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A Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race, it is contested over a distance of two miles and five furlongs with no less than 10 hurdles standing between the starting pack and a champion.
One of the standout fixtures of Wednesday’s action-packed card, The Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase has become a popular event with race goers and punters betting on the outcome across the country.
The Coral Cup is usually run on the second day of Cheltenham which falls on a Wednesday. it is an incredibly competitive 2m5f handicap hurdle is open for horses of 4 years and older.
The Queen Mother Champion Chase takes place on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival each year, with the Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase being open to horses aged five years and older. Run on the Old Course at the famous Cheltenham Racecourse, runners and riders battle it out over a distance of two miles and 7 furlongs, with 12 fences to be jumped.
Now a conditions race and no longer a handicap, the Cross Country isn’t always the most competitive of events although it takes plenty of winning given that runners have fully 32 natural obstacles to take.
It is run on the Old Course over a distance of 2 miles a half a furlong, there are eight flights of hurdles to take and a full field of 20+ runners usually takes part in this typically competitive Cheltenham Festival event.
This race wraps up the Cheltenham Wednesday at 17:30. Run by horses between four and six years old, over 2 miles and ½ a furlong this race is the most prestigious flat race of the National Hunt calendar.
13:30 – Ballymore Novices Hurdle →
14:50 – Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle →
15:30 – Queen Mother Champion Chase →
16:10 – Cross Country Steeple Chase →
16:50 – The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Challenge Cup →
17:30 – Weatherby’s Champion Bumper →
With the thrills and excitement of the opening day still very fresh in the memory, the exhilaration simply doesn’t stop as March 15th means Cheltenham Festival Ladies Day.
Wednesday brings with it another seven races, another £1million in prize money and no doubt a plethora of Cheltenham day 2 tips for punters to get stuck into with, usually by this stage, either the punters or the bookies chasing some heavy losses – hopefully the latter.
The biggest race on Wednesday is undoubtedly the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the premier two-mile event for steeplechasers in Britain and Ireland and it is backed up on the card chiefly by the RSA Chase, a novice event often featuring those who will be back in a year’s time to contest the Gold Cup itself on Friday. Queen Mother Champion Chase is sure to be another brilliant run following the epic encounter in it at last year’s Cheltenham. This race itself is why the day has since been coined as ‘Ladies Day’ – similarly to the Ascot Finale Day.
Before you get your money on any horse during Cheltenham Festival Ladies Day, it is always recommended to not only check what offers are available to you, but, also the Cheltenham 2023 day 2 declarations. Don’t waste money on horses that aren’t running, and, find our selection of the best betting offers below:
The race, and the day, start at 13.30 so there is plenty of time to start your betting on Cheltenham day 2 early!
Cheltenham day 2 comes out of the gates with the Ballymore Novice’s Hurdle, this Grade 1 race is run over 2miles and 5 furlong by horses 4 years plus. Over that distance there are ten hurdles to navigate over the run, but, it is always a great start to get the Cheltenham 2022 day 2 card underway.
Just as day one begins with a top novices’ hurdle for those aged four and over across two miles, Wednesday starts the same way except that the Ballymore Novices’ takes place over the longer trip of two miles, five furlongs and features ten flights of hurdles.
Once more this race is a Grade 1 event, worth £125,000, and will feature some of the best future staying hurdlers or chasers. It has been on the card since 1971 and has been taken in the past by such great names as Istabraq, Faugheen and Samcro showing that it takes a real good one to get the job done.
While he may yet go for the Champion Hurdle or Supreme Novices’ if connections think he’s good enough and/or he wants a shorter distance, the current ante post favourite is the very exciting Envoi Allen but the likes of Andy Dufresne and Thyme Hill are not far behind and all are top quality.
🥇 1st Sir Gerhard 8-11 Favourite
🥈 2nd Three Stripe Life 8-1
🥉 3rd Whatdeawant 18-1
9 ran
Winning Trainer: Willie Mullins
Winning Jockey: Paul Townend
Willie Mullins elected to run 2021 Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner Sir Gerhard in the Ballymore rather than the shorter Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the move paid off handsomely. Heavily-supported into odds-on favourite, Paul Townend was sitting comfortably with two to jump. He pushed out Sir Gerhard to lead approaching the last before going on to win by three and a half lengths.
Henry de Bromhead’s Journey With Me had been sent to the front after the fourth flight by Rachael Blackmore but was a spent force in second when falling at the last. That left Gordon Elliott’s Three Stripe Life in second with Whatdeawant a one-paced third.
