Wednesday Cheltenham Festival Racing Tips: Ballyburn to star on Day Two

After the rain of the opening day, we hope for a dry afternoon on Wednesday with the fastest chasers in the land set to showcase their talents in the feature Champion Chase.

13:30 Gallagher Novices' Hurdle - Ballyburn @ 2/5

BALLYBURN, BALLYBURN, BALLYBURN is the name we have heard most in the countdown to Cheltenham and after being confirmed for this contest, the word ‘banker’ was bounded around aplenty. The vibes form Closutton suggests this is the best of a talented pool of novice hurdlers and he was ultra impressive at the Dublin Racing Festival.

He is very difficult to oppose, so I won’t, especially in light of Slade Steel’s win yesterday who couldn’t lay a glove on him the last day.

I do think Handstands has a big future though. He impressed me on debut at Hereford, converted a penalty kick on second start and won decisively against a Grade 1 winer over this trip in soft ground at Huntingdon. He looks best of the British but will be hard to conquer BALLYBURN.

14:10 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase - Monty's Star @ 6/1

Fact To File is all the rage for this contest, hailing from the all conquering Mullins yard, but I have never bought into the hype.

He was second in last year's Champion Bumper but was beaten by American Mike (who has been supplemented for this race) on chasing debut. Ok, he slammed Zanahiyr over Christmas but that wasn’t a strong contest.

It was only a match when he had Gaelic Warrior beaten off at the Dublin Racing Festival but it was that performance, run in a quicker time than the handicap on the card, that made him so popular. He could hack up and make me look silly but will let him at odds-on.

Stay Away Fay is Paul Nicholls’ big hope for the week, but he has never run on heavy ground, and his early form was on good. He holds Giovinco but the Irish maybe too strong.

American Mike is interesting as he has always been held in high regard, but I will side with MONTY’S STAR. He looked good on New Year's Eve when staying well on heavy ground to beat Three Card Brag so will handle conditions, is still very unexposed and offers bit of value in the market.

He is related to former Gold Cup fourth Monalee and also Minella Indo, who was robbed in this race four years ago by Champ, so I think compensation maybe a long time in coming for connections.

14:50 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle - Shanbally Kid @ 16/1 & Black Bamboo @ 25/1

The annual cavalry charge of the Coral Cup is made even more difficult as it is expected to be very taking ground on Wednesday afternoon.

The lightly raced Sa Majeste appeals plenty having beaten Noble Yeats on very testing ground at Limerick over Christmas and could be a handicap snip for that man Mullins.

This is Langer Dan’s race and he is back to the same mark he won it off 12 months ago. You can forget the rest of the season, it is all about the spring for him and he will attract plenty of attention, having won it on soft last year.

Jigoro has bumped into Mystical Power and Tullyhill this year while Built By Ballymore has won two heavy ground novices by many lengths. Both will be giving the handicapper nightmares that they are in here lightly, while BLACK BAMBOO and SHANBALLY KID are two other Irish hopes who appeal at bigger prices.

The former perhaps didn’t see out the three miles at the DRF but had some solid novice form, however Michael O’Sullivan on SHANBALLY KID catches the eye.

He was sent off just 15/2 for the three-mile hurdle at Leopardstown last month and travelled well finishing just behind Black Bamboo, maybe just not quite seeing it out. That was just his second start of the season and this lightly raced seven-year-old, who was eighth in last year’s Albert Bartlett, looks leniently treated for this big field handicap.

15:30 Queen Mother Champion Chase - Edwardstone @ 7/1

The Mullins juggernaut doesn’t show any sign of slowing and El Fabiolo is another with banker status this week.

Last years Arkle winner is unbeaten over fences and has only once tasted defeat since coming from France, at the hands of his old adversary Jonbon over timber at Aintree.

He put that record straight here last year and Jonbon has since blotted his copybook when making some sloppy jumps and a serious error when beaten by Elixir De Nutz here in January.

I expect El Fabiolo to have his measure again, but EDWARDSTONE looked revitalised under forcing tactics at Newbury and with Editeur Du Gite not confirmed, he may get a solo on the front end, and prove hard to pass.

Ultimately disappointing here last season when never seemingly travelling, he has twice seen Jonbon’s backside this season, but they arrive here on the back of very different preparations and the 2022 Arkle winner could get back into the big time and damage some reputations in the process.

16:10 Cross Country Chase - Minella Indo @ 2/1

The Cross Country Chase is subject to an 08:00 inspection on raceday morning with the ground extremely heavy at present.

There are provisions to move it to Friday’s Gold Cup card if falling to the weather, so watch this space.

MINELLA INDO has been a long time fancy for this race ever since he carried a big weight to finish fourth in December. He could be the best horse ever to tackle this discipline, as a former Gold Cup winner so has plenty of class and now he meets all those runners again on level weights this time round.

Galvin won’t want the ground as bad as it is while Delta Work runs in first time cheekpieces at the age of 11 having not shown a lot this season, admittedly last time over hurdles, but was 15 lengths behind the selection on seasonal return.

Coko Beach could be the big danger after a successful banks debut at Punchestown, after winning the Troytown and runner-up in the Becher Chase already this season.

16:50 Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase - Madara @ 7/1 & Path D'Oroux @ 10/1

A race that I love, two-mile handicappers speeding around the track, and more of a speed test since it was moved onto the old course. There are a lot of runners that catch my eye in this.

With the one-two at Leopardstown last month, MADARA and PATH D’OROUX make a lot of appeal, with James Reveley renewing his partnership with the winner that day. He never really looked like getting beat although Path D’Oroux has a five-pound pull at the revised weights and I will be backing both to uphold that form.

Last year’s winner Maskada was well beaten against her own sex at Naas last month but was a big drifter that day and would have put her spot on for her title defence.

Libberty Hunter impressed here on New Year’s Day when picking up Matata to win, although a late mistake by the runner-up proved costly and he has a seven-pound rise to overcome but is having just a fourth chase start.

Harper’s Brook would have appealed on better ground, having been on his best behaviour to win at Sandown. He has own on soft and heavy, but they were off lower marks and his two good recent effort have come on top of the ground.

17:30 Champion Bumper - Jalon D'Oudairies @ 13/2

A wide-open full field for the Champion Bumper and with the potential for tacky ground this late on Wednesday, you will need to stay very well, will be testing for these youngsters. It looks an absolute lottery.

Willie Mullins has dominated, training 12 winners of this race and Ireland have taken the last seven.

Mullins saddles nine of the 24-strong field, with son Paddy on board for three of those winners, choosing recent Naas victor Jasmin De Vaux. He was a 15 length winner then in soft ground and he will have plenty of supporters, while the yard have been quite bullish over the chances of You Oughta know who goes in the first time hood after finishing runner-up at the DRF last month, form that ties in with JALON D’OUDAIRIES.

He made all at Leopardstown over Christmas and has looked very professional in his two starts to date. He dominated a good field that day and looks to have a decent chance of giving Gordon Elliott a third win in the last eight years.

Paul Nicholls saddled the third in Captain Teague last year and the same connections will look to Exeter heavy ground winer Teeshan, while Bill Joyce, another winner down on Haldon Hill in deep ground could outrun his big price.

Check out our other Cheltenham Tips here.