THE opening day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival may be behind us, but there is little chance to catch your breath, with day two coming up hot on its heels.
Known as ‘Style Wednesday’, the day combines the glamour of fashion with class on the track, with no less than four Grade 1 races for punters to get stuck into.
The feature is the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase, which is one of the most glamorous jumps races of the season. You require a mixture of speed and class to come out on top here and the hot favourite this year is the Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon.
We’ve put together our very best Cheltenham day 2 predictions, featuring tips and in-depth previews for you in the article below.
Best bets for Cheltenham day 2
🕐 Cheltenham day 2 race schedule
We’re all set for another superb line-up of racing on the second day of this year’s Cheltenham Festival, with no less than four top-level races scheduled. The feature Queen Mother Champion Chase is due off at 4pm and you can find the full details below.
| Time | Race | Distance | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13.20 | Turners Novices’ Hurdle | 2m5f | Grade 1 |
| 14.00 | Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase | 3m½f | Grade 1 |
| 14.40 | Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle | 2m5f | Premier Handicap |
| 15.20 | Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase | 3m5½f | Limited Handicap |
| 16.00 | BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase | 2m | Grade 1 |
| 16.40 | Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup | 2m | Premier Handicap |
| 17.20 | Weatherbys Champion Bumper | 2m½f | Grade 1 |
Cheltenham Festival day 2 predictions: The runners and riders
Style Wednesday always proves to be a hugely intriguing day of racing and this year’s card is no different – with each of the four Grade 1 races offering intrigue.
The feature is the Queen Mother Champion Chase, which has been won by some legends of the game this century, including Moscow Flyer, Master Minded, Sprinter Sacre and Altior.
Jonbon is a hot favourite to win the race for a record seventh time for his trainer Nicky Henderson, though history tells us that the omens aren’t as good as they may seem, seeing as six of the last seven odds-on favourites to contest the race have been turned over!
Meanwhile, Ballyburn is bidding to become a dual Cheltenham Festival winner by taking the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, having won the Turners Novices’ Hurdle 12 months ago.
He’s a warm order for Willie Mullins, though it’s worth noting that this particular double was last completed by The West Awake all the way back in 1988.
Speaking of the opener, The New Lion has a good chance for Dan and Harry Skelton. He will be very popular with punters having been bought by JP McManus, though it’s worth noting that all 21 winners of the Challow Hurdle at Newbury to contest this have been beaten.
The card is brought to a close by the Grade 1 Champion Bumper, which has been dominated by Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins of late.
The pair have won seven of the last eight renewals between them and the five market leaders hail from that yard at the time of writing, with Copacabana leading the betting for Mullins. It’s worth paying attention to jockey bookings in this contest, as Patrick Mullins has ridden four of his dad’s last eight winners in this race.
Looking for some tips? We have put together an in-depth Cheltenham Festival day 2 preview for you below, along with Cheltenham betting offers and free bets from our favourite horse racing betting sites.
#1 – Energumene each-way in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at 7/1
We’re set for a fascinating renewal of the Queen Mother Champion Chase, which revolves around the eight-time Grade 1-winning chaser Jonbon.
Nicky Henderson’s charge has a borderline perfect record over fences, winning 12 of his 14 starts to date. He’s won all three of his races so far this term and very much sets the standard here, having accounted for the dual champion chaser ENERGUMENE in some style in the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Ascot back in January.
He’s rightfully a short-priced favourite for this, though he does still come with risks. Cheltenham hasn’t been the happiest of hunting grounds for the nine-year-old in the past, with three of his career defeats coming here, while his two victories over fences on the Cotswolds were rather laboured.
A clear round of jumping could well be enough for him to win, but there’s a lingering feeling that this track just doesn’t suit Jonbon, particularly if this turns into a tactical affair. An 8-11 favourite at the time of writing, it could be worth taking him on at the prices with the two-time winner Energumene each-way.
Admittedly, the 11-year-old has a six-and-a-half-length deficit to overturn with the favourite, though that was still a high-class performance on ground which proved to be a touch too quick on the day. There’s a slight feeling that he could be lurking ever so slightly under the radar here because of that defeat, but this is certainly a home game for Energumene, who arguably put in a career-best performance here when winning this race in 2023.
The ground may once again be on the quicker side, but he’s versatile tactically, which certainly could play into his hands in a race where the majority will be looking to be prominent. Energumene has never finished outside of the top three in his career and with that in mind, it could be worth having an each-way play at the prices to hit the frame once again at the very least.
➡️ Bet on Energumene each-way in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at 7/1 with Betway
#2 – Final Demand in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at 13/8
We kick off Wednesday’s card with a fascinating renewal of the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, which ought to be more tactical than the previous day’s opener, particularly if the weather remains dry between now and then.
All eyes will be on The New Lion, who will be bidding to build on his emphatic win in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December. That four-and-three-quarter length success was enough to persuade the all-powerful JP McManus to buy him privately for a substantial fee, though history isn’t really on his side. Indeed, each of the last 20 Challow Hurdle winners have fallen short in this race and there are certainly question marks about how well that Newbury form has worked out, meaning others appeal more.
With that in mind, it looks worth siding with the Irish raider FINAL DEMAND, who represents Willie Mullins. The six-year-old arrives here unbeaten in two and could hardly have created a bigger impression when winning a Grade 1 contest by 12 lengths at Leopardstown in February.
That performance was made all the more impressive by the fact it came on just his second outing over timber, showing a high cruising speed to boot. He will likely get further in time, but he’s clear of the field on the form figures and feels like the best option in an interesting opener, especially when you consider his yard has won this a record seven times. Meanwhile, fellow Irish challenger The Yellow Clay can’t be ruled out, either.
