Cheltenham Festival 2023 Review & 2024 Pointers and 77/1 Ante-post Betting Tips
Performance of the week – Galopin Des Champs The Cheltenham Festival never fails to deliver…
Cheltenham Day 2 is Ladies Day, and there’s always tons of attention not just on the fashion, but the racing two with it all about the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Getting underway on Wednesday 15h March, there’s a full day’s racing and tons of opportunities to win some pretty hefty payouts.
Get all our day 2 betting tips from OB (follow him on Twitter) below with a preview for each race and the best bookies offers to use to make sure you are making the most of all the promotions available.
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An absolute cracker to get day 2 started. Any of the top 5 could win with 3 horses coming into this on the back of a Grade 1 win. Added to that is another graded success and a top-weighted carrying performance in a DRF handicap.
I’ve been on IMPAIRE ET PASSE (7/4 with Coral) since his debut performance in December (read week 9 of my Ante Post tips) and there’s no way I will be turning my back on him now. 10 days ago he was neck and neck with Hermes Allen in the betting but with (what seems like) about 200 strong mentions throughout the preview night scene, he is a clear 7/4 fav now. The confidence coming out the Mullins yard over the last few days on this lad is frightening. To be this short in a field like this takes some doing, especially when the form of his wins isn’t a clear standout.
He flew through the ground on debut in Naas when horses in every other race were crawling home and won the SkyBet Moscow Flyer hurdle on heavy ground less than a month later. I thought he was some weapon on both starts and I hope he improves further and storms up that Cheltenham hill.
There are very good horses in this race and Hermes Allen, Gaelic Warrior, Good Land and Champ Kiely all have the form on the track and the right connections to be competitive here but it will be a race for 2nd as they look at Impaire Et Passe’s behind stretching clear. I wouldn’t put anyone off having an EW bet on the one 5th in the betting though in Champ Kiely. 8/1 represents good value on him.
Back Impaire Et Passe 7/4 with Coral.
Each-way Selection: Champ Kiely at 8/1 with bet365.
I was surprised when 11 were declared here as I was expecting a smaller field. Even though it has more quantity than originally thought, it still lacks the quality of previous renewals. There’s no reason to complicate things though and GERRI COLOMBE (13/8 with bet365) is the right fav and the most likely winner and I can’t find faults with him.
7 form 7 under rules and 2 Grade 1 wins over fences this season, he has the form in the bag and the class to keep improving. He won well last time at Sandown on ground and a trip that wouldn’t have been ideal. The step up to 3m will only bring out more and with the ground very likely to be soft, he ticks every box. He’s clever at his fences and got everything you would look for in a 3m chaser.
Sir Gerhard is the class horse in the race and could win but with an awful prep for this and only 1 run over fences, it will take some performance to lower the colours of Gerri. He is the trend buster as he barely ticks a box and if I’m offering an alternative to the favourite then I think Adamantly Chosen is a grand EW price at 20/1.
Back Gerri Colombe at 7/4 with bet365.
Each-way Selection: Adamantly Chosen at 20/1 with Sky Bet (4 places)
For me, the most competitive handicap race of the week and one I don’t usually have a good record in. Never be worried about having a few darts at races like these though. Camprond (week 18 Ante Post pick) is one that’s been on my radar for a while but I’m worried the ground has gone against him for the 2nd year running. A lover of good ground, his chances weaken the more rain we have.
With that in mind I’m happy to put up 2 other selections in the way of BEACON EDGE (14/1 with bet365) and GOOD RISK AT ALL. The former has been targeted for this ever since returning to hurdles in December and his 3rd behind Blazing Khal in the Boyne hurdle is good form. 5lb claimer Michael O’Sullivan is booked and he has a huge chance. Good Risk At All was aimed at this last season only to be balloted out by 1. He has got his chance this year and hes a horse who will love the rain that has come. The more rain the better.
Back Beacon Edge EW 14/1 with bet365 (6 places) & Good Risk At All EW 12/1 with bet365 (6 places)
I really fancy EDWARDSTONE (6/4 with Betfred) here and I think he turns the form of the Clarence House around and wins. (You can read a further explanation in my latest AP blog where I backed him in a double with Mighty Potter).
The rain would slightly inconvenience him and it will benefit his main market rival and last year’s winner Energumene but I still think he’s the most likely winner. I was impressed with the speed he showed on trials day and he will be ridden more prominently here which will suit him. I think it’s a 3 horse race and I would be amazed if anyone out of the top 3 in the betting wins this. Arkle winners have great records in this race and I’m confident Edwardstone can add his name to the list who have gone on to win both.
Back Edwardstone at 6/4 with Betfred.
Not many words or analysis to go through for the race over the banks for me. There are 2 graded performers in the race and the rest are handicappers. DELTA WORK (last year’s winner) and Galvin are the top 2 at the market and I’d be amazed if 1 of Gordon Elliott’s charges doesn’t win this. With the rain around on Monday night and more due before Wednesday then it’s Delta Work’s race to lose. Galvin hasn’t shortened vastly over the past couple of weeks but the soft ground will inconvenience him more than it will Delta Work.
