Cheltenham 2014 : Day Two Preview

It is day two of the Cheltenham Festival and here is our guide to the best of the bets.

13:30 NEPTUNE NOVICES HURDLE

It was a great first day of action for Willie Mullins and he is 11/8 to get the second day off with a victory in the opener. He runs Faugheen who has four wins from four career starts and looks the one to beat here. The closest challenge is likely to come from Red Sherlock from the in-form David Pipe Yard who is an even more impressive six from six starts and will go off as second favourite at 5/1. The Willie Mullins second string Rathvinden also has to be respected coming second to Red Sherlock over course and distance in January. It might be worth a little each-way interest on Lieutenant Colonel at 14/1 who has never finished out of the top two in four career starts and should enjoy the step up in distance from 2m to 2m5f.
RECOMMENDATION: Lieutenant Colonel, each-way bet365 best price guarantee

14:05 RSA CHASE

We have previewed this race in more detail elsewhere but in a nutshell we like the chances of Carlingford Lough to come on top here. True the John Kiely runner is working against history here in a race that is nearly always won by seven-year-olds. That being said there is a lot to like about the eight-year-old and 8/1 appeals when you consider the price that Ballycasey is and how there was little to seperate these two in a recent meeting before Lough unseated the rider. Ballycasey and Smad Place have won each of their last two and will go off as market leaders, while Morning Assembly and Corrin Wood have to be respected.
RECOMMENDATION: Carlingford Lough, each-way, bet365 best price guarantee

14:40 CORAL CUP

The fact that no horse is priced lower than 12/1 suggests that this is a race that is going to be tough to predict. Dell’Arca and Bayan are both 12/1 chances. The former is from the in-form Pipe and Scudamore combination and was a winner at Cheltenham in November. The latter has three wins, two seconds and a third from the last six starts. One of those seconds was here at Cheltenham back in October. Dunguib is a veteran at 11-years-old though a victory at Navan last time out and previous Festival success suggests hope for the romantics. It is Clondaw Kaempfer who gets the nod though at 14/1. The Donald McCain runner was a promising third at Aintree last time out and seems to have more to give from that run.
RECOMMENDATION: Clondaw Kaempfer, each-way, bet365 best price guarantee

15:20 QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE

The feature race of the day is the QM Champion Chase and with Sprinter Sacre missing through injury the race looks wide open. Sire De Grugy is the favourite at 10/3 though two Cheltenham defeats suggest that this might not be a course to suit. Captain Connan has a better record at Cheltenham though has almost eight lengths to make up on the favourite from the last run at Sandown. The Willie Mullins runner Arvika Liegonniere, Baily Green and Kid Cassidy are all likely to go well though the selection is the Paul Nicholls runner Hinterland. Nicholls has targeted this race for his runner and with two straight victories I think the six-year-old could be the one to side with here at 12/1.
RECOMMENDATION: Hinterland, each-way, bet365 best price guarantee

16:00 GLENFARCLAS HANDICAP CHASE

Balthazar King loves the cross-country here having won over these fences six times and won this race in 2012 and is a deserved joint favourite at 6/1. The other horse at 6/1 is Big Shu who won this race in 2013 and looked lively when coming second at Punchestown last time out in February. Star Neuville is the shortest priced of the four strong Enda Bolger team after a third at Fairyhouse last time out. Of the four though I much prefer Love Rory who beat Big Shu at Punchestown in February and at 11/1 is almost double the price. Others expected to be in the mix are Sire Collonges from the Paul Nicholls yard and 2011 winner Sizing Australia.
RECOMMENDATION: Love Rory, each-way, BET365 best price guarantee

16:40 FRED WINTER JUVENILE HANDICAP

Dawalan is the market leader after showing real promise in two Newbury wins and is the 7/1 favourite for the race. The Willie Mullins runner Ivan Gronzy is next in the betting though a fourth last time out is a worry for potential backers. The Jonjo O’Neill runner Goodwood Mirage is a 9/1 chance though a last place finish on penultimate start is a worry especially as this came at Cheltenham. Paul Nicholls runner Katgary is also a 9/1 chance and comes here on the back of two success out in France.

The best bet though is another Wille Mullins mount, noble Inn, who is a 20/1 shot at the time of writing. Three seconds and a victory from the last four suggest that this is a horse with talent and a never say die attitude, both of which will come in essential here.
RECOMMENDATION: noble Inn, each-way, BET365 best price guarantee

17:15 WETHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER

Willie Mullins has won this race eight times previously and his horses are set to dominate once more with three of the top four in the betting. Shaneshill is a 7/1 chance, Hercules is an 8/1 hope and Killultagh Vic is 9/1. All three have strong claims and enter the race in good form with recent wins behind them. The market is headed by Vigil from the Dermot Weld yard who also Silver Concorde. Of the home team Modus and Third Act look the pick.

I will take Killultagh Vic though who won by a remarkable 16 lengths at Naas last time out and has the under-rated Paul Towned on board.
RECOMMENDATION: Killultagh Vic, each-way, BET365 best price guarantee

Any odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of publishing (12/03/2014) but are subject to change.

12/03/2014     © Frixo 2026