David Jennings' Cheltenham Festival tips on Wednesday: 'This might just be his day'
Deputy Irish editor and Upping The Ante star David Jennings had three winners on Tuesday and he's back again to take you through the Cheltenham Festival card on Wednesday, headlined by El Fabiolo in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (4.00).
Cheltenham Festival free bets: Paddy Power offer
Cheltenham Festival race times: Wednesday's revised ITV Racing schedule
1.45 (from 1.30): Gallagher Novices' Hurdle (ITV)
2.30 (from 2.10): Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (ITV)
3.15 (from 2.50): Coral Cup (ITV)
4.00 (from 3.30): Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (ITV)
4.50 (no change): Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase (RTV)
5.30 (no change): Weatherbys Champion Bumper (RTV)
Cheltenham Festival tips: Wednesday's card
1.45 Cheltenham
Gallagher Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m5f
DJ's tip: Ballyburn
If you can find anybody, anywhere in the world, who doesn't fancy Ballyburn will you let me know? As I have searched high and low for said person and, as of yet, have had no success. This is where I switch into boring mode and tell you the odds-on favourite will beat the second favourite and the third favourite will probably finish third. Ballyburn beats Ile Atlantique beats Predators Gold. It's a simple game sometimes.
2.30 Cheltenham
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Grade 1), 3m½f
DJ's tip: Stay Away Fay
Stay Away Fay is a streetfighter. You wouldn't want to meet him around a dark corner late at night as he would knock lumps out of you. He has his terms and conditions here, a dour test of character as well as speed. He is a thorough stayer over the trip as we saw when he never stopped throwing punches in last year's Albert Bartlett and won on points after 12 rounds. I think he might just have too much mental and physical strength for Fact To File.
3.15 Cheltenham
Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle, 2m5f
DJ's tip: Shanbally Kid
If Might I wins this, I shall sob away for the rest of the festival after cashing in a lifetime of shares for nothing after he couldn't win last year's Martin Pipe. Our relationship is over and, as most of you will know, there is nothing worse than seeing an ex basking in glory without you. He has a chance, you know, but I won't be on him. I'll be on Shanbally Kid at 25-1. This is his trip, this is his ground and this might just be his day. Everything went wrong at Leopardstown. He's better than the bare form of that.
4.00 Cheltenham
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1), 2m
DJ's tip: El Fabiolo
Fabiolo is the best horse, he has his favourite conditions and he just wins, doesn't he? I think he should be 2-5 or shorter.
4.50 Cheltenham
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase, 2m
DJ's tip: Libberty Hunter
My old buddy Paul Kealy has been banging on about Libberty Hunter since about 1962, and I've finally listened. He could be right. This unexposed eight-year-old could be nicely ahead of his mark and conditions are perfect for him. He'll do for me, although last year's winner Maskada must have big claims again.
5.30 Cheltenham
Weatherbys Champion Bumper, 2m½f
DJ's tip: Jalon D'Oudairies
Gordon Elliott holds the key here. All three of his have a squeak, and I think Jack Kennedy has got a huge decision right. Jalon D'Oudairies wants it. He gets his head low to the ground under pressure and really wants it. The way he hit the line at Leopardstown, after Redemption Day loomed up ominously, told me he is your 2024 Weatherbys Champion Bumper winner.
Day two highlights
The big story
The news broke on Wednesday morning that Nicky Henderson was withdrawing several runners from day two of the meeting, including Jonbon in the Champion Chase. The Seven Barrows trainer said there will be more non-runners on Thursday and Friday with ongoing problems affecting his horses at the moment. First Street, in the Coral Cup, and Kingston Pride, in the Champion Bumper, were also pulled out of their races. The other major news on day is that the Glenfarclas Chase was cancelled after the cross-country course failed a morning inspection due to waterlogging.
The big race
The Queen Mother Champion Chase (4.00) is the feature on day two of the festival as a top-class field of eight head to post, headlined by the Willie Mullins-trained El Fabiolo. The seven-year-old, who won impressively at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out, heads the betting for the 2m contest, while the Alan King-trained Edwardstone bounced back to his best when taking the Grade 2 Game Spirit at Newbury last month. Captain Guinness and Clarence House hero Elixir De Nutz are others to note with Jonbon out.
The big horse
There were serious question marks as to which race the classy Ballyburn would tackle at the festival for Mullins, but the champion trainer has opted for the longer trip in the Gallagher Novices' Hurdle (1.45). The six-year-old has only lost one of his six starts for the trainer and he steps up in distance having easily disapatched of Slade Steel at Leopardstown last month. The form of that contest was boosted on the opening day of Cheltenham as the runner-up stormed to success in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. There looks more to come from Ballyburn and he's expected to go off a short-priced favourite for this 2m5f affair.
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Read these next:
Paul Kealy's Cheltenham Festival day 2 racing tips: Wednesday's play of the day
Cheltenham Festival day 2 tips: six horses to back on Wednesday
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