Back Delta Work at 5/4 with William Hill.
I hope the day goes well enough to not have to have an escape plan out of here, but that won’t stop me backing ANDY DUNFRESE (6/1 with bet365) in this race. ‘Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies’ In other words back the JP good thing in the handicap.
Now I know there are 2 of them at the top of the market but as this race has a strong trend in winners having ran in the race the previous year, there’s only one place to look. Sent off the 10/3f last year, he only found 1 too good for him and just fell short of giving the winner 19lb.
His form this season is nothing to write home about but this would have been the target all year and you can forget everything he has done during the Autumn/Winter. He has to carry top weight again and it’s not going to be easy but after running well on that bottomless ground last year, he is sure to cope with the ground this year. There’s no stand out performer here and I think Andy Dufresne has a great chance. Dads Lad is one I fear and I believe he is a great EW price, although he won’t want the ground too soft.
Back Andy Dufresne at 6/1 with bet365.
Theres several in here you could make a case for and you can spend hours going round in circles thinking you’ve found the one. Willie has 10 in here alone and trying to pick his top 3 is hard enough. A Dream to Share is the correct fav and has the best form coming into this. That bumper at the DRF is usually a key guide to this race and he won that well from a strong field. He could improve again and go on to win this but because it’s such an open race I’m happy to look elsewhere. I’ve landed on the runner up in that race in FACT TO FILE (5/1 with bet365), who is the choice of Patrick Mullins to ride.
Having won a bumper over 2m4f earlier in the season, he doesn’t lack for stamina and I think that asset is going to be huge here with the ground riding on soft and 24-runner bumper with plenty of pace up front. I can see my selection staying on well at the end when others tire. It’s impossible to see how this market ends up but I think he will shorten before the off so I would be taking the price as early as you can.
Back Fact to File at 5/1 with bet365 (5 places)
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Time | Race | Odds |
---|---|---|
1.30pm | Impaire Et Passe (NRNB) | 7/4 |
2.10pm | Gerri Colombe & Adamently Chosen (ew) | 13/8 & 20/1 |
2.50pm | Beacon Edge & Good Risk At All | 14/1 & 12/1 |
3.30pm | Edwardstone | 6/4 |
4.10pm | Delta Work | 5/4 |
4.50pm | Andy Dunfrese | 6/1 |
5.30pm | Fact To File | 5/1 |
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Day 2 is always an interesting day and when it comes to betting it can be very much dictated by how well you did the day before. Here at That’s A Goal, we’ll be bringing you all the best betting odds and Cheltenham betting predictions both in the build-up and during Day 2 of the festival…
Performance of the week – Galopin Des Champs The Cheltenham Festival never fails to deliver…
The blue riband/ribboned (🤷🏼♂️) race of the week (and the year) the 2023 Cheltenham Festival…
Our Cheltenham Festival tipping competition returns for day 4 of the 2023 Festival and the…
The races come thick and fast right across the festival, and after an action-packed Day 1, we move to a day which welcomes a number of Grade 1 races, including the incredibly popular Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase.
The racing gets underway at 1.30pm, with seven races running through to the early evening. You can find the full schedule for Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival 2023 below…
START TIMES | RACE | DISTANCE | TYPE | TELEVISED |
13:30 | The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1) | 2m abt 5f | Hurdle | ITV |
14:10 | The Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase (Grade 1) | 3m abt ½ f | Chase | ITV |
14:50 | The Coral Cup Hurdle (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Grade 3) | 2m abt 5f | Hurdle | ITV |
15:30 | The Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase (Grade 1) (feature race) |
Abt 2m | Chase | ITV |
16:10 | The Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase | 3m 6f | Chase | ITV |
16:50 | The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Grade 3) | 2m abt ½f | Chase | |
17.30 | The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Standard Open NH Flat Race) (Grade 1) | 2m abt ½f | Bumper |
Day 2 is one of our favourite days of the festival and we keep our eyes on the markets well in advance. There are some great non runner no bet offers (NRNB) odds to make the most of and you can get plenty of value in ante-post betting. Below you’ll find the best odds currently out there as well as our thoughts on some of the key meets of the day from our resident horse racing expert.
Time | Race | Odds |
---|---|---|
1.30pm | Impaire Et Passe (NRNB) | 7/4 |
2.10pm | Gerri Colombe & Adamently Chosen (ew) | 13/8 & 20/1 |
2.50pm | Beacon Edge & Good Risk At All | 14/1 & 12/1 |
3.30pm | Edwardstone | 6/4 |
4.10pm | Delta Work | 5/4 |
4.50pm | Andy Dunfrese | 6/1 |
5.30pm | Fact To File | 5/1 |
The Brown Advisory Novices Chase sees me go to graded company and across the Irish sea again with this week’s pick coming from the Gordon Elliott yard. I’ve been mulling over putting this horse up for a while but just resisted due to the risk of going to another race. The horse being declared this weekend tells us a lot of where he is going to be aimed at and I’m getting on now before his price plummets.