Cheltenham Festival day 2 followed the trend set on day 1 as the Irish dominated. 6-4 favourite Bob Olinger comfortably beat the Willie Mullins-trained Gaillard Du Mesnil (9-4) for an Irish 1-2 in the Ballymore. Bravemansgame (4-1) did best of the home team to finish third but was easily brushed aside and Trainer Paul Nicholls was immediately looking forward to sending him over fences.
Bob Olinger had beaten Blue Lord by 6 ½ lengths at Naas last time and that horse would have finished second in the Supreme but for falling at the last. Rachael Blackmore never had an anxious moment on the imposing son of Sholokhov who is already being spoken of as a future Cheltenham Gold Cup winner. Gaillard Du Mesnil landed the odds in a Grade 1 at Punchestown next time before also embarking on a career over the larger obstacles.
Following on from the Ballymore Novice’s Hurdle, RSA Chase is ran at 14.10.
Known as a stern test for novice chasers, this 3 mile ½ furlong run is for horses aged 5, and older, in this Grade 1 field of runners. With a whopping 19 fences to jump, jockey and horse alike must work in tandem to make sure a small mistake doesn’t rule them out in this unforgiving race.
Known simply as the RSA or the RSA Chase, this novice event is a Grade 1 run over just a little more than three miles and as such it is seen as a very early trial for future Cheltenham Gold Cups and other top staying chases. The RSA features 20 fences, making it a gruelling task for these novices around the Old Course, and is open to those aged 5+.
This year’s event basically has second billing on the Cheltenham races Wednesday card given its importance on the schedule, and is due to carry a prize fund of £175,000. The excellent Champ currently holds favouritism in the early betting market for 2020.
The RSA has been run since 1946 under different names and has real historical significance, winners in the past including future Gold Cup and Grand National winners such as Miinnehoma, Looks Like Trouble and Denman.
🥇 1st L’Homme Presse 9-4 Favourite
🥈 2nd Ahoy Senor 4-1
🥉 3rd Gaillard Du Mesnil 11-1
9 ran
Winning Trainer: Venetia Williams
Winning Jockey: Charlie Deutsch
The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase appeared to have lost some of its lustre with leading Irish novices Galopin Des Champs and Bob Olinger both running in the Turners Chase. That did not concern Venetia Williams who landed the prize with L’Homme Presse, a well-backed 9-4 favourite.
Lucinda Russell had already celebrated an opening day victory with Corach Rambler and was equally thrilled with Ahoy Senor finishing second here. He had improved throughout the season but still looked a raw recruit to the chasing game compared to the winner. The placings were emphatically reversed at Aintree the following month and both horses could now be aimed at the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Opposition to Monkfish completely evaporated in the Festival Novices’ Chase, leaving him to go off the unopposed 1-4 favourite. There would have been plenty of punters holding Cheltenham ante-post betting tickets on the favourite and he gave them an anxious moment when blundering at the last. Paul Townend soon had him back on an even keel and he drew right away to beat 40-1 shot Fiddlerontheroof by 6 ½ lengths.
With Eklat De Rire and Sporting John departing, it left only four finishers in a disappointing renewal. Monkfish did not impress everyone that day, despite winning his seventh consecutive race, and was subsequently beaten by stable companion Colreevy at Punchestown. Unfortunately the gelding has been forced to miss the whole of the 2021-22 National Hunt season with a tendon injury.
The first of the handicap races on Cheltenham Wednesday is the Grade 3 Coral Cup which is the second of this hour, at 14.50.
Run over the distance of 2 miles 5 furlong, with 10 fences to hurdle over the horses, aged four and over, must be at their best to stand a chance of winning this prestigious race. Interestingly, no horse has ever won this outing in consecutive years.
The Coral Cup being what it is, it’s simply anyone’s guess at present who may turn up but given that it is one of the biggest betting races in the UK, you can guarantee that Cheltenham 2022 tips for day 2 will be rife around this event.
A Grade 3 handicap hurdle race run over 2 miles and 5 furlongs, the Coral Cup is severely competitive and can feature all hurdlers aged four and over. While it is worth £100,000 on its own, the race often features a bonus for any horse who can win the Imperial Cup at Sandown the previous weekend before going on to take this race.
Despite having to cover 2m5f and ten hurdles, the Coral Cup is usually a bona fide cavalry charge with the pace frenetic from the very beginning, something that makes it what it is in terms of its popularity with punters.
Often famous for huge public gambles reducing the prices of runners as the layers run scared, the Coral Cup has been landed before by the likes of What’s Up Boys, Monkerhostin and last year by William Henry.
