Neil Morrice shares his race-by-race selections for day 2 of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL DAY 2 BEST BETS WEDNESDAY
Race 1 TURNERS NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)
No1 FINAL DEMAND
Trainer: Willie Mullins – Jockey: Paul Townend
With six runners Willie Mullins fields more than half of the field for a race to savour. While it’s unsafe to rule all but a couple out, the best outcome for the sport would be an Ireland versus England finish involving FINAL DEMAND and THE NEW LION. JP McManus purchased the Dan Skelton-trained The New Lion for a substantial but undisclosed sum after the gelding has drawn imperiously away from his rivals in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury. However, the Kayf Tara gelding is now in an altogether tougher race in which FINAL DEMAND can take the spoils. After delivering on his only run in a point the six-year-old dominated his hurdles outings at Limerick and Leopardstown, with his performance at the Dublin Racing Festival was one of the best at that meeting. POTTER’S CHARM saw his halo slip with a defeat here in January, but he looks easily the best of the home contingent and can run into the money, along with THE YELLOW CLAY.
Prediction: 1st FINAL DEMAND, 2nd The New Lion, 3rd Potter’s Charm, 4th The Yellow Clay
Race 2 BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES’ CHASE (Grade 1)
No1 BALLYBURN
Trainer: Willie Mullins – Jockey: Paul Townend
Apart from one minor blip, last year’s leading novice hurdler BALLYBURN has looked as if he will prove just as good over fences. He smoothly graduated into Grade 1 company at Leopardstown and races as though this step up to three miles should be well within his compass. He’s one of the big stars on show in a race that is an Irish benefit, with no runners from outside the Emerald Isle. DANCING CITY was a similarly smart novice before going chasing and has done nothing wrong in his two races at Punchestown and Naas. The chestnut has one advantage over the favourite in that he’s already proven over three miles, making him a real threat. One that appeals as value at a bigger price is last season’s Albert Bartlett hero STELLAR STORY, who just needs to eradicate the mistakes that have been a hallmark of his three races over fences to date, but he makes slightly more appeal than BETTER DAYS AHEAD.
Race 3 CORAL CUP HANDICAP HURDLE
No17 BE AWARE
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
In a betting extravaganza to savour this can provide a welcome respite for the English. While the 2024 runner-up BALLYADAM and BUNTING are solid contenders from across the Irish Sea the one that jumps off the page is springer in the market BE AWARE, representing a stable that has no peers when it comes to plundering the major handicap hurdles at our festivals. I didn’t get a peek at the selection on a recent visit to the Skeltons and perhaps it was on their behalf a wise in keeping him away from the media, because he’s subsequently become the biggest gamble of the week. He’s very good at troubling the judge, and two earning runs this season have served to bring him to concert pitch. At the base of the weights one that jumps out is JIPCOT, who can outperform his price for Jonjo O’Neill. He’s better than his latest effort indicates while IMPOSE TOI has few miles on his racing clock, scored cosily on his first run of the season at Newbury and has to be respected for Nicky Henderson in the famous McManus silks. Granted his good record with hurdlers here, Joseph O’Brien’s COMFORT ZONE enters calculations and especially if he’s backed, while at a monster price don’t rule out LOSSIEMOUTH, who though not as sprightly as his Irish-trained namesake could earn.
Prediction: 1st BE AWARE, 2nd Impose Toi, 3rd Comfort Zone, 4th BALLYADAM, 5th Lossiemouth, 6th Jipcot
Race 4 GLENFARCLAS CROSS COUNTRY CHASE
No2 GALVIN (Nap)
Trainer: Gordon Elliott – Jockey: Jack Kennedy
There will be perfect underfoot conditions for the only race run on the cross-country course and it’s good to see a competitive full house of whom veteran IWILLDOIT is a fascinating addition to the discipline. The former Welsh National winner never fails to give it his all, and with his frame finish at Chepstow in December and second to Mr Vango in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock looks one to back. STUMPTOWN is unbeaten in four runs at this level but he’s consequently giving away weight all round in the handicap and could find GALVIN causing him problems. The Nap was unable to challenge Sir Gerhard on his only outing of the season at Punchestown last month but was not given a hard time and will according to Gordon Elliott be all the better for that. He will be a main bet, but I shall save on Iwilldoit. MISTER COFFEY knows his way round here but it can’t be ignored that he is a 22 race maiden. I’m confident he will make the frame yet again, while at a massive price SLIPWAY also can’t be overlooked.
Prediction: 1st GALVIN, 2nd Iwilldoit, 3rd Mister Coffey, 4th Stumptown, 5th Slipway
Race 5 BET MGM QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE
No6 MARINE NATIONALE
Trainer: Brian Connell – Jockey: Sean Flanagan
JONBON sets a high bar for the others to aim at in the two mile championship and if he can’t lay his hoodoo in this coveted race today he almost certainly never will. He’s looked more assured in his jumping in those triumphs at this course, Sandown and Ascot and has nothing to fear from old adversary ENERGUMENE on that latest form. While I could see Energumene closing the gap, a more potent threat to the favourite is MARINE NATIONALE. The 2023 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner has not proved a sensation since his switch to fences, but though beaten in successive clashes with SOLNESS is probably only now fine tuned to turn the tables, whilst making life tough for Jonbon at an each way price.
Prediction: 1st MARINE NATIONALE, 2nd Jonbon, 3rd Energumene, 4th Solness
Race 6 DEBENHAMS GRAND ANNUAL JOHNNY HENDERSON MEMORIAL HANDICAP CHASE
No7 UNEXPECTED PARTY (Each Way)
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
The Grand Annual has over the years habitually seen the top two mile handicappers perform well from year to year, which in itself is a statistic that augurs well for UNEXPECTED PARTY repeating his triumph from 2024. The grey has embarked on a selective campaign designed to get him ready for this one day, and there was plenty to take out of his defeat by Matata at Windsor where he was never closer than at the finish. Although 6lbs higher than from last year he should play a major part and prove hard to beat. Gavin Cromwell usually lays one out for this which is a pointer in itself to MY MATE MOZZIE, who can prove the pick of his trainer’s three runners. On his Tingle Creek effort, JPR ONE needs respecting while others to bear in mind if they command market support are THE KING OF PRS and JAZZY MATTY.
Prediction: 1st UNEXPECTED PARTY, 2nd Jpr One, 3rd Jazzy Matty, 4th The King Of Prs
Race 7 WEATHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER (Grade 1)
No5 GAMEOFINCHES
Trainer: Willie Mullins – Jockey: Paul Townend
In the hardest race of the week to predict the winner, GAMEOFINCHES gets the vote. He stormed home at Punchestown and can emerge as the best of a five-strong Mullins challenge. The mare BAMBINO FEVER is seeking to make it four wins on the bounce and goes to post with strong vibes behind her. She can hit the board if enjoying the rub of the green, while COPACABANA put in a commanding display on his debut and should get into the shake-up if that has taught him sufficient. While it would come as a surprise to see the Irish domination halted, NO DRAMA THIS END might prove best of the home contingent.
