Cheltenham Day 2 Tips - 2023 Cheltenham Festival Tips

Ballymore Novices Hurdle

After a magnificent win in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury, beating the subsequent Grade 2 winner You Wear It Well, Hermes Allen is probably one of the more likely British winners of the week and undoubtedly Paul Nicholls’ best chance of posting a result on the Festival board.

Other Grade 1 winners set to line up are the Barry Connell trained Good Land and Champ Kiely, trained by Willie Mullins.

Good Land ran out an impressive scorer at the Dublin Racing Festival, while Champ Kiely took the Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle which is often a good pointer to The Festival.

2023 Ballymore Novices Hurdle tip: Champ Kiely @ 8/1 (E/W)

Brown Advisory Novices Chase

Leading the betting is the Gordon Elliott trained and undefeated Gerri Colombe. Despite not yet trying three miles over fences, punters are confident that the seven-year-old gelding can step up in trip without any issues.

The Real Whacker dominated from the front in the Dipper Novice’s Chase on New Year’s Day, beating Monmiral and Thunder Rock. If he gets them into trouble in behind he could pull off a victory here but he is a risky proposition for a win bet.

Thyme Hill is reaping the rewards now switched to chasing, most recently landing the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novice’s Chase at Kempton. At odds of around 11/2 in our Cheltenham betting odds, he sure to be a popular each-way pick.

2023 Brown Advisory Novices Chase tip: Thyme Hill @ 11/2 (E/W)

Coral Cup

The handicapper has been pretty lenient with last year’s fourth placed finisher Camprond who is racing off two pounds lower than his mark last year.

Many punters have latched onto this fact however and the JP McManus-owned seven-year-old is heading the betting at around 6/1.

Captain Conby has been knocked on the door three times already this season and a bit of good luck and good fortune will see the six-year-old very much involved in proceedings here.

At odds of 25/1, I will have an each-way punt on Anna Bunina who ran a blinder in the Grade 3 Quevega Hurdle and will find this a much easier task.

2023 Coral Cup tip: Anna Bunina @ 25/1 (E/W)

Queen Mother Champion Chase

For my money Edwardstone is the one they all have to beat in the Champion Chase.

Last year’s Arkle winner is vying for favouritism with the reigning Champion Chaser Energumene, despite the pair of them both going down to Editeur Du Gite in January’s rescheduled Clarence House Chase.

Tactics will be of a premium in this 2m feature and I’m pretty sure Tom Cannon will bide his time and pounce late.

It  wouldn’t surprise me if the Clarence House 1-2-3 finish in those same positions again, but preferably in a different order this time.

2023 Champion Chase tip: Edwardstone @ 6/4 (WIN)

Cross Country Chase

Favourite Delta Work is a class horse and holds plenty of Cross Country ability but do you really want to be taking odds of 5/4 for last year’s winner when there are some equally classy horses taking him on this time?

His biggest threat appears to be from Galvin. Winner of the National Hunt Chase in 2021, six of his last eight runs have been in Grade 1 company and this race represents a major drop in grade for the nine-year-old.

Backed from 5/1 into a clear 2/1 second favourite, I think I would prefer to be with the Gordon Elliott “second string“ here if I was betting on horse races online.

2023 Cross Country Chase tip: Galvin @ 2/1 (WIN)

Grand Annual

Course and distance winner Dads Lad is no stranger to winning at Prestbury Park, picking up the silverware in the 2m 888Sport Handicap Chase at the October meeting.

A return trip in November for the Greatwood Hurdle wasn’t so fruitful but he’s back chasing now after a 122-day break. His profile suits this race perfectly and he should go well at odds of around 16/1.

A possible dark horse in the pack is David Pipe’s Sizing Pottsie. If he can replicate his form of last year he is well in at the weights.

2023 Grand Annual tip: Dads Lad @ 16/1 (E/W)

Champion Bumper

A mere 14 Willie Mullins-trained horses were entered up for this championship bumper, but it the Munir/Souede-owned Fun Fun Fun that grabs my attention the most.

Fun Fun Fun was hugely impressive at Leopardstown in a strongly-run Grade Two last time, and she can get the better of the other double-green owned runner – It’s For Me.

2023 Champion Bumper tip: Fun Fun Fun @ 8/1 (E/W)