🥇 1st Commander Of Fleet 50-1
🥈 2nd Fastorslow 18-1
🥉 3rd Ashdale Bob 14-1
🏅 4th Camprond 10-1
23 ran
Winning Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Winning Jockey: Shane Fitzgerald
The Coral Cup is one of the most competitive handicaps of the Cheltenham Festival. The 2022 renewal looked as wide open as ever and favourite backers soon knew their fate as Gordon Elliott’s Saint Felicien was pulled up. The rain-softened ground took its toll on the runners with only 15 of the 23 runners completing the course.
Victory went to a stable companion of the favourite in 50-1 outsider Commander Of Fleet. He edged out Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow by a short-head with Ashdale Bob making it a 1-2-3 for Irish-trained runners. The best of the home team was Camprond in fourth place.
The most competitive race on Cheltenham day 2 is the Coral Cup over two miles and five furlongs. The Irish dominance continued when Richard Condon pushed out the front-running Heaven Help Us for a 33-1 success. Their task was made easier by the last flight fall of Blue Sari and the mare was left to come home 9 lengths clear of Nicky Henderson’s Craigneiche (17-2). Outsiders Tea Clipper (33-1) and Sayo (28-1) filled the remaining places.
Plenty of Cheltenham day 2 tips featured the well-backed Grand Roi and Guard Your Dreams but neither landed a blow and they finished only 12th and 7th respectively. Heaven Help Us had reverted to hurdles with a win at Leopardstown in February and defied a 12lbs rise in the weights at Cheltenham.
It is a highlight of the medium distance National Hunt racing calendar and was given its name in honour of recognising the Queen Mothers 80th birthday, along with her huge support of jump racing. As one of the highlights of the jump racing schedule, it is a befitting name.
The last eight years have seen four Nicky Henderson horses run to victory, so if you’re looking for a wise pick in this one, keep an eye on the Cheltenham Wednesday runners declared in this one!
It’s the jewel in the crown of Cheltenham Ladies Day, the Queen Mother Champion Chase at 15:30!
Open to horses of five years, and older, this Grade 1 outing is the race not to be missed from Cheltenham Wednesday racecards! This Grade 1 outing is open to horses of five years old, and older, and is run over the distance of 1 mile 7 furlongs with twelve fences to clear.
While more money will be bet on the previous race, this one represents the true quality on show during Cheltenham races on Ladies Day 2020. Naturally a Grade 1 event, this two-mile chase is the biggest race of its type all season and as the name suggests, effectively crowns the champion minimum distance chaser for the year with the best of Britain and Ireland both taking part.
The Champion Chase is run on the Old Course with participants having to take thirteen fences. The 2023 renewal has a prize fund of some £400,000 and those aged five or older may run.
While such true racing greats as Crisp, One Man, Moscow Flyer, Sprinter Sacre and Altior have won this since its inception in 1959, there’s always room for a new name on the famous trophy so should Altior stick to longer trips this season, it could be the turn of one of the current market leaders such as Chacun Pour Soi or Defi Du Seuil to take up the mantle.
🥇 1st Energumene 5-2
🥈 2nd Funambule Sivola 40-1
🥉 3rd Envoi Allen 10-1
7 ran
Winning Trainer: Willie Mullins
Winning Jockey: Paul Townend
The 2022 Queen Mother Champion Chase was billed as the race of the week with Britain’s Shishkin favourite to beat Ireland’s Energumene. Their epic duel in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot was arguably the race of the season and a re-match was eagerly-awaited.
Shishkin started odds-on favourite at 5-6 but jockey Nico de Boinville pulled him up after the eighth fence. Shishkin was later found to be suffering from a rare bone disorder and is set to return to action in 2022-23. Energumene went to the front with two to jump and strode clear of 40-1 outsider Funambule Sivola with early leader Envoi Allen back in third.
The Queen Mother Champion Chase was expected to go to Ireland’s Chacun Pour Soi, trained by Willie Mullins. The home challenge had been weakened by the withdrawal of previous winners Altior and Politologue, leaving Chacun Pour Soi odds-on favourite at 8-13. After travelling strongly in behind the leaders, the nine-year-old led approaching the last but could not shrug off the persistent challenge of Put The Kettle On (17-2).
Henry de Bromhead’s remarkable Cheltenham Festival continued as the brave mare ran on gamely to beat Nube Negra (11-1) and Chacun Pour Soi by half a length and a length. Greaneteen finished close up in fourth with the ever-consistent Sceau Royal in fifth. Put The Kettle On had won the Arkle Challenge Trophy in 2020 and her Queen Mother victory was her fourth in as many visits. She finally suffered her first Cheltenham defeat behind Nube Negra in the Shloer Chase in November.
