Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham Festival Lucky 15 Tips For Day 2

7 months ago

| BY Steve Mullington

Ballyadam (Coral Cup)

“Old but gold” is certainly an adage you can apply to BALLYADAM who runs at his fifth Cheltenham Festival, after finishing second in the Supreme Novices Hurdle, fifth (twice) in the County Hurdle, and second last year in the Coral Cup.

The ten-year-old has showed very little deterioration in his form and is still rated as high as 151. On his only run of this season, he outpointed two Willie Mullins-trained previous winners of the race, odds-on favourite Saint Sam and Sir Gerhard, in the New Year’s Resolution Hurdle, the feature race on Punchestown’s New Year’s Eve card.

Carrying the famous red and white colours of Cheveley Park Stud, it’s easy to envisage the veteran putting in yet another big Festival performance, and he’s the ideal candidate for an each-way flutter.

Stumptown (Cross Country Chase)

Trained by Gavin Cromwell, STUMPTOWN went agonisingly close to securing a Festival win when narrowly denied by Angels Dawn in the 2023 Kim Muir.

He heads to Cheltenham with his best chance yet according to the punters out there, and he’s the 5-2 clear favourite to land the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase.

Stumptown produced a powerful effort to land the Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase at Cheltenham’s December meeting and he’s now become a dab hand in this sphere, winning his last three cross country events.

While a Festival win is top of Stumptown’s agenda, a tilt at the Grand National is also on the radar for any horse racing betting fans looking ahead to Aintree.

Primoz (Grand Annual)

Lucinda Russell likened PRIMOZ to the high-class Ahoy Senor after he saw off seasoned handicappers to score with ease on his chasing debut at Wetherby.

The good-looking son of Westerner jumped with aplomb and took the 2m Handicap Chase by two lengths from the useful Pay The Piper.

The step up to 2m4f at Cheltenham’s November meeting didn’t quite go to plan for seven-year-old, but reverting back to 2m appears to have done the trick and he’s a slick jumper for his size.

Peter Scudamore gave a nod to his chances at the weekend, and off a fly-weight of 10st 2lb, he has to be given an each-way squeak at 25/1.

Idaho Sun (Champion Bumper)

IDAHO SUN made it two from two when landing the valuable bumper at Windsor’s Berkshire Winter Millions meeting at the end of January.

The form of his debut win had worked out well, with the runner-up later winning at Listed level, whilst the third also subsequently scored. Harry Fry’s charge under Bryan Carver, raced in touch with the leaders for much of the way. Pushed along to lead approaching the final furlong, he ran on well to score by three lengths.

Bought from the Goffs Arkle Sale for €60,000, the gelding is a lively each-way prospect for the home squad.