Cheltenham Festival ITV racing tips: Best bets for day 2 on Wednesday, March 13

Day one saw short-priced favourites State Man, Gaelic Warrior and Lossiemouth cruise to victory for the Mullins-Townend partnership in three of Tuesday's big races, but what will day two bring?

We've grabbed the views of our expert panel at the Planet Sport Bet Cheltenham preview evening which included Planet Sport amabassador Harry Cobden, former Gold Cup winner Mick Fitzgerald, ten-time Cheltenham Festival winning jockey Tom Scudamore and the Racing Post's Paul Kealy.

We also leaned on our own inhouse tipsters to give you the best steer on where you money should go in the five races that are being shown on ITV this Wednesday.

Sadly today’s Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase has been abandoned due to waterlogged ground on Cheltenham’s inside circuit, so the race times have been revised as follows: Race 1 – 1345, Race 2 – 1430, Race 3 – 1515, Race 4 – 1600, Race 5 – N/A, Race 6 – 1650, Race 7 – 1730.

Don't forget to check out the full racecard, results and live odds in Planet Sport's racing live centre.

Good luck and please gamble responsibly.

(Please be aware horses could become non-runners after article publication)

 

Planet Sport Bet offer: Bet minimum £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if the qualifying terms are met (see table at bottom of page) earn a £5 free bet for every £20+ cash bet, or a £20 free bet for every £100+ cash bet 

 

13:45 (Cheltenham) Gallagher Novices' Hurdle

Ballyburn (Paul Kealy) - He's very short and I don't tend to back the shorties, but if he runs in the form of Leopardstown he'll win easily. But I will just say that in the history of Cheltenham, horses that are put in really, really big figures pre-Cheltenham have a habit of getting beat. One thing to keep your keep your mind on, but I do think he's quite comfortably the best horse in the race though.

 

Ile Atlantique (Mick Fitzgerald): I think Ballyburn is the best horse but I just feel I'd be looking somewhere else for a little bit of value. Ile Atlantique probably is the second best horse in the race and if anything happens to Ballyburn could be the best, so I'd rather back him.

 

Ballyburn (Tom Scudamore): It goes without saying be mightily impressed by Ballyburn. He looks a keen going sort, but he's looks keen going because it's just different gear to everything else, as soon as Paul gives them a kick in the belly just goes further clear. Mightly impressive last time.

 

Ballyburn - Bookmakers will be praying that Ballyburn is beaten in the opener but he simply looks way too good for these rivals. Expect a punter-friendly start to the day!  (Mike Grenham - Planet Sport Bet Managing Director)

 

Harry Cobden - I'm on Handstands, he's a really smart horse. You should never run scared of one horse and I think that in this race a lot of these horses will go in other races just because they're probably running scared of Ballyburn. I think Handstands is a very good horse. We certainly haven't seen the best of him and will give Ballyburn a good lead on the way around.

 

14:30 (Cheltenham) Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

Harry Cobden - I think he's certainly my best chance the week, Stay Away Fay. He's been very good this season and he's only been beaten once and that was in the Cotswold Chase. So he's massively progressive. He's obviously dropping back into novice company and we massively fancy him.

 

Stay Away Fay (Mick Fitzgerald) - Stay Away Fay is a very strong stayer and he' very interesting. Fact To File looks the real deal, but he's one of those that until he's really done it over three miles you are just not sure.

 

Stay Away Fay (Paul Kealy) -  I thought Fact To File was potentially different class, but everyone is saying there is no way he is going to stay. So, I'll take Fact To File on as well and that moves it all in all in favour of Stay Away Fay

 

Stay Away Fay (Mike Grenham) - Another Mullins hotpot in the second race in the shape of Fact To File and Planet Sport Bet will be ducking for cover if the early double comes in. However, I think we may saved by our own ambassador Harry Cobden on Stay Away Fay. The pair won the 2023 Albert Bartlett and course form is so important here - he can battle to the line and claim victory. Each-way punters might wish to consider Sandor Clegane, third in that race last year.

 

Sandor Clegane e/w (Tipstrr) - With just half a dozen runners, it will be tough for the other four rivals to split the market leaders, but Sandor Clegane could give a much better account of himself than his outsider price might suggest.

He was only just over a length behind Stay Away Fay in last year’s Albert Bartlett, has been far from disgraced in three efforts over fences this term, and was last seen finishing runner-up behind the highly-rated Embassy Gardens at Naas in January. (John Fearn - Tipstrr)

15:15 (Cheltenham) Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle

Built By Ballymore (Paul Kealy) - Sa Majeste is a short price. Next in the betting is Langer Dan, that's a red herring he's been useless this year. Next is Doddiethegreat who has no chance of getting in. So the two horses to back are Built By Ballymore, who needs an absolute bog and looks like he's gonna get it. He will charge up the running. The other is Ballyadam who comes here fresh for the first time at Cheltenham. I think that's a massive bonus for him.

 

Ballyadam (Mike Grenham) - One of the trickiest puzzles of the week so I’ll chance an each-way punt on Ballyadam. While carrying top-weight is not ideal, this classy performer is surely good enough to finish in the first five under Rachel Blackmore.

 

Maxxum (Tipstrr) - is one of several Gordon Elliott entrants and fits a large number of the trends for this race, having won a big-field Listed race two runs ago and he has also run at the Festival before. The seven-year-old Maxxum has a winning strike rate of 25% and his jockey takes off a valuable three pounds, while Elliott has a good record in this race. (Andrew of Fiosrach - Tipstrr)

 

16:00 (Cheltenham ) Queen Mother Champion Chase

El Fabiolo (Paul Kealy) - El Fabiolo is a superb horse. He does clout the fences, but he's a tank, he just goes through him. It doesn't stop him. You've got your worries about Jonbon with the Henderson form and I don't think Edwardstone can do it against these. El Fabiolo is the best horse in the race.

El Fabiolo (Mick Fitzgerald) - You're relying on El Fabiolo making a mistake at a crucial time to give the others a chance. For Jonbon he needs to get every fence right, he can't make any mistakes and then you're relying on El Fabiolo slipping up. That's the concern. I just think he's too good El Fabiolo.

 

El Fabiolo (Harry Cobden) - It's El Fabiolo for me. I can't have Jonbon I think he runs over the wrong trip he should be running in the Ryanair and not the Champion Chase. I think he's crying out for two and a half or three miles. The next best in line would be Edwardstone for me.

 

Jonbon (Tom Scudamore)  - I don't think we've seen the best of Jonbon over fences. I'd love to see them perhaps a little bit braver with him. I just feel that Jonbon is more of an exuberant jumper than El Fabiolo and I just like to see them ride him a little bit braver, but that's the only chance they've got.

 

Captain Guinness e/w (Mike Grenham) - Finding one to beat El Fabiolo looks a thankless task. This is not a deep Champion Chase and he should win if standing up. Captain Guinness may grab a place.

 

Planet Sport Bet offer: Bet minimum £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if the qualifying terms are met (see below) earn a £5 free bet for every £20+ cash bet, or a £20 free bet for every £100+ cash bet

 

 

Chel	13.30	if the favourite wins (includes co and joint)
Chel	14.10	if Fact To File wins by over 10 lengths
Chel	14.50	if Zanndabad is in the 1st 4
Chel	15.30	if El Fabiolo wins by over 10 lengths
Chel	16.10	if Minella Indo wins by over 5 lengths
Chel	16.50	if Harpers Brook is in the 1st 4
Chel	17.30	if Teeshan is in the 1st 4