Gerri Colombe (8/1) is the pick for the 3m Brown Advisory Chase and you can bet on Cheltenham non runner no bet at these bookies. I’ve wanted to put another selection in this race due to my previous pick being the unfortunate and ill-fated Three Stripe Life. Gerri Colombe has this and the National Hunt Chase as entries at the festival but it’s looking very unlikely that he runs in the latter as he probably won’t be qualified. His declaration at Sandown on Saturday over 2m4 is likely to be his last race before Cheltenham so therefore cannot run in the NHC meaning his festival target should be this.
Unbeaten in all 6 starts under rules (two flat, two hurdles and two chases), I believe we are nowhere near seeing Gerri Colombe’s best on a racecourse yet. Gordon has been steady with him and didn’t run him in any of the spring festivals last season. His runs have only come between November-February so running in the spring is an unknown but it’s an unknown that doesn’t worry me. There’s often talk that the horse needs soft/heavy but Gordon has denied that and said even though he is better on ground that has significant give in it, he believes he can handle the better ground too.
You could argue that the majority of horses he has beaten in his career aren’t G1 or top horses but I think that’s just Gordon giving him a soft approach into the game. He battled well at Limerick over Xmas and got the better of Adamantly Chosen & Kilcruit and im certain there’s a lot more to come when stepped up in trip.
I think his price will shorten before Saturday’s run and then shorten again after the race (I think he wins) so I would advise you to take the 8/1 now. The Brown Advisory lacks a bit of class in my opinion and I think my selection is going to lay the law down and put himself at the time of the market come Saturday afternoon.
Stake – 1pt win only Gerri Colombe (Brown Advisory Chase) 8/1 Coral
Delta Work had the unfortunate role of the party pooper in this year’s renewal of the Cross Country as he didn’t read the script of letting Tiger Roll win his 6th race at the Festival. Booed into the winner’s enclosure at Cheltenham, the horse definitely didn’t deserve that, and I’m hoping he can make up for that next March by walking into the enclosure to loud cheers.
I cannot see a horse getting close to Delta Work in this sphere and I expect him to dominate the division for a while. A proper graded animal in his prime, he is showing no signs of tailing off just yet and I would be confident of him adding another Cross Country win to connections again.
Back Delta Work in the Cross Country at EVS with bet365!
Tis the season to have a bit of a swing at a big price. This week’s selection is one that I have had my eye on for a while. I had actually backed him back in May for the Ballymore (the reasons will become clear) but it is now the Champion Bumper that I am putting him up for.
The horse, as many of you will probably have guessed from my intro, is Barry the Butcher. Bought by Mr Ballymore, Sean Mulryan, after an impressive win in a Lingstown point to point just two days before last year’s Cheltenham Festival (watch the race below), he was subsequently sent to Henry De Bromhead. The distant second in that race was Croke Park, who would later be purchased for €400,000 for Gordon Elliot and Gigginstown.
The standout concern for me is Henry’s reluctance in the past to target the Champion Bumper. Indeed, his last runner in the race was in 2015. However, in his stable tour, he indicated that BTB would be sticking to bumpers this year and he has now entered him in the Leopardstown Bumper on St Stephen’s Day, a race won last year by a certain Facile Vega. He might meet OBs week 3 selection Chapeau Du Soleil here and if he were to win, I think that Henry would have no choice but to aim for the big one.
The final positive was the victory on the John Durcan Card of Henry’s Slade Steel over Blizzard of Oz, who Patrick Mullins had put up as a bumper horse to follow. I am fairly certain that Barry the Butcher is the number 1 Bumper horse in the stable and if that’s the case 20/1 with bet365 looks huge for the Champion in March.
Put your money on 20/1 each way shot Barry in the Bumper with bet365!
There will be plenty of bookies offering great odds and extra places throughout Day 2 as the festival hots up and they try and grab your business.
Brands such as SBK and LiveScoreBet are ramping up their Cheltenham offering this year, and have some great odds and some fantastic special offers to enjoy, whilere there are of course many more bookies perfect for playing with at the festival.
Below you’ll find some of our favourite bookmakers to play with, all tried and trusted and having some excellent Cheltenham bets…
Throughout Cheltenham we’ll be not only providing you with our best picks, daily NAP and lucky 15 picks, we’ll also be bringing you daily predictions from some of the best horse racing pundits out there too.
The likes of Ruby Walsh, Matt Chapman and Kevin Blake offer their thoughts on all the races throughout the week and you really won’t miss a thing with TAG. Our pundit tips page is jam-packed with their thoughts, as well as the best odds on them, meaning you can back their predictions with us in a matter of minutes.
Of course, there’s no better way to make the most of the festival than with a free bet. Across Day 2 you’ll find plenty of offers on all the races, as well as dozens of free bets from brands such as Betfred, Coral, bet365 and SBK.
You’ll find many of our favourite promotions for Cheltenham Day 2 below, while there are many more to sign up to and enjoy on our free bet offers page.
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