Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: Cheltenham Festival Day Two

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck previews day two of the Cheltenham Festival 2025.

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Wednesday, Cheltenham

THE NEW LION is no more than a tepid selection for the Turners – the Day 2 curtain raiser (1.20). It’s pretty hard to evaluate exactly what he achieved at Newbury – and it might be the British novices are bang average – but the manner of his win was striking. He appears also to have a more obvious turn of foot than Final Demand in a race whose emphasis will likely be more on speed than stamina.

BETTER DAYS AHEAD looks a shade too big in the Brown (2.00). Ballyburn looked a backable price last week, but doesn’t now, and there are too many of his rivals that want a thorough test at the trip to think this won’t be a bit of a war. In which event, the selection will be best equipped. Already a Festival winner, he has always been Gordon Elliott’s number one for the race in a division where he has been very strong this year. COLONEL MUSTARD does precious little winning but rates a decent place prospect in the Coral Cup (2.40). He’s a very consistent horse, for whom the better the ground, the better he should run. He’s performed admirably at Festivals past, most notably when 3rd in State Man’s County, and I like the look of his claiming rider.

MISTER COFFEY, however, makes the Colonel look like a winning machine (3.20). But it could be that kind of day, and he has clearly loved it round here on his two spins, has run screamers at the last two Festivals and gets a nice pull in the weights with Stumptown. Again, maybe more of an each way proposition, but a sound one nonetheless.

FOUND A FIFTY is a possible alternative in the Champion Chase (4.00), particularly in Hills’ ‘without Jonbon’ market, where he’s an attractive price. He ran a rare poor race last time, but there were valid excuses, prior to which he’d strung together some very sound efforts at a high level, including a defeat of Solness and co in the Fortria. Of all these, he is definitely a contender to step forward for better ground.

JPR ONE can give Joe Tizzard his elusive Festival winner in the Grand Annual (4.40). His horses both ran screamers to be second on Day One, and this horse has been doing well in Graded company for a while, looking a genuine prospect when faced with good ground. Back in handicap over fences for the first time since his chasing debut, he is not badly treated, and should love the rhythm of this race.

IDAHO SUN is another big priced horse that can outrun his odds in the bumper (5.20). There’s a strong chance that there’s a star in here, likely either Copacabana or Kalypso’schance. That said, the selection has certainly achieved a pretty good level relative to his price in his two starts to date. His trainer is not prone to a move like this without good reason, and I loved this horse’s attitude both times.