Run at 16:10, Cross Country Chase is the perfect race to have after the drama of the Queen Mothers Champion Chase!
Originally a handicap race, this was changed to a conditions race in 2016. Open to horses aged five, and older, this race is run on the cross-country course at Cheltenham over 3 miles and 6 furlongs with an enormous 32 obstacles to navigate.
Although open to those aged 5+ like most chases, this race is really in a category of its own. Not given graded status, the Cross Country is run over three miles, six furlongs and takes place in the middle of the tracks on the unique cross-country course. There are fully 32 natural obstacles for the runners to clear and its this that makes the race what it is – truly something different.
While it has the lowest prize fund of day two at just £65,000, the Cross Country Chase still attracts huge support and that will especially be the case should the great Tiger Roll make it back to Prestbury Park to try to defend his crown.
🥇 1st Delta Work 5-2 Favourite
🥈 2nd Tiger Roll 3-1
🥉 3rd Plan Of Attack 25-1
16 ran
Winning Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Winning Jockey: Jack Kennedy
The amazing career of Tiger Roll, dual Grand National winner, ended in the Cross Country Chase. He had also won this race on three previous occasions and won at five Cheltenham Festival meetings. When he eased to the front under Davy Russell it seemed he was going to bow out on a winning note but he was tracked by stable companion and market leader Delta Work.
The pair battled it out over the last two fences but it was Delta Work who came out on top by three-quarters of a length. Such was the affection with which Tiger Roll was regarded that some of the crowd even booed the result! Plan Of Attack finished a remote third for Henry de Bromhead.
One of the most popular winners of the 2021 Cheltenham Festival was dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll (9-2). The remarkable gelding was winning his 13th race under rules and was appearing at the festival for the seventh time. His first Cheltenham win was the Triumph Hurdle in 2014 so it was no surprise to see him prove popular in the Cheltenham Wednesday betting.
Having been well beaten by Easysland in this race 12 months’ earlier and shown very little since, there was speculation that retirement might be looming for the eleven-year-old. He bounced back to his best here, reversing the form with even money favourite Easysland with an emphatic 18 lengths victory with Some Neck (17-2) in third place.
Tiger Roll did run at Aintree in 2021, contesting the Betway Bowl, but he ran a lifeless race behind Clan Des Obeaux. Easysland was also scratched from the Grand National, although his owner J.P.McManus went on to win the race with Minella Times, ridden by Rachael Blackmore.
Introduced in 2005 when the Festival became a four-day extravaganza, this event was named in honour of Fred Winter who was successful as both jockey and trainer at Cheltenham, with a rather decent record of 17 victories as a jockey and 28 as a trainer! The Grade 3 outing is run by horses aged four years, and over, over the distance of 2 miles and ½ furlong with just eight hurdles to be jumped.
🥇 1st Global Citizen 28-1
🥈 2nd Andy Dufresne 100-30 Favourite
🥉 3rd Frero Banbou 6-1
🏅 4th Editeur Du Gite 15-2
16 ran
Winning Trainer: Ben Pauling
Winning Jockey: Kielan Woods
The going was officially heavy for the Grand Annual Handicap Chase where punters sided with Gordon Elliott’s Andy Dufresne. There was also good support for Colin Tizzard’s Amarillo Sky and the Venetia Williams-trained Frero Banbou.
All three had chances at the third last fence but 28-1 outsider Global Citizen refused to be denied and won by three lengths. The ten-year-old was having his first run over fences since December 2020 so it was a remarkable training performance by Ben Pauling.
The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase provided a rare win for British-trained horses on Cheltenham day 2 when Sky Pirate (14-1) denied Entoucas (7-1) by a short-head. Sky Pirate had been in many notebooks for this race after wins at Cheltenham and Warwick earlier in the season. He had a bit of a reputation for not finding a great deal off the bridle but wind surgery seemed to galvanise the horse, his rating going from 132 in October 2020 to 159 a year later.
Entoucas from the Joseph O’Brien stable battled on right to the line with Ibleo (9-1) in third and On The Slopes (16-1) finishing fourth. The race saw a rare setback for Rachael Blackmore when falling at the ninth on strong-travelling favourite Embittered.
We wrap up the Cheltenham Wednesday at 17:30 with this Champion Bumper.
Run by horses between four and six years old, over 2 miles and ½ a furlong this Grade 1 race is the most prestigious flat race of the National Hunt calendar. Despite not having won here for five years, Ruby Walsh remains the leading jockey in this event.
