Richard Johnson’s Day 2 Cheltenham Tips: Jonbon to get the job done

The Cheltenham Festival enters day 2 and Style Wednesday, where the highlight race is the Queen Mother Champion Chase. We've asked two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey Richard Johnson to give us his thoughts and tips ahead of the day's racing.

So here we go with Richard Johnson's Day 2 Cheltenham Tips...

Day 2 - Style Wednesday

16.00 - Jonbon @ 10/11

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is the highlight of Day 2, and Richard discusses the chances of the favourite, Jonbon trained by Nicky Henderson.

“He’s definitely been an improver, and been very very solid and I don’t think you can knock anything he’s done.

Nico De Boinville has grown with him over the last 18 months. He now has the confidence to go forward with him and be quite bold, and that really suits Jonbon.

It’s boring because he’s a very short price, but on ratings and form, he’s the one they all have to beat.
Joseph O’Brien’s Solness horse can go forward and there could be a strong hard gallop early so at least we’ll see a true run race which will be good to see.”

13.20 - The New Lion @ 11/4

Richard’s excited by some of the novice hurdlers this season, including The New Lion who runs in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, the first race on Wednesday (1.20pm).

“He just looks straightforward, big chasing type.

I’m sure he’s going to get better and better, you’re hoping that his form over here is good enough to take on the Irish.

His win in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury couldn’t have been more impressive. The talent is there, and he’s been bought by JP McManus since then.”

"He’s a good jumper, but can make a mistake, and the only thing if backing a short price, he’s still relatively unexposed to the fences, and Cheltenham is an undulating track where things happen quick."

14.00 - Ballyburn @ 4/6

Elsewhere on Wednesday, Ballyburn trained by Willie Mullins heads the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at 2pm. The seven-year-old was a winner at last year’s Festival and is another horse that ticks all the boxes according to Richard.     

“I was surprised Willie took him to Kempton at Christmas. He was made to look very average by Sir Gino who sadly misses the Festival due to injury.

Mullins quite often brings his novices back to two miles to sharpen them up and Kempton was good practice to get his mind working.

He’s the standout horse in the three-mile division and a likely Gold Cup contender in the future.”

14.40 - Be Aware @ 4/1

14.40 - Beat The Bat @ 17/2

14:40 - Vischio E/W @ 28/1

15.20 - Mister Coffee @ 13/2

15:20 - Busselton @ 13/2

Richard will be on the track with us daily on Betfred TV, and we'll be covering his Cheltenham Tips here at Betfred Insights each day of the Festival.