After a thrilling start to Cheltenham on Tuesday, there are another seven races to look forward to on day two, with proceedings getting underway at 1.20pm in the Turner Novices’ Hurdle.
Here, Daily Mail Sport brings you our expert racing tips, featuring a selection, main danger and live outsider for each race…
L’Eau Du Sud, ridden by Harry Skelton, powered to victory at Cheltenham in November
TURNER NOVICES’ HURDLE
1.20: GRADE ONE – 2 MILES, 5 FURLONGS
A full field of 22 line up, and Gordon Elliott appears to hold a strong hand with both Skylight Hustle and Ballyfad.
Skylight Hustle was an impressive winner of a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse before landing the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Christmas. As a point-to-point winner, the step up in trip should suit him.
Ballyfad lost his unbeaten record when beaten by Talk The Talk — seventh in yesterday’s Supreme — in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival, though he shaped as though a longer trip would play to his strengths.
Taurus Bay was defeated for the first time in his career on Trials Day over this intermediate distance, though he could outrun his lofty odds. The form of his earlier victory at Aintree has been boosted since.
SELECTION: SKYLIGHT HUSTLE… 14-1
MAIN DANGER: BALLYFAD… 11-1
LIVE OUTSIDER: TAURUS BAY… 33-1
BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES’ CHASE
2.00: GRADE ONE – 3 MILES, 1 FURLONG
Although Final Demand needs to bounce back from a below-par effort at the Dublin Racing Festival, the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old still has considerable potential.
Beaten by The New Lion, third in yesterday’s Champion Hurdle, in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle last season, he made a flawless chasing debut at Navan, winning by 13 lengths. He followed that with an eight-length success in a Grade One before finishing third last time out at Leopardstown. This step up in trip could bring about improvement.
The novice chase Koktail Divin won easily at Leopardstown at Christmas was the same contest won by Fact To File prior to his victory in this race in 2024.
Connor King has only two horses in training, but Oscars Brother may be overpriced given his rich vein of form.
SELECTION: FINAL DEMAND… 7-1
MAIN DANGER: KOKTAIL DIVIN… 8-1
LIVE OUTSIDER: OSCARS BROTHER… 12-1
BETMGM CUP HANDICAP HURDLE
2.40: 2 MILES, 5 FURLONGS
A full field for this newly- sponsored race, and it looks fiercely competitive. Jingko Blue has reverted back to hurdling this season after losing his confidence over fences, and he caught the eye when finishing runner-up behind Stayers’ Hurdle contender Kabral Du Mathan at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
The handicapper has left him on 144, which could underestimate his chances. Connections of The Yellow Clay have opted to apply first-time cheekpieces following a below-par effort at Leopardstown in the Christmas Hurdle last time. He makes his handicap debut here, back at a course where he split Champion Hurdle third The New Lion and Final Demand last season.
Ballyadam returns to the Festival for a sixth straight year and has been placed in this race in each of the past two seasons.
SELECTION: JINGKO BLUE… 10-1
MAIN DANGER: THE YELLOW CLAY… 17-2
LIVE OUTSIDER: BALLYADAM… 20-1
CROSS COUNTRY CHASE
3.20: 3 MILES, 5 FURLONGS
The presence of last year’s winner Stumptown means several horses are forced out of the handicap, as he lines up off a lofty rating of 162. However, he could once again defy top weight.
The nine-year-old faces three talented rivals in Favori De Champdou, Desertmore House and Vanillier but he has clearly been targeted at this race again after a 150-day break following his win in the Velka Pardubicka in October. Favori De Champdou was an impressive winner on Trials Day over this course and distance, but he competes here from a mark 8lb higher, which will make life more difficult.
His Gordon Elliott stablemate Pied Piper boasts form figures of 131232 at Cheltenham during his career and now tries this discipline for the first time. He could outrun big odds against his elders.
SELECTION: STUMPTOWN… 11-4 (NAP)
MAIN DANGER: FAVORI DE CHAMPDOU… 5-2
LIVE OUTSIDER: PIED PIPER… 25-1
QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE
4.00: GRADE ONE – 2 MILES
Majborough is odds-on to provide owner JP McManus with a success in today’s feature race, and connections will be hoping cheekpieces work the trick for a second time.
An impressive 19-length winner of the Grade One Dublin Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival, the imposing six-year-old dominated a strong field on his first start in the headgear.
A winner of the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival in 2024, he finished third in last season’s Arkle after making two late blunders. He finished one place ahead of the re-opposing L’Eau Du Sud that day, though the Dan Skelton-trained grey could provide his owners, which include Sir Alex Ferguson, with a victory here.
L’Eau Du Sud has won five of his eight starts over fences and produced a career-best display on his reappearance this season when beating Jonbon by 15 lengths in the Shloer Chase over this course and distance.
He disappointed in the Tingle Creek Chase just three weeks later, but tends to show his best form fresh, so it is encouraging he returns here after a 95-day break. His jumping is a major asset and he can upset another short-priced favourite in this race.
At bigger odds, Irish Panther could make the frame after connections opted to target this race rather than the Arkle Challenge Trophy on the opening day.
