Paddy Brennan's Cheltenham Festival Day 2 Tips
Six-time Festival winning jockey Paddy Brennan has joined the Free Bets team for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival to provide his free Cheltenham tips and expert analysis.
We have also got some of the best and latest Cheltenham betting offers on the market ahead of the Festival.
Paddy Brennan's Cheltenham Festival Tips
Check out Paddy's tips for Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival, including a 33/1 fancy in the Champion Chase.
1:20pm Cheltenham - The New Lion (Nap)
This race comes down to the top two contenders, and I'm a massive fan of THE NEW LION (Nap).
I know the Challow Hurdle form hasn't always translated into success at Cheltenham over the years, but this horse is exceptional.
He's a Kayf Tara, and he's improving all the time. I genuinely think he'll win tomorrow - he's my Nap of the entire meeting.
As for Final Demand, while he's a very good horse, I believe The New Lion is the better one at this stage of his career - the conditions tomorrow should favour The New Lion.
That's not to say Final Demand needs softer ground, but a slightly slower surface would have suited him better - he's a big horse - and I see him as a future three-mile chaser.
Meanwhile, I view The New Lion as a potential Champion Hurdle contender in the making - that's how I see it.
Recommendation: The New Lion (Nap) - 15/8 with BetVictor
2:00pm Cheltenham - Dancing City (Each-Way)
It's a bad renewal this year - seven runners, all from Ireland, and four of them for Willie Mullins.
Ballyburn looks short enough in the betting - he's potentially opposable over this trip, given the number of fences he has to jump.
He's not a bad jumper, but he doesn't strike me as good over fences as he was over hurdles.
I'd take a chance at the prices on DANCING CITY (Each-Way) - you know he jumps well and stays.
Recommendation: Dancing City (Each-Way) - 9/2 with BoyleSports (2 places)
2:40pm Cheltenham - Be Aware & Jipcot (Each-Way)
I watched BE AWARE school the other day, and he really stood out - he looked unbelievable.
The trip is the only slight concern - I don’t think he lacks speed, but if he does everything right and stays the distance, I think he’ll win.
At the bigger prices, Bunting has been well-backed simply because Paul Townend is riding him, but looking further down the field, there is one I like - JIPCOT (Each-Way).
Kielan Woods takes the ride for Jonjo and the drop back in trip will be ideal.
At 20/1, he could run a massive race - a good, fast pace should suit him.
Recommendation: Be Aware 5/1 with bet365 & Jipcot (Each-Way) - 25/1 with Paddy Power (6 places)
3:20pm Cheltenham - Galvin
As much as Stumptown will love the conditions, you can't get away from the fact he's running of 157 - I can't picture him winning from that mark.
GALVIN is the class horse in the race, and I would go with him.
Jack Kennedy takes the ride - Jack doesn't ride many in the Cross Country, so you'd have to think he has a massive chance.
Recommendation: Galvin - 4/1 with Coral
4:00pm Cheltenham - Libberty Hunter (Each-Way)
It's very hard to get away from Jonbon in the Champion Chase.
I've been trying to find something to beat him all year, and I think he'll win, but my fancy is LIBBERTY HUNTER (Each-Way) - he could run a massive race for Evan Williams.
He loves Cheltenham, and they'll go fast - he'll stay out the back and pick them off, heading up the hill, and could go close.
Recommendation: Libberty Hunter (Each-Way) - 33/1 with bet365 (3 places)
4:40pm Cheltenham - Unexpected Party & Third Time Lucki (Each-Way)
Team Skelton aren’t going to win everything, but their horses are the ones I’ve started keeping a closer eye on, and I fancy UNEXPECTED PARTY.
The ground will be perfect, he loves this course, having won this race last year, and I think he’ll run a massive race - he’ll go very close.
Looking for some value further down the field, THIRD TIME LUCKI (Each-Way) has slipped to a very workable mark of 134 and gets in off a nice weight - at 20/1, he could run a huge race.
I just think the spring sunshine on his back might help him - he needs to bounce back to his best, but if he does, he’ll be right in the mix.
Recommendations: Unexpected Party 6/1 with Unibet & Third Time Lucki (Each-Way) - 22/1 with William Hill (5 places)
5:20pm Cheltenham - Copacabana & Fortune De Mer (Each-Way)
COPACABANA is the one I've been keeping an eye on.
I've done a few Cheltenham Previews, and you hear many of the Irish lads raving about this one.
I think Gameofinches is a horse that would prefer much softer ground. So for me, the main danger to Willie Mullins' runner is Kalypso'chance for Gordon Elliott - I see it coming down to those two.
If you're looking for an interest at a massive price, one to consider is FORTUNE DE MER (Each-Way) from the Skeltons' yard.
Ignore his last run - it wasn't about winning - they ran him to get a run into him because he was too fresh, and they wanted to take that edge off him before heading here.
I don't know whether you'd call it good or bad, but that run was just a setup for this - he could run a huge race - If he hadn't run last time, he'd be 6/1 here.
Recommendations: Copacabana - 11/4 with bet365 & Fortune De Mer (Each-Way) - 20/1 with Coral (4 places)
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