Cheltenham Festival day 2 racing tips: Best free bets for Wednesday, March 12

Wednesday is Queen Mother Champion Chase day, there's also two other Grade 1s and four other cracking contests to get involved with. 

First up let's have a quick run through all our tips for Wednesday's action, with the reason's we've picked them further down the page.

Don't forget to check out the full racecard, results and live odds in Planet Sport's racing live centre.

Good luck and please gamble responsibly.

(Please be aware horses could become non-runners after article publication)

 

Wed Cheltenham tips:

13:20 (Cheltenham) Final Demand

14:00 (Cheltenham) Ballyburn

14:40 (Cheltenham) Be Aware

15:20 (Cheltenham) Galvin

16:00 (Cheltenham) Jonbon

16:40 (Cheltenham) Unexpected Party

17:20 (Cheltenham) Copacabana

 

13:20 (Cheltenham) Final Demand

Willie Mullins has won the Turners Novices' Hurdle seven times including past three renewals. He enters six horses where Final Demand looks the standout.

Created a huge impression making it three from three in the 2m6f G1 Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown last month and can remain unbeaten.

Dan Skelton trains The New Lion who looks the obvious danger racing for the first time since his facile success in the G1 Challow Novices Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott saddles The Yellow Clay who must be respected after recording a fourth-straight hurdle success in the G1 Lawlor's of Naas Novice Hurdle (2m4f) during January.

Potters Charm can bounce back to his best form adopting first-time tongue-tie. May get involved for the placings.

 

 

14:00 (Cheltenham) Ballyburn

All seven contenders are trained in Ireland. The Willie Mullins-trained Ballyburn has been progressing with racing over fences and should be suited by this step up in trip in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.

Won at the top-level here hurdling last season and may score again following a comfortable success in the G1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown last month.

Dancing City was a three-time G1 winner in the staying novice hurdle division. Commands respect having made a smooth transition to chasing, so should be considered.

Winning the Martin Pipe last year Better Days Ahead always looked to be doing enough finding success attempting the G2 Ten Up Novices Chase at Navan 31 days ago and cannot be ignored.

Gorgeous Tom is also worth noting.

 

14:40 (Cheltenham) Be Aware

Be Aware caught the eye when runner-up here last November. Posted a good effort finishing third at Ascot (1m7 1/2f) in December and looks to be crying out for this stiffer stamina test.

Trained by Dan Skelton and may reward backers in the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle.

Impose Toi won't have any issues with the expected ground conditions. Saved for this after his victory tackling a competitive 2m4 1/2f at Newbury in November. Consider.

Paul Townend is booked to ride Bunting who proved popular in recent days and looks interesting attempting further after his unlucky (bad mistake at the last) second-place finish at Clonmel eight weeks ago.

Comfort Zone and Jimmy Du Seuil are others to note.

 

15:20 (Cheltenham) Galvin

Galvin boasts an excellent record here finishing second in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase in 2023. Was runner-up tackling a G1 in America during October and raced on the flat since. Looks set to do well.

Stumptown unseated his rider making cross-country debut at Punchestown last spring. Won all three subsequent starts in this sphere and the Gavin Cromwell-trained runner is fitted with first-time cheekpieces.

Could provide a bold bid despite being raised 9lb for his victory over Mister Coffey here in December.

Mister Coffey is yet to win with fences however is 5lb better off at the weights and holds strong each-way chances.

Busselton and Vanillier are others to note.

 

16:00 (Cheltenham) Jonbon

All three Jonbon defeats have come at Cheltenham. The nine-time G1 winner represents trainer Nicky Henderson and can set the record straight at this Cheltenham Festival in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Beginning to receive the credit he deserves and can complete a G1 hat-trick with fences following victories in the Tingle Creek at Sandown and Clarence House at Ascot.

Solness received a bold ride off the front landing the 2m1f G1 Dublin Chase at Leopardstown.

Dangerous if allowed to dictate matters. Runner-up in that Leopardstown G1 was Marine Nationale who remains lightly raced tackling fences. Could have more to give revisiting the scene of his G1 Supreme Novices Hurdle success last season.

Energumene cannot be ruled out as a two-time winner of this contest racing for Willie Mullins.

 

16:40 (Cheltenham) Unexpected Party

Unexpected Party won the Grand Annual Challenge Cup twelve months ago 7lb lower.

Still looks feasibly treated off the current mark with connections setting this as a target all season.

Trained by Dan Skelton the typically decent jumper is selected to go one spot better than when runner-up in a competitive handicap chase at Windsor during January.

Market support for So Scottish will be interesting on his first start since a wind-operation. Revisits fences after falling here December 2023.

Trainer Gavin Cromwell enters The King Of Prs and My Mate Mozzie and both also warrant consideration.

The King Of Prs looked good winning a valuable fences handicap at Fairyhouse in latest and can remain competitive off a 9lb higher mark, while the latter travelled smoothly into contention when second at Leopardstown and brings course and distance form.

 

17:20 (Cheltenham) Copacabana

Willie Mullins could dominate the Weatherbys Champion Bumper once more.

Copacabana is the choice of Patrick Mullins and is selected to remain unbeaten following his impressive debut success in a Navan jumpers flat last month.

Bambino Fever will relish the Cheltenham hill and could prove a chief danger after her authoritative win in the G2 Coolmore Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race at Leopardstown during February.

Gameofinches created a sizeable impression coasting to a 4.5L success delivering initial rules outing at Punchestown. Cannot be left out of the equation.

Others to note include Kalypso'chance and Aqua Force who has since joined top connections after winning a Gowran Park jumpers flat on debut.

 

READ MORE: Cheltenham Festival 2025 guide: Day-by-day race times, how to watch, best horses, trainers, jockeys and more

READ MORE: Cheltenham Festival Naps of the Day - Tuesday's best free horse racing bets from the UK's top tipsters

 

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