Cheltmental’s Day 2 Through-The-Card Selections
Day two of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival looks to be another fantastic day, with plenty of top class horses in action. There’s plenty of questions that will be answered, including:
- Will the popular Impaire Et Passe see off the impressive Hermes Allen and co in the Ballymore?
- Can Gerri Colombe remain unbeaten with victory in the Brown Advisory?
- Will we see another big-odds winner in the Coral Cup or the Grand Annual?
- Who will come out on top between Enegumene and Edwardstone in the feature Champion Chase?
- Can Delta Work retain his crown in the Cross Country Chase?
- Can Willie Mullins win a fourth successive Champion Bumper?
Racing expert Dave Young (A.K.A. Cheltmental) gives his through-the-card picks for the second day of the Festival.
1:30 – Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
A good looking race this and with 5 runners likely to be going off at single figures it shows this might not be the easiest puzzle to solve. Impaire Et Passe has been the subject of significant support in the last 10 days and for me he’s too short now. Absolutely has his chance but the money for him means that HERMES ALLEN is now looking even more temping. He’s the second highest rated runner in the field but Gaelic Warrior who is the highest has an inflated rating based on a handicap win so I think on form Hermes Allen is the best horse in the field
HO MY LORD is the 4th string according to the betting for Willie Mullins however this 5yo is bred to want a trip and I feel if he hadn’t fallen on debut he might have been tried in better company last time out where he wasn’t against much but he won like an above average horse. He’s unexposed and looks potentially over priced.
Selection – HERMES ALLEN
Lively Outsider – HO MY LORD
2:10 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
Half this field are rated in excess of 150 and you can add one more in Galia Des Liteaux with her mares allowance. She jumps a touch right for me so I can’t see her being up to this. Thyme Hill & Sir Gerhard are also hard to trust in the jumping realms while The Real Whacker can serve this up from the front but will he be found out in this better company? GERRI COLOMBE has been flawless this season and has progressed with each run. I’m not sure we’ve seen the best of him yet so I’m expecting further improvement which will see him land this.
BRONN was only 3 lengths behind Gerri Colombe on his chasing debut and he made mistakes that day. He was not seen for over 70 days after before winning in less than convincing fashion, but I’m prepared to judge him on that debut effort and he might not have as much to find with the favourite as the prices may suggest.
Selection – GERRI COLOMBE
Lively Outsider – BRONN
14:50 – Coral Cup
So many horses with real chances in here so it’s not a race I’ll be going mad in but I have long thought CAMPROND could have been laid out for this having run really well in the race 12 months ago when the ground went right against him in the lashing rain. I can’t see it being as testing this time, but the drier the better for him
ICARE ALLEN for Willie Mullins is a horse I’ve had on my radar for this for a while. He ticks plenty of boxes from a trends angle (less than 10 hurdle starts, ran more than 32 days ago, in the top 8 of the weights, didn’t win last time out and ran at the previous festival) and Willie Mullins won with a similar horse in Bleu Berry with the same jockey for owner JP McManus so I think he’s overpriced.
Selection – CAMPROND
Lively Outsider – ICARE ALLEN
15:30 – Champion Chase
EDWARSTONE traded at 1.01 (1/100) when beaten here in the Shloer Chase but I fully expect that he’s the horse to beat in here as I’m not buying into the fence colour being the problem for Energumene.
GREANETEEN is not far off the top two in the betting on his Official Rating and his career best efforts would be enough to land this. 7 runners is a shame for the EW terms but I still think he’s worth mentioning.
Selection – EDWARDSTONE
Lively Outsider – GREANETEEN
16:10 – Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
Last years winner DELTA WORK would be my idea of a banker horse if it hadn’t been for the strong vibes coming for stable-mate Galvin. I still think Delta Work wins this, but I’m not quite as confident as I once was.
EASYSLAND won this race in 2020 beating Tiger Roll by 17 lengths but hasn’t looked the same horse since coming to Britain. Still, connections have persevered with him, there was money for him last time out and they’ve reached for the Blinkers to help now. He’s a punty one, but at around 50/1 generally (price correct at time of writing) he’s worth a small play.
Selection – DELTA WORK
Lively Outsider – EASYSLAND
16:50 – Grand Annual Handicap Chase
This looks the hardest race of the day so I’ll put up a couple here at bigger prices. I’m not so sure the Irish are well treated so ELIXIR DE NUTZ might be able to go well providing the ground doesn’t get too soft. He was 14/1 for this race 12 months ago as a novice but hated the ground and he has won at this course before
The second selection is THYME WHITE who was well fancied and backed for this race last year before being pulled out on account of the ground. He has won on soft before so I don’t think he’ll mind the forecast going although this would require a career best effort and lacks any solid course form but at the prices I’m happy to take a punt.
Selection – ELIXIR DE NUTZ
Lively Outsider – THYME WHITE
17:30 – Champion Bumper
This look a really deep and competitive renewal and one of the most exciting races on Day 2. We know that backing Willies in the bumper can be a good way to go and of his 10 I really like the chance of FUN FUN FUN. She gets 7lbs from the boys and her latest bumper win was up there with most of these in terms of ratings.
Paul Nichols wouldn’t be the most prolific bumper trainer when it comes to Cheltenham but he does do well in this sphere with those ready to perform. CAPTAIN TEAGUE is a half brother to Festival winner Sky Pirate and while his winning margin the last day wouldn’t be as convincing as many in here he won with any amount in hand.