it’s easy to see why. I think he should be closer to Facile Vega in the market as I find it hard to split them. I think recency bias has played a part in that. He’s a real big imposing sort to look at and I think he’s going continue to improve and improve. The front two look good but he’s the value.

 

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