There’s a whopping £200,000 up for grabs in the ITV7 on day two of the Cheltenham Festival, which takes place on Wednesday 12th March. Another sensational day’s racing is expected at Prestbury Park and our resident in-house tipster Steve Chambers aims to point you in the right direction of a few winners and picks out his selections for each of the seven races.
Race 1 – 1.20pm Cheltenham – Turners Novices’ Hurdle
Final Demand and The New Lion have been two of the most exciting novice hurdlers around this campaign and they are entitled to be prominent figures in the betting for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, but could they be vulnerable to THE YELLOW CLAY, who can cause an upset. Gordon Elliott’s raider is four out of four over hurdles and was an emphatic eight-length winner in Grade 1 company last time out. He possesses speed and stamina and he could well be capable of roaring home in the closing stages to deny the front two in the betting.
Race 2 – 2.00pm Cheltenham – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
He produced one of the performances of the Cheltenham Festival last season when bounding to an emphatic victory in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle, and BALLYBURN can make it back-to-back wins at this meeting as he can prove simply too good for his rivals in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, which is off at 2:00pm. He will have a notable rival in the shape of stablemate Dancing City, but he’s one that lacks the class of Ballyburn, who can yet again sparkle around the undulations and claim Grade 1 glory again for Willie Mullins.
Race 3 – 2.40pm Cheltenham – Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
One of the toughest betting conundrums of the entire week, the Coral Cup is always a hugely competitive contest and the 2:40pm renewal on Wednesday afternoon looks no different. However, it can go to Joseph O’Brien’s COMFORT ZONE, who was last seen running a fine race when third at Leopardstown, and the JP McManus-owned star can build on that effort here and claim victory. Prior to that run he was a winner at Naas, so he continues to improve with every run over hurdles and he looks tailor-made for this sort of contest.
Race 4 – 2.58pm Huntingdon – Join The 20 Club At Huntingdon Novices’ Limited Handicap Hurdle
Attention switches to Huntingdon for race four and the 2:58pm contest and it’s the Charles Byrnes-trained VICTORY STAR that can take victory here. He’s been struggling in recent times in Ireland, but could well benefit from the trip across the water and he could be more than capable of landing this pretty mediocre contest.
Race 5 – 3.20pm Cheltenham – Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
Stumptown is the one to beat in the Cross Country Chase at 3:20pm having won the trial in impressive fashion, but he could come unstuck off top weight and it’s safer to side with Gordon Elliott’s GALVIN, who could prove to be a real class above his rivals. Second in the 2023 race behind Delta Work, the Cullentra House 11-year-old has been slipping down the handicap in recent runs and receiving weight from Stumptown he could well make the most of that and down his Irish compatriot here.
Race 5 – 4.00 Cheltenham – BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase
Undoubtedly, Jonbon is the one they all have to beat here and Nicky Henderson’s star is the most likely winner, but having on his last two visits to the Cheltenham Festival the Seven Barrows raider is worth taking on. Gordon Elliott’s FOUND A FIFTY could be a potential outsider that runs a big race as he has already claimed two impressive wins over fences this season, but disappointed last time out. Second in the Arkle last season, he has shown he can take to the Prestbury Park undulations and he’s worth taking a chance on.
Race 7 – 4.40 Cheltenham – Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase
Gavin Cromwell’s MIDNIGHT IT IS was disappointing last time out when well fancied at Leopardstown, but he was found to be coughing post-race, so that poor run can be ignored. Prior to that he’d been hugely progressive over fences and he looks more than capable of landing victory in the Grand Annual Handicap Chase at 4:40pm. Reigning champion Unexpected Party is the one to beat in this event, but the Cromwell charge could be more than capable of downing Dan Skelton’s contender here and is another big-priced selection.
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