Find out Cheltenham Festival day 2 betting tips and predictions below, as well as a preview for each race, starting with the Grade 1 Turners’ Novices Hurdle at 1.20pm.
After a thrilling day 1 yesterday, we do it all again on Ladies’ Day at Cheltenham, where Majborough will take centre stage in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at 4pm.
Our tipster Ciaran Murphy has been through the Wednesday card and picked out his best bets for each race.
If you want the stats and historical trends behind these races before diving into the tips, our Cheltenham Day 2 Trends page covers age profiles, trainer records, price patterns and horses to avoid for all seven Champion Day races. For free bets to back these selections, see our Cheltenham Festival free bets guide, which includes a £10 free bet when you bet £10 on the first race and money back all losers in the first race of each day.
Cheltenham Day 2 Tips – Wednesday 11th March
1.20pm – Turners Novices Hurdle
In the Turners, the Grade 1 form line of the DRF is well represented, with apparent winner Ballyfad joined by a horse described by his own trainer after the race as looking like a mare in foal in King Rasko Grey. Perhaps the latter will have more improvement and can turn that form around. That being said, I am taking on this form in its entirety. I’m also against the market principle, No Drama This End. While comparisons with Denman may well be proved true in time, his bumper and hurdle form doesn’t really justify favouritism in a race of this depth.
As a general rule, you won’t get rich backing second-string Willie Mullins horses in Grade 1’s at Cheltenham. Still, the noises of several that are attached to the yard were very positive on this horse and perhaps with no obvious superstar, Paul may have ended up on the wrong one (as he did with the Nice Guy in 2022). SOBER (8/1) has seen his price crash in recent days, but still looks a shade underestimated despite being unbeaten since joining Willie Mullins. Winning all 3 starts for Willie, including on a sounder surface when landing a Royal Ascot Flat handicap on good-to-firm earlier in his career. His latest outing was a fairly straightforward win in the Moscow Flyer, won in 2023 by Impaire est Passe, who went on to win this very race at the Festival.
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2.00pm – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
In my antepost preview for this, I had approached this on the basis that the ground would ride on the soft side after what felt like endless rain. However, writing on the eve of Day 1, the betting moves and jockey bookings strongly suggest we’re set for much quicker conditions. That shift in the ground picture brings a couple I hadn’t initially factored in more prominently into the equation: Koktail Divin and Romero Coolio.
Of the pair, slight preference is for ROMEO COOLIO (4/1), who had Koktail Divin well behind when they met at Down Royal. While his last two runs over less than 2 miles are certainly not ideal, the drying ground will help negate marginal concerns over the new 3m 1f trip.
With conditions now likely to emphasise jumping accuracy and tactical pace rather than outright stamina, Romero Coolio looks overpriced if reproducing that Down Royal effort and makes more appeal than several shorter in the market. At an each-way price, the official rating of WESTERN FOLD (12/1), added to the promise of his run at the DRF, means he is overpriced, albeit the very fact that stablemate Romeo Coolio is in the race and being ridden by Jack Kennedy does slightly temper enthusiasm.
2.40pm – BetMGM Cup
At 2.40 we have the artist formerly known as the Coral Cup, and in a typically deep 24-runner handicap, it makes plenty of sense to play two against the field.
The main selection is PUTURHANDSTOGETHER (12/1), who ticks plenty of the right boxes for this. A Festival winner in last season’s Fred Winter, he’s already proven he handles the unique demands of Cheltenham, and his Flat credentials add further substance to his claims. He was good enough to land the Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh on decent ground in September. That blend of stamina, tactical pace and big-field experience is exactly what you want for a race like this, and he looks set to run a major race if coping with the step back into a strongly-run handicap hurdle.
The saver is STORM HEART (7/1). I don’t usually lean towards favourites in races as competitive as this, but his claims are fairly obvious. This is only his second start in handicap company, and he bumped into what looked like a well-treated rival in McLaurey at last year’s DRF. He arrives here off the back of a Grade 2 success in the Red Mills Hurdle and, crucially, has avoided an overly punitive rise in the weights for that effort. The booking of the defending champion jockey for this race, Danny Mullins, is another positive, even if Paul Townend opting not to ride is a small concern.
3.20pm – Cross Country Handicap Chase
The head of the market looks strong here, and the principals set a solid standard. That being said, I’m happy to take a slightly wilder each-way swing with the mercurial PIED PIPER (25/1).
Just touched off in the County Hurdle at 2 of the last three Festivals, he clearly has the class for a race of this nature and already boasts solid Cheltenham form — even if not over these unique cross-country fences. While he hasn’t always looked the most resolute in a finish, this test could actually play to his strengths.
A sounder surface and the novelty of the banks course may just help eke out the few extra pounds of effort he sometimes lacks at the business end, particularly if the race turns tactical rather than attritional. Against two very worthy market leaders, he makes plenty of appeal as a lively each-way alternative at the prices.
4.00pm – Queen Mother Champion Chase
In the feature contest of the day, the Queen Mother Champion Chase, it really might be as simple as the market suggests; MAJBOROUGH (10/11) looks close to impossible to oppose.
For all intents and purposes, he should already be a two-time Festival winner, going desperately close last year despite his jumping falling apart late on. That experience now reads like a learning curve rather than a flaw, and everything about his profile since suggests he’s come back a more complete chaser.
The application of cheekpieces at the Dublin Racing Festival appeared to transform his jumping, helping him produce what was arguably one of the standout two-mile chasing performances of recent seasons. Even reproducing 75% of that effort would likely suffice here.
4.40pm – Grand Annual Handicap Chase
I’m happy to go two against the field in the 4.40 with Break My Soul (20/1) and Rubaud (25/1), both appealing each-way plays in what is typically one of the most frantic handicaps of the week.
BREAK MY SOUL (20/1) represents a very shrewd yard who don’t send over runners to make up the numbers. She has been running respectably in Graded Mares and Novice chances and is extremely interesting here off a light weight and drop in class.
Having given progressive Champion Hurdle contender Alexei plenty to think about at Wincanton last time out, RUBAUD (25/1) has other classy back form (albeit mainly over hurdles) which indicate that he is better than a mark of 148.
5.20pm – Champion Bumper
In the last race, I am going to go with what I believe is the standout piece of form rather than which horse may have the most long-term potential. The win of THE MOUNRE RAMBLER (10/1) in what is typically the strongest Leopardstown Christmas bumper has possibly been overlooked due to the trainer. While flat jockeys don’t have an amazing record in the race, Colin Keane is certainly of the calibre to put that theory to the test and again, the trainer doesn’t send them over to make up the numbers.
Paul Townends (assumed 2nd choice decision) to ride Quiryn (12/1) must also be significant, and as a 4-year-old, he gets plenty of weight. After Ferny Hollow in 2020, we know that Patrick can sometimes get this decision wrong, and Quiryn looked very smart on his sole start this year at the track.
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For what the wider punditry world is thinking about Wednesday’s racing, our Cheltenham pundit tips page has the latest picks from Tom Segal, Ruby Walsh, Kevin Blake, Matt Chapman and more. If you’re still looking at the free bet offers, the Cheltenham free bets guide has every sign-up deal available.
Odds correct at time of writing. 18+ only. Please gamble responsibly.
Ciaran Murphy is a seasoned horse racing analyst with a keen eye on the Cheltenham Festival ante-post markets. A passionate follower of National Hunt racing, he has spent years studying trends, form, and betting strategies to uncover value in novice hurdles, chases, and Championship races. Known for combining insightful analysis with practical betting advice, Ciaran provides readers with expert previews, tips, and market commentary to give them an edge ahead of every Cheltenham Festival.