Cheltenham Festival Day 2 Wednesday Preview Tips

Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival and our top tipster has his best bets for all the big races including the Ballymore Novices Hurdle and Champion Chase.

Ballymore Novices

Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival kicks off with the Ballymore. Impair Et Passe looks to be this year’s talking horse from the preview circuit? Can Hermes Allen break the Challow stat?

Let’s start with Gaelic Warrior though another from the Willie Mullins team. Second in last year’s Boodles hes unbeaten in three starts this season since. The big issue is his jumping just though as he definitely would be better going right-handed. Add in that previous Handicap winners stepping into grade 1 company have a terrible record and I`m happy to oppose.

Stable mate Impaire Et Passe has been the Mullins talking horse, impressive both starts over hurdles but hes priced all on potential and that Naas race might not have much depth to it.

Hermes Allen is smaller type than the usual Nicholls horse,  all 20 challow winners have been in this although 6 of the last 9 placed it will be broken at some point but it does worry me and it carries logic that they are good but just get caught out after that test. Paul Nicholls has never won the race either.

There was a lot to like about how Good Land won at the Dublin Racing Festival, He travelled, jumped and showed a really good attitude when challenged, he gave the impression to me he would just pick up again if needed. I`m surprised he’s not a bit shorter and the same connections won with Marine National in the Supreme I feel he could give them another success here and is a confident selection.

Of those at slightly bigger odds Champ Keily looks the each way play, he was a bit disappointing behind Marine Nationale 2 starts back but looked to appreciate the step up in trip when an impressive winner over this trip, soft ground should also be to his liking

Selection: Good Land – Each Way Alternative: Champ Kiely

Brown Advisory

The Brown Advisory up next and another banker for many in the shape of the unbeaten Gerri Colombe.

For me he’s been extremely well placed by Gordon Elliot, he looked all about stamina last time out at Sandown so this step up in trip should suit but he`s a bit short in the market now Thyme Hill was late to fences he has done okay but not for me. The Real Whacker is a dual winner here at Cheltenham festival recently taking the grade 2 Dipper, he still needs to improve on those efforts though and might just lack the class of a couple her. Undoubtedly the class angle to the race is Sir Gerhard, he’s won at the festival twice before winning the bumper and then the Ballymore over hurdles last season. He can make the odd mistake at his fences but he is the class horse and I think the step up in trip might just enable him to get into a rhythm early if that’s the case he could simply out class these.

Ramillies lost the race in the steward’s room last time out, he`s always been well liked by the Mullins team and looks all about stamina of the bigger priced runner he would be my choice this Cheltenham Festival.

Selection: Sir Gerhard – Each Way Alternative: Ramilies

Coral Cup (Cheltenham Festival)

Onto the Coral Cup JP McManus has another handicap hurdle favourite with Camprond. Set to be a maximum field normally plenty dark tips being thrown about for this of well handicapped horses

Of those at the front of the market though I think HMS Seahorse is solid, fourth in the the Fred Winter last year could still have more to offer over this type of trip. Gordon Elliot runs plenty and of them I think Fil Dor looks the pick, second in last seasons Triumph he deserves top weight here, he beat Sharjah in a grade 3 at Gowran last time and connections take off a handy 5lb.

Selection: HMS Seahorse – Each Way Alternative: Fil Dor

Champion Chase

Onto the feature of the day Edwardstone, Enegumene and Editeur DU Gite all meet last time out here at Cheltenham with the latter coming out on top. Excuses were made for Energumene that day and he will be tough to beat I think in a bid to defend his crown with the ground maybe coming in his favour. That said its Edwardstone of the principals who I want to be with. Last season’s Arkle winner didn’t really have things go to plan last time and had to make a considerable amount of ground up in a short period. Those efforts looked to take its toll in the end but with the race likely to be more of pace collapse this time around I expect a different result. Of the bigger price runners, I`d take a chance on Captain Guinness maybe sneaky a place, he stays further than this and handles conditions. He arrives here a fresh horse after a fair effort behind Blue Lord at Christmas.

Selection: Edwardstone – Each Way Alternative: Captain Guinness

Glenfarclas Chase

Not a race  for everyone but Gordon Elliot is certainly a fan and he trains both the market principals in Galvin and Delta Work. The former would have been the pick on decent ground as he is probably the classiest horse in the race having finished fourth in last seasons Gold Cup. Last years winner Delta Work is expected to just have the edge though, he really appreciates testing conditions and hes shown wnough in finishing 3^rd here in a handicap and over a shorter trip than ideal iver hurdles last time to suggest he should be able to defend his crown. Of those at much bigger prices I`m happy to take a chance on Lieutenant Rocco, he has plenty to find on ratings but he’s a good jumper and was an impressive winner last time out, he could out run his fancy odds.

Selection: – Each Way Alternative: Lieutenant Rocco

Grand Annual (Cheltenham Festival)

The Grand Annual is up next always a fiercely run affair and a race in which you generally want something who can travel up with the pace given the difficult nature to make ground on this course.

Plenty in here from last year’s race including likely favourite Andy Dufresne. That said it’s the progressive Final Orders from the Gavin Cromwell team who I want to be with of the market principals. Unbeaten in 5 starts this season including when landing a competitive handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival last time we still don’t know exactly how good he can be. A mark of 150 makes things tougher but his proven ability in these types of handicaps and progressive profile counts for a lot. Of the others Coueur Sublime brings a class angle to the race, good over hurdles including running in a Champion hurdle he’s shown glimpses over fences in graded company that he could have decent pot in him at some stage. Connections claim 5lbs off him which will also help his chances and has claims at double figure odds

Selection: Final Order: – Each Way Alternative: Coeur Sublime

Champion Bumper

Day 2 closes with the Champion bumper in which 5 of the front 6 in the betting are currently trained by that man Willie Mullins.

A Dream To Share bought by JP after success at the Dublin Racing Festival, I thought there was a lot to like about the performance and I think if he was trained by Mullins or Elliot he would be much shorter. Provided the ground is not to testing he could have to much speed for these

Better Days Ahead was a good winner last time out beating the reopposing Willie Mullins trained Chapeau De Soleil and Id expect the former to confirm that form again, he seems to appreciate the softer conditions that day and I`m surprised he is not a few points shorter in the market.

Selection: A Dream To Share- Each Way Alternative: Better Days Ahead