Although still a novice, with only two runs over fences, he has plenty of experience at the age of nine and could fill the places ahead of 2024 Champion Chase winner Captain Guinness, who is fitted with first-time cheekpieces at the age of 11.
SELECTION: L’EAU DU SUD… 9-2
MAIN DANGER: MAJBOROUGH… 10-11
LIVE OUTSIDER: IRISH PANTHER… 14-1
GRAND ANNUAL HANDICAP CHASE
4.40: GRADE ONE – 2 MILES
Thirteen of the previous 17 winners of this were novices or second-season chasers, and Be Aware and Vanderpoel fit that profile.
Be Aware was second in the Arkle Trial over this course and distance in November, before finishing runner-up behind yesterday’s Arkle third Lulamba in the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase on his next start. After another second-place finish in a Grade Two last time out, connections have lowered their sights and enter a handicap off an appealing mark of 147.
Vanderpoel must overcome a slight concern about returning to a left-handed track, with both of his victories over fences having come on right-handed courses.
Jour d’Evasion has won his last three over fences and, although he steps up in grade, he has the typical profile of winners of this.
SELECTION: BE AWARE… 6-1
MAIN DANGER: VANDERPOEL… 8-1
LIVE OUTSIDER: JOUR D’EVASION… 16-1
WEATHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER
5.20: GRADE ONE – 2 MILES
Gordon Elliott saddled the first three in the Grade Two bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival, with Broadway Ted, With Nolimit and Charismatic Kid, so it is notable stable jockey Jack Kennedy has opted to ride Keep Him Company.
The gelding has been faultless in two bumper starts. His win at Leopardstown at Christmas was achieved in the manner of a strong stayer, suggesting this unique test could play to his strengths. Willie Mullins, who has won this a record 14 times, fields, among others, unbeaten pair Quiryn and Our Trigger, as well as long-term ante-post favourite Love Sign d’Aunou.
Quiryn made a striking debut when winning at Naas and is the choice of Paul Townend ahead of Our Trigger, a full brother to Gaelic Warrior, one of the leading contenders for Friday’s Gold Cup.
SELECTION: KEEP HIM COMPANY… 8-1
MAIN DANGER: QUIRYN… 9-1
LIVE OUTSIDER: OUR TRIGGER… 12-1
THE WIZARD OF ODDS
By CHRIS BAKER
1.20 – Turner Novices’ Hurdle
- Rating: Each of the last 17 winners had a rating of at least 142.
- Betting: 16 of the last 17 winners came from the top four in the market.
- Recent form: 11 of the last 12 winners, including the last 10, won last time out. Several came into the race unbeaten over hurdles.
Verdict: NO DRAMA THIS END is the leading British hope and is held in extremely high regard by connections. He comes into this unbeaten in his three starts over hurdles and ticks lots of boxes when considering the trends of previous winners. His two Grade Two wins were followed by victory in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury in December, and trainer Paul Nicholls will have him spot on for today.
2.00 – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
- Rating: 14 of the last 17 winners, including the last 11, have been rated 150+.
- Betting: 13 of the last 17 winners, including 10 of the last 11, came from the top four in the market.
- Recent form: Nine of the last 12 winners won last time out, with six of those coming into the race having won their last two starts.
- Age: 14 of the last 17 winners have been aged seven years old.
- Trainer: Three of the last five winners have been trained by Willie Mullins.
Verdict: This looks a fascinating contest, with little to choose between market leader Romeo Coolio and Kaid d’Authie. Romeo Coolio is unbeaten over fences and has looked a class act. However, this represents a big step up in trip for Gordon Elliott’s runner, so slight preference is for the Willie Mullins-trained KAID D’AUTHIE, who has won both starts since finishing second at Punchestown on his chasing debut. His latest victory came in good style in the Grade One Ladbrokes Novice Chase at Leopardstown.
4.00 – Queen Mother Champion Chase
- Rating: 16 of the last 17 winners have been rated 159+. Of those, eight have had a rating of 170+.
- Betting: 14 of the last 17 winners, including the last eight, came from the top three in the market.
- Last time out: 10 of the last 12 winners finished in the top three last time out.
- Trainer: Four of the last five renewals have been won by Willie Mullins or Henry de Bromhead-trained horses.
Verdict: MAJBOROUGH is a very strong match against these key trends and looks a worthy favourite. He was hugely impressive at the Dublin Racing Festival when pulling 19 lengths clear of the field to win. Il Etait Temps could be a big danger but has to bounce back from a fall last time out.
PLACEPOT
Champion Chase favourite Majborough and the in-form Favori De Champdou look to be solid placepot bankers. The final leg looks the trickiest puzzle to solve, so three selections have been made.
RACE ONE: (12) No Drama This End, (2) Ballyfad
RACE TWO: (4) Kaid D’Authie, (10) Romeo Coolio
RACE THREE: (4) Lucky Place, (3) Storm Heart
RACE FOUR: (2) Favori De Champdou
RACE FIVE: (8) Majborough
RACE SIX: (2) Calico, (8) Jazzy Matty, (4) Be Aware
2 x 2 x 2 x 1 x 1 x 3 = 24 lines
