Cheltenham Tips: Day 2 Wednesday Today's Tips & Odds
Time for the second day of the Cheltenham Festival and I'm back with my Cheltenham tips for every race on Wednesday.
A similar theme to yesterday, plenty of big priced runners for you here on Free Bets as I look to find the value.
Tough day on the punting front to start, but full credit to Lossiemouth, who put in an excellent performance to win the Champion Hurdle.
Cheltenham Day 2 Tips
Seven good races, the second day of the meeting, my Cheltenham tips come with odds from betting sites so you can see how the market looks.
I've also included the race card for each race, giving you an overview all in one place so you don't have to go elsewhere.
Tip 1 - 1:20pm Cheltenham
A fantastic Turners Novices' Hurdle to kick off the second day of racing, and there's a big field too, which only adds to the race.
I've been sweet on the chances of No Drama This End for some time now, and I'm more than happy to stick with him. Both Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden have nominated this horse as their best chance of the week.
I think he's a little underestimated because he's from the Nicholls yard, a man we're not used to seeing with true Grade One stars anymore, a far cry from what he had 15-20 years ago.
There's two big positives for No Drama This End. Firstly, he's done nothing but improve with every run, he's got the profile to peak this week, and has been trained to perfection, so far.
Secondly, I think he's a genuine two and a half mile specialist, and when I look over some of the rest, I'm not sure this is the trip where they'll be at their very best at this stage in their careers.
It's as strong as it gets, but I'm sticking with the Nicholls runner.
- No Drama This End 7/2 with William Hill / Lads / Coral
Tip 2 - 2:00pm Cheltenham
I like and respect all three of the main Irish challengers in this contest, I think they've all got a great chance, but there is something against them all, a small question mark.
Rather than taking my chance with one of them, I'm going to side with the rock solid British runner as an each way alternative. Wendigo is my pick, I don't think he's done too much wrong, and comes here with a strong level of form.
A Grade Two winner at Newbury, going left handed, he was third behind Kitzbuhel at Kempton, but for me, he suffered going right handed there, and of course, is back to going left handed here.
Connections opted for an easier race as his prep run, while the Irish were taking on each other in big races at the Dublin Racing Festival, so I'm hoping that means Wendigo is fresher.
I don't think he's the best long term prospect in this race, but in terms of being equipped to win on the day, and his price, Wendigo is far more appealing to me.
- Wendigo (EW) 9/1 with bet365 / Lads / Coral (all 4 places)
Tip 3 - 2:40pm Cheltenham
Time to get your pin out and close your eyes, the BetMGM Cup looks an impossible task to try and solve, but of course, I'll give it my best.
The one standing out to me comes from the Joseph O'Brien yard, and it's Puturhandstogether. He's still only five, and with just one hurdles run since September, I think he's been held onto for the spring.
Up in trip here, I'm hoping that suits well, and you just get the feeling that there is plenty more to come from him.
He won last years Fred Winter, and then finished third at the Aintree Grade One afterwards, his profile suggests he's a spring horse.
- Puturhandstogether (EW) 11/1 with bet365 (6 places)
Tip 4 - 3:20pm Cheltenham
My NAP of the day on Wednesday comes in the Cross Country Chase, as I was very impressed with how FavoriDe Champdou won over this course at the last Cheltenham meeting.
He's up in the weights for that, 8lb is a big rise, but this is a race where I'm not sure the weights matter too much.
Understanding the course, thriving over it, and having the stamina to get home is more important than a few pounds here and there, in my opinion. I'll not be saying that if he loses a neck, of course!
But with that in mind, I don't think the weight will stop him, if he runs as well as he did last time out. I don't think the race is too deep, and Stumptown rates as the main danger, but I just think Favori De Champdou has plenty more to come on the cross country circuit.
- Favori De Champdou (NAP) 11/4 with multiple
Tip 5 - 4:00pm Cheltenham
Me putting up a novice in this contest isn't a sign that I think Irish Panther is a superstar novice, more that I don't think this is the greatest Champion Chase we've seen, and a race lacking plenty of depth.
Irish Panther has been good on his two starts over fences, he won very well and was just behind Romeo Coolio last time out, in a cracking finish.
It's an ask to come here and win on his third chase start, but I think every runner in this race has a question to answer, and despite 10 runners, I think there's four or five who are just not good enough at this stage of their careers.
I can't have Majborough at odds on, while Il Etait Temps and L'eau Du Sud both have disappointing runs to come back from last time.
The value for me, is Irish Panther each way.
- Irish Panther (EW) 14/1 with multiple
Tip 6 - 4:40pm Cheltenham
Another tough handicap to solve, and right at the bottom of the weights, Release The Beast is my pick for the Paul Nolan team.
We've only seen him twice, and my second guessing makes me think he's been kept for the bigger spring targets on purpose, and this is the first of them.
Second on both occasions, first time he was beaten by the longer trip, second time he just didn't get there. This two mile trip, with the hill finish, should be absolutely perfect for him, and I think it gives him a nice chance in a wide open race at double figures.
- Release The Beast (EW) 9/1 with bet365 / Unibet (both 5 places)
Tip 7 - 5:20pm Cheltenham
A good renewal of the bumper to close and the last of my Cheltenham tips is The Mourne Rambler for Noel Meade, who has become very selective with his Cheltenham runners in recent years.
I think if he's sending them nowadays, they must hold claims, and I hope that's the case with this one, who won a very strong bumper on his only rules start so far.
He's got good speed, and was going away to win at Leopardstown, so I think he'll relish the hill finish.
Top flat jockey Colin Keane has been booked to ride, I'm surprised by that, and also very happy. I'm hoping he can find the gaps on the run in at the right time, and give this lad a good spin.
A little shorter in the market than I was expecting, he was double figures at the weekend, but hopefully this is stable confidence, and we can round off the day with a big run.
- The Mourne Rambler (EW) 15/2 with Sky Bet (5 places)
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