Cheltenham Festival 2025 – Day 2 Tips and Betting Preview

It is day two of the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday when another action packed, huge anticipated day of racing takes place in Gloucestershire on an afternoon where the Champion Chase is the feature race.

All eyes will be on the odds on shot Jonbon to see if he can deliver the goods for Nicky Henderson once again but with him being a strong favourite and other strong jollies on the card we’re focusing our attention on the handicap races once again.

2.40 Cheltenham: Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle

A maximum field of 26 & this year, it looks even more difficult to predict the winner as we don’t have the two-time winner Langer Dan to fall back on.  Bunting has been the one for money ever since Paul Townend got confirmed for the ride but I’m opposing him with 2, one from either side of the Irish Sea.   The first of those is Beat The Bat who has been running ultra consistently in decent handicaps without managing to get his head in front.  He started off his campaign finishing 2nd in a Class 2 at Haydock, staying on better than all in atrocious conditions, before again staying on over an inadequate 2 miles in a hot race at Windsor.  He then went to Newbury for this Class 1 William Hill Hurdle where he ran well in 5th of 17 where, again, the trip was insufficient.   This represents a big step up in trip but a record of 2-1-2 at trips beyond the minimum, plus the way he finishes off his races, suggest this test will be right up his street.  He has Cheltenham form too, only giving best to Dysart Enos in a novice hurdle over 12 months ago where again he was undone by the trip.   A return to better ground should suit too & I think this boy will go really well now campaigned beyond two & a half miles for the first time.

From a yard who knows how to ready a handicap winner, I cannot leave out Sandor Clegane.   Opposite to my first selection, he’s stepping down in trip and is down in class for his first ever handicap.  Rated 147 here, he must have a massive chance, given he’s travelled well into contention in all 3 hurdle starts this season but just not quite finished off over 3 miles, with a drop back expected to suit.   At Leopardstown over Christmas, he was 4th in the Grade 1 Savilles Hurdle behind 161-rated Home By The Lee & 158-rated Bob Olinger off level weights, when bang in contention approaching the last. He then backed that up by again finishing 4th, but close up only 3 lengths behind the winner.  He has Festival form too, having finished 3rd in the Albert Bartlett 2 years ago & 4th in the Brown Advisory last year.   He has all the makings of a plot job & I really like his chances in an open contest.

Tips

Back Beat The Bat (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 10.00 Bet365 (⅕ odds 1-6)

Back Sandor Clegane (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 23.00 Boylesports (⅕ odds 1-6)

Back him here:

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3.20 Cheltenham: Cross Country Handicap Chase

I debated long & hard whether to have a bet in this as I think Stumptown will win if he gets round but it’s the ‘if’ that gives me hope.   There are plenty in with chances but it’s not a race to be taking a short price about in opposition to Stumptown so I’ve taken one at a bigger price who will like the drying ground & should stay on better than most.   His chances are almost solely pinned on him not getting too far back & the horse in question is The Goffer.   Placed in the first 5 at the last 2 Festivals in the Ultima, this represents a different test but one he has shown signs of liking, albeit not troubling the judge in 2 runs.  He stayed on from miles back here behind Stumptown but, whilst never contending the places, he finished to great effect & it was a similar story on his only other cross country start at Punchestown on very soft ground.    His mark is dropping & I’m taken by the jockey booking – to my mind, if he’s still in shot as they enter the racecourse proper, he’s the one I’d take to finish the best & give the favourite most to worry about.

Tips

Back The Goffer (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 10.00 Coral (⅕ odds 1-5)

4.40 Cheltenham: Grand Annual Handicap Chase

As expected, another maximum field for this handicap chase that will likely run at a furious pace over the minimum trip.   Typically, this is not a race for favourite backers & you need a horse that generally  travels & jumps well.   This has landed me with 2 bets, the first of those being the Irish trained Midnight It Is.   The one knows the time of day & I feel he’s been let in lightly here.   He’s certainly progressed over the last 12 months, winning a chase off a mark of 112 last January.  On his reappearance this term, he won as easy as you like at Navan before nearly following up next time off a mark in the low 130’s.  That was in a Grade 3 &, had he jumped the last better, he would have been close to landing the hat trick.  The winner that day was his stablemate, The King of Prs, who goes off shorter here, yet my selection is 7lbs better off for a couple of lengths.  His tendency to jump right there suggests a return to a left handed track in Cheltenham might be right up his street too.  His price is probably due to last time out when he flopped as favourite in a listed handicap but given he was found to be coughing post-race, I’m happy to put a line through it.  At decent odds, he looks a good each way play.

The final bet is strong traveller & generally good jumper, General Medrano.  First or second in more than 50% of his 11 chase starts bodes well & his form this term just adds weight to his claims.  Beaten just a length on reappearance, he then blitzed a decent field at Newbury where he travelled ominously well into contention before jumping efficiently to win on the bit by 9 lengths.  He wasn’t so good next time, with a couple of errors thrown in too, but the small field certainly didn’t help.   He was much more on it last time out at Doncaster where he made smooth headway off a very fast pace but just hit the front too soon & idled over the last, going down to a narrow defeat.   If he gets a decent early position & into a rhythm, I’m not sure many will be travelling better 2 out so then it’s a case of him timing his challenge.  At a nice price, I’m happy to have an each way investment on him.

Tips

Back Midnight It Is (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 23.00 William Hill (⅕ odds 1-5)

Back it here:

Back General Medrano (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 19.00 Paddy Power (⅕ odds 1-5)