➡️ Bet on Final Demand to win the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at 13/8 with bet365
#3 – Ballyburn in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at 11/10
It’s impossible to oppose BALLYBURN, who’s bidding for his second festival success in as many years having won the Turners Novices’ Hurdle by some 13 lengths this time last year.
The seven-year-old found a certain Sir Gino too hot to handle over two miles at Kempton at Christmas, though the emphasis was very much on speed that day and there was little shame in that run against a potential top-notcher.
He was far more at home when stepped up to 2m5f at Leopardstown last month, showing plenty of grit to see off the sustained challenge of the previously unbeaten Croke Park on the run-in. Stamina certainly looks to be his game and he’s firmly clear on the figures here, with the extra three and a half furlongs likely to bring out more improvement. With that in mind, it looks worth siding with him at 2.10 with SBK to take this.
The biggest threat to Ballyburn is likely to come from stablemate Dancing City, a dual winner at the spring festivals over timber last year. He’s made a strong start to life over fences and is respected, while fellow Irish raider Better Days Ahead won the Martin Pipe here last year and is another to note having won two of his three starts over fences so far.
➡️ Bet on Ballyburn to win the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at 11/10 with SBK
#4 – Stumptown in the Cross Country Chase at 11/4
The marmite race of the meeting, the Cross Country event very much requires a specialist, a statement which certainly applies to STUMPTOWN. Gavin Cromwell’s charge has quickly built up a record of three wins from four starts in this sphere and is fancied by many to go well in next month’s Grand National at Aintree.
The latest of his victories came over course and distance in December and he saw off a strong field, seeing off a previous winner of the race in Latenightpass as well as the talented but quirky Mister Coffey. An 8lbs rise for that victory means he has to shoulder top weight here, though it feels worth siding with momentum in a race full of exposed types, or horses with something to prove.
With that being said, it wouldn’t be a surprise should several of these come out on top, none more so than Galvin, who was a fine fourth in last year’s Grand National. He hasn’t been seen since the American version of that race last October and is likely using this as a warm-up for Aintree, while the 2023 National runner-up Vanillier won over these fences at Punchestown last time out.
Busselton appeals as one who could be lurking on a particularly dangerous mark and he does have some experience in this sphere under his belt, but there’s a lurking feeling that Stumptown could still have something up his sleeve for his ultra-shrewd connections.
➡️ Bet on Stumptown to win the Cross Country Chase at 11/4 with Coral
#5 – Be Aware in the Coral Cup at 5/1
The third race on the card is the Coral Cup over two miles and five furlongs, which regularly proves to be one of the most difficult puzzles of the week to solve.
Dan Skelton has rather mastered the dark art of hoodwinking the handicapper in this race with a certain Langer Dan for the previous two years and it could be that he has another well-treated type this time around in the form of BE AWARE.
The six-year-old has won just once from his six starts over timber so far but he has repeatedly caught the eye this term, finishing a narrow second behind Champion Hurdle outsider Burdett Road in the always competitive Greatwood Hurdle on reappearance here in November.
He has since finished a well-held third in a similarly competitive event at Ascot in December, but they went a strong enough gallop that day and he plugged on well enough after making a mistake at a key moment late on. The handicapper has left his mark alone for that run and given plenty of time to freshen up, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him figure much more prominently this time around, with the distance holding no fears.
It’s possible to make a case for a whole host in opposition, particularly Ballyadam, who has been there or thereabouts on all four of his starts at the festival and ought to be in the mix once again.
➡️ Bet on Be Aware to win the Coral Cup at 5/1 with BetMGM
Some famous day 2 moments down the years
Jonbon is likely to be an odds-on favourite for the big race, but history hasn’t been particularly kind to Champion Chase favourites of late, as we saw in dramatic fashion last year.
The late withdrawal of Jonbon due to his yard’s poor form meant that El Fabiolo lined up as an overwhelming 2-9 favourite for this 12 months ago, but a string of early jumping errors saw Paul Townend pull him up. It opened the door for Captain Guinness to pull off a major upset for the Henry de Bromhead team, edging out Gentleman De Mee by one and a half lengths.
That wasn’t an isolated incident, either, with Defi Du Seuil only able to finish fourth as a 2-5 favourite back in 2020, while Jonbon’s full-brother Douvan was found to be lame when finishing a long way down the field in 2017 as a red hot 2-9 favourite for Willie Mullins.
Captain Guinness is back to defend his crown in the feature but the most likely horse to win for the second year running on this card is perhaps last year’s Turners Novices’ Hurdle winner Ballyburn (known last year as the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle), who’s a warm favourite for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
📋 How to bet on day 2 at Cheltenham
Placing your first bet on the races can be a bit daunting if you’re new to the sphere, but it’s a super simple process. We’ve put together a quick guide for you below.
- Log into your betting account. If you need to create a new one, there are lots of suggestions in our list below.
- Once you have logged in and deposited money, head to the ‘horse racing’ section and find the racing taking place at Cheltenham on Wednesday 12th March 2025.
- Pick out a horse to bet on. You can either read out Cheltenham day 2 predictions in this article or you can study the form on the betting website.
- Add your selection to the betslip by clicking on the odds next to their name. Input your stake and when you are happy, click ‘place bets’.
More 2025 Cheltenham free bets and betting offers
Cheltenham Festival free bets for day 2
📺 How to follow the Cheltenham Festival action on day 2
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest sporting events of the year, meaning it’s fairly easy to keep up with the action. ITV1 are screening the first six races on day two live on terrestrial television, while all 28 races this week will be shown live on Racing TV. If you are on the move, you can listen to the action live on talkSPORT or you can live stream the racing on your betting app. Meanwhile, bookmakers will be showing all the action live in betting shops.
About the author
Craig Mahood
Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.
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