Jane Mangan’s William Hill blog: Cheltenham Festival 2025 Day Two preview

Jane Mangan is back to preview the second day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.

Wednesday, Cheltenham

Day Two kicks off with the Turners Novices’ Hurdle (1:20 pm). The race was won emphatically last year by Ballyburn, and Willie Mullins has trained the last three winners of the race. He’ll be hoping that Final Demand can make it four in a row, but I like The New Lion for Dan Skelton. He’s undoubtedly the best British novice hurdler we have seen this year and is unbeaten in four races, most recently delivering an effortless display in the Challow Hurdle. The runner-up that day, Wendigo, has subsequently franked that form, and I think there’s much more to come from him. He was later bought by JP McManus. It’s The New Lion for me to get one over on the Irish.

This time last year, we thought Fact To File was going to be the next Gold Cup horse following his rout of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (2:00 pm). This year, there are seven runners, all of whom come from the Emerald Isle. Ballyburn will be a hot favourite, but I think Dancing City is a really reliable sort. I believe he’ll improve for this test of stamina; he’s a three-time Grade One-winning novice hurdler who has progressed over fences. It’s Dancing City for me to upset the short-priced stablemate.

This year’s Coral Cup (2:40 pm) is a difficult puzzle to solve. I’m going to go down the route of an unexposed type who may still be ahead of the handicapper. Paul Townend has opted for Bunting, but I think Jimmy Du Seuil has a serious chance. His form in novice hurdles last year behind Ballyburn reads very well, and I believe Danny Mullins has picked up a great ride here. He could be well ahead of the handicapper.

Having reverted to a handicap, the Cross Country Chase (3:20 pm) is a very competitive race. However, it’s hard to ignore the confidence of William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell behind Stumptown. They’ve applied cheekpieces for the first time and, whilst stable companion Vanillier is a very useful horse, he believes Stumptown is a different animal over the cross-country jumps. He’s unbeaten in three starts in this discipline, and he is fancied to make it four. Who am I to question the great man?

The Queen Mother Champion Chase (4:00 pm) has long been billed as Jonbon’s race to lose. I haven’t wavered from that position—he’s the best horse in the race. In my mind, he’d have to underperform to be beaten here. Aside from Jonbon, I think Marine Nationale will love this ground and the test over this trip. I believe Jonbon will win, but Marine Nationale is a good bet in the ‘without the favourite’ market.

Like the Coral Cup, the Grand Annual (4:40 pm) is always a tricky puzzle to solve. Last year’s race was won by the Dan Skelton-trained Unexpected Party. I think this year’s race will stay with the Brits, as I like the top-weight here, JPR One, to give Joe Tizzard his first Cheltenham Festival winner. When he beat Djelo in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter, I didn’t expect the runner-up to be running in the Ryanair Chase, but he has really franked the form since. I see this as an ideal track and trip, and he’ll take an awful lot of beating off top weight.

Willie Mullins has won the Champion Bumper (5:20 pm) 13 times, and he has a very strong hand here once again with five runners. However, I am taking him on with fellow Irish juggernaut Gordon Elliott, who has won the race twice. I think Kalypso’chance has a great chance here. He’s three from three, having won a point-to-point, a maiden bumper by 15 lengths, and a listed bumper at Navan last time. He’s a very relaxed horse who stays well—two attributes that should really suit this race. Add in the fact that Jack Kennedy takes the ride here, and I think he has a serious chance.