Cheltenham Festival 2023 - Day 2 - Wednesday the 15th of March

JP Liz V1

Gin on Lime

Captain Guinness

Dads Lad

Better Days Ahead

E/W Singles and E/W Accumulator

howareyakid

1:30: Hermes Allen 4/1

2:10: Sir Gerhard 11/2

2:50: Fil Dor 14/1 e/w

3:30: Edwardstone 11/8 NAP

4:10: Galvin 9/4

4:50: Before Midnight 14/1 e/w  

5:30: Better Days Ahead 9/1 e/w

1:30: Paul Nicholls’ Cheltenham record in recent years hasn’t been great but I think he has potentially a very good horse in HERMES ALLEN on his hands here. While this looks a to be a very competitive race, and Barry Connell’s Good Land possibly has more solid form overall, I think it’s hard to be fully sure which of the horses at the top end of the market will prove themselves to be the best on the day until they come up against each other. This expensively-bought horse seems to have a lofty reputation, though, and he was impressive over course and distance last November, so I will give him my vote in what promises to be a great race. 

2:10: SIR GERHARD is a two-time Festival winner and I think he is the classiest horse in this race. In backing him, one is putting a bit of faith in the maestro Willie Mullins in that he will have him right for this, particularly after just one run all season and one run over fences to date. The step-up in trip to 3m has also been questioned, but again, one is putting faith in the Mullins team, who know the horse best, to have placed him in the correct race. I’m excited to see what he can do!

2:50: Second in the Triumph Hurdle here last year, FIL DOR carries top weight but Ben Harvey claims 5lbs. We have seen horses with a lot of weight win this in the past, not least with Commander of Fleet last year, and if he gets the trip, I think he could represent some each way value. 

3:30: A lot is being made of the Clarence House Chase back in January, and it is definitely the key piece of form heading into this race. I thought EDWARDSTONE ran very well that day, and he was unlucky not to win, just losing out to Editeur Du Gite who was possibly being underestimated heading into the race and allowed to dictate from the front. I think tactics will be different tomorrow, but I would back this horse to confirm the form with Energumene and prove himself to be the best 2 mile chaser around at the moment. 

4:10: My original pick in this race, Grey Diamond, didn’t get in, but I have landed on another runner from the same trainer, Sam Thomas, in BEFORE MIDNIGHT. A previous course and distance winner in a handicap, he has run creditably enough this season and I think he may have an each way chance. 

4:50: I don’t usually have a strong opinion in the Cross Country, but I do think tomorrow will come down to the two Elliott runners at the top of the market. Of the two, I prefer GALVIN, but this isn’t a race I’m very interested in from a betting point of view. 

5:30: The bumper seems absolutely fascinating, and I’m really looking forward to watching it! BETTER DAYS AHEAD has been the one I’ve backed from a while back, so I’m going to stick with him here. Really hard to predict what’s going to happen in this race, but Jamie Codd sounded very positive on him at the ATR preview night a few weeks back, and his price has shortened a but now to 9/1. I hope he has a chance!

Again, best of luck all! 

gazza1

Looking at yesterday's Novice Hurdle results I can't be backing anything from the UK as the Irish horses are way ahead.

1.30 Impaire Et Passe

2.10 Gerri Colombe

2.50 HMS SEAHORSE

3.30 Energumene

4.10 Delta Work

4.50 Andy Dufresne

BOL

TipsyMcStagge

13.30: Good Land

14.10: Sir Gerhard

14.50: Hms Seahorse

15.30: Energumene

16.10: DEise Aba

16.50: Elixir De Nutz

17.30:Its for me

castletownman

My PP free bet on American Mike (now 33s) in the first just for the craic.

Small e/w accum:

14.10: Sir Gerhard

14.50: Hms Seahorse

15.30: Energumene

16.10: Galvin (brought me joy before, and couldn't resist, one of Elliott's fortes too).

degrassinoel

1.30

American Mike

2.10

the real whacker

adamantly chosen

2.50

the very man

3.20

Nube Negra

4.10

Lt. Rocco

all each way except nube negra to win.

TipsyMcStagge

Jordan Gainford won't sleep a wink tonight after that he had the best horse under him by an absolute mile

Lucy8080

EW. Double

2 :50 HMS Seahorse 8/1

4:50 Final Orders 6/1

E.W Double

2:50 Langer Dan 10/1

4:50 Dads Lad 16/1

9 x E.W. Doubles

2:50 Camprond 14/1 Riaan 25/1 Bold Endeavour 25/1

4:50 Final Orders 6/1 Dads Lad 16/1 Coeur Sublime 12/1

E.W. trixie

2:50 Bold Endeavour 25/1

4:50 Final Orders 6/1

5:30 Chapeau De Soliel 22/1

Best Of Luck all !

blackcard

Nearly all Willie Mullins horses are running up to their best form. Sir Gerhard, who didn't jump well, and Tekao, who pulled very hard, were exceptions. I have him down as 4 winners, 3 seconds, 5 thirds and 4 fourth place finishers so far.

howareyakid

You can’t hide away on the bad days after enjoying the good days, and I certainly got brought back down to earth today! Washout day and definitely a tough day at the betting office. Don’t think the ground suited Edwardstone but Mullins’ horse was way better on the day in any case. Sir Gerhard was rightly been questioned and the English novices really do seem to be way worse this year. Better Days was very disappointing in the bumper as well. Always find the Thursday a bit of a tough day but we’ll dust ourselves down and go again anyway!

howareyakid

Great story with the Brian Gleeson horse in the bumper as well though, I must add! The form from the DRF trace really came through again as well.