Cheltenham tips Day 2: Three each-way bets for Wednesday

Day 2 Cheltenham Tips

• Predators Gold e/w for the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle (1.45) - 9/1 with Unibet
• Built By Ballymore e/w for the Coral Cup (3.15) - 15/2 with QuinnBet
• Harper’s Brook e/w for the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup (4.50) - 10/1 with SpreadEx

We’ve got a cracking racecard for day two of the Cheltenham Festival with the 2024 event having gotten off to a strong start on Tuesday.

Due to the cancellation of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, there are only six races on Wednesday's card, while the times of the first four races have been pushed back slightly with the action now due to get underway at 1.45pm.

Although Ballyburn and El Fabiolo are trading at odds-on for their respective races in the latest Cheltenham odds, we are looking for some bigger-priced selections in a quest for profit and have highlighted three horses that look strong each-way candidates. 

Ballyburn is clearly the horse to beat when it comes to the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle (1.45), although we’re happy to oppose this selection with another Willie Mullins-trained selection.

Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle tip (1.45)

Predators Gold is a talented five-year-old who hasn’t been out of the first two in three outings this season, with the Gigginstown-owned runner finishing second in the recent Dublin Racing Festival.

Sent off as the even-money favourite by gambling sites in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle, Predators Gold was beaten narrowly by outsider Dancing City, although it was still a strong performance in this Grade One encounter.

The horse travelled well over two miles, six and a half furlongs on that occasion and could be set to run over an ideal distance in this race, with the runner finishing second in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle over the festive season when finishing runner-up behind Caldwell Potter.

If Ballyburn runs to his potential, then the rest of the pack could be battling it out for second and Predators Gold is preferred over Ile Atlantique and Handstands, with an each-way wager on betting apps the way to go. 

Cheltenham Tip 1: Predators Gold e/w for the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle (1.45) - 9/1 with Unibet

Cheltenham tips: Coral Cup (3.15)

The Coral Cup is something of a minefield when it comes to finding a winner, with as many as 24 runners lining up for an encounter over two miles and five furlongs.

Sa Majeste is likely to go off as the favourite on betting sites and the Willie Mullins-trained charge could be in the shake-up for this encounter, although we’re going to roll the dice and back Built By Ballymore instead.

The six-year-old is bidding to win a third consecutive race and looks a shrewd each-way selection, with Martin Brassil training a horse who could be favourably handicapped off 11-6.

The horse was sent off at 4/1 on horse racing betting apps in a maiden hurdle at Limerick when obliging over two miles and five furlongs on heavy ground, so he might appreciate the tacky conditions at Prestbury Park.

He followed that with another triumph and this time it came in a novices’ hurdle over two miles and four furlongs. This mudlark was a 12-length winner on that occasion and connections think that they might have something special on their hands. 

Cheltenham Tip 2: Built By Ballymore e/w for the Coral Cup (2.50) - 15/2 with QuinnBet

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup tip

The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup is the penultimate race on Wednesday's racecard, with Harper’s Brook taken to secure the spoils when it comes to an encounter which will be run over a stiff two miles.

The bookies currently have Libberty Hunter, Madara and Saint Roi as the first three in the market, although we’ll have an each-way play on Harper’s Brook, especially as horse racing betting sites are offering extra place terms this year.

The eight-year-old is a quirky sort, although there was plenty to like about a performance at Sandown in early February, beating four opponents in a handicap chase over nearly two miles.

This was a seven-length success and the big question mark is whether Harper’s Brook will jump well enough to win at Cheltenham Festival, although there’s little doubting the raw speed that the horse possesses.

Ben Pauling is thought to be confident when it comes to a runner who finished second in the Howden Handicap Chase at Ascot in December, with the horse running well over two miles and three furlongs on that occasion. 

Harper’s Brook was pulled up in the Ultima Handicap Chase last year, although we are expecting a better showing over a shorter distance.

Cheltenham Tip 3: Harper’s Brook e/w for the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup (4.50) - 10/1 with SpreadEx

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