Won last year by the aforementioned Envoi Allen, the Champion Bumper has been on the card since 1992 and while it is a Grade 1 race in its own right, it serves to offer a platform for future star hurdlers and chasers to make their mark at the festival before they have to jump a flight.
The race takes place over the two-mile trip, is open to those aged 4-6 only and carries a prize fund of £75,000. It has been won by future jumping stars Florida Pearl, Cue Card and Champagne Fever among others and this year we are going at least 14/1 the field at present, with competition naturally huge at this early stage.
🥇 1st Facile Vega 15-8 Favourite
🥈 2nd American Mike 5-2
🥉 3rd James’s Gate 16-1
20 ran
Winning Trainer: Willie Mullins
Winning Jockey: Mr Patrick Mullins
Willie Mullins was seeking an incredible twelfth victory in the Champion Bumper. He and Gordon Elliott had won the last five renewals between them and that sequence was maintained as they fought out the finish.
Mullins won the race with 15-8 favourite Facile Vega who outpaced Elliott’s American Mike to win by three and three-quarter lengths. Mullins also saddled the third and fourth with James’s Gate and Seabank Bistro. It looked a high quality renewal and the first two look certain to take high rank when they are sent hurdling in 2022-23.
Blackmore’s supporters did not have to wait long for a return to winning ways on Cheltenham day 2 as she steered home Sir Gerhard in the Champion Bumper. The race was billed as a match between the unbeaten Sir Gerhard (85-40) and Kilcruit (10-11) and that is exactly how it panned out.
Blackmore went straight to the front with Paul Townend content to bide his time on Kilcruit. Townend urged his mount to close the gap at the two furlong marker but was never closer than at the finish, beaten half a length. Dan Skelton’s Elle Est Belle (16-1) stayed on into third. The winner carried the colours of Cheveley Park Stud who have enjoyed National Hunt success with the likes of Envoi Allen, Allaho and A Plus Tard. The form was reversed at Punchestown in April with Kilcruit coming out on top, although both horses remain exciting prospects over hurdles.
The Cheltenham Festival is a great time to be opening a new bookmaker account with some fantastic offers for new customers. Last year’s 2021 Cheltenham Day 2 special bets included a great introductory offer from Paddy Power. New customers betting £20 on the opening Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle could claim a £10 bet free bet on each of the remaining six races.
888Sport made a similar offer to smaller stakes with a free £5 bet on the last six races for new customers staking £10 on the Ballymore. The feature race for Cheltenham Day 2 offers is the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Bookmakers will be keen to get Shishkin beaten here so look out for special prices for the favourites on Cheltenham 2023 Day 2.
Existing customers will also enjoy enhanced each-way terms on all Cheltenham handicap races. The big betting race on Cheltenham festival day 2 is the Coral Cup and bookmakers are likely to paying out each-way to fifth or sixth place on this event. There are usually Cheltenham free bets on the first race each day plus price boosts throughout the meeting.
Not only have we included our round up of the best offers for you above in our handy comparison table, but, one golden rule is to make sure you check the Cheltenham runners on Wednesday, there is nothing worse than doing he research, picking a horse, only to find out it hasn’t been declared.
Prior to that though, make sure you check out all the Cheltenham offers and our bookie comparisons to make sure you not only pick the right horse for Ladies Day, but, also the right bookmakers!
The Cheltenham runners on Wednesday will not have gotten to this point without winning major races, especially in the case of those contesting the Champion Chase for which events such as the Tingle Creek at Sandown and the John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown are key prep races.
Despite it being a novice event, those running in the RSA will likely have taken part in something like the Feltham Novices’ Chase at Kempton or the Scilly Isles Novices’ at Sandown beforehand to make sure they’re good enough, something no doubt acknowledged when we see Cheltenham Wednesday tips.
It may be made out as something of a gimmick day due to the high-fashion and general wear of the crowd on the second day of the Festival – but – don’t let that distract you from the fact that there are seven brilliant races on the second day for you to get your money on – and – win more on with the Cheltenham races on Ladies Day.
Wednesday March 15th, 2023.
The brilliant Energumene won this race in 2021.
Seven – just as on day one.
Harvey Mayson has worked as a horseracing writer, blogger and tipster for several of the UK’s leading bookmakers and numerous other specialist racing sites. Harvey has great knowledge of horse racing history and was the author of the Paddy Power Cheltenham Festival and Aintree Grand National blog for three years. Harvey’s blog at the Cheltenham Festival in 2014 included a 100,000-1 ante-post four-timer while he correctly forecast the first four winners on Grand National day in 2015. He also tipped three Grand National winners in a row and eleven consecutive winning nap selections.