Cheltenham Day 2 Tips: Handicap selections

Wednesday’s handicaps include the mightily competitive Coral Cup, the Grand Annual and the Cross Country Chase.

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Here, we have picked out three value bets for the handicaps including Galvin who looks well treated in the Cross Country Chase.

2.40 Cheltenham - 2m5f (Old) Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (Class 1) (4yo+)

The Coral Cup is arguably the most competitive race of the week so far and a case can be made for a big portion of this field.

It’s a race in which big priced runners can make the frame and therefore it might be worth taking a chance on Might I.

Harry Fry’s representative showed he retained plenty of his old ability when winning at Bangor earlier in the season and he paid the price for an error when below form at this venue in December.

However, his subsequent run at Taunton was more encouraging, shaping like he would appreciate a step back up in trip.

The ground is another factor in his favour. He will prefer drying conditions over many of his rivals and he has the assistance of Sean Bowen this time around, a jockey riding the crest of a wave in recent weeks.

The selection is well handicapped on old form too so he looks overpriced at 33/1 or bigger.

Selection: Might I

3.20 Cheltenham - 3m5½f Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (A Limited Handicap) (Class 2) (5yo+)

Stumptown has been hammered by the handicapper and, at bigger odds, Galvin could be the way to go in the Cross Country Chase.

He ran a huge race in last year’s Grand National at Aintree, despite the ground being on the quick side for him and he finds himself on a 1lb lower mark for this contest.

It looks like the ground is going to come in his favour with very little rain around before 3.20 on Wednesday and he ticks all the right boxes for this unique race.

Selection: Galvin

4.40 Cheltenham - 2m (Old) Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (Class 1) (5yo+)

My Mate Mozzie clearly isn’t entirely straightforward given his win rate over the last 18 months, but Cheltenham is one track that he performs well at and there are a few reasons to think the Grand Annual will be up his street.

He gives the impression he’ll appreciate a big field in which his jockey can smuggle him to contention and they may be coming back to him up the Cheltenham hill which should also help this runner that needs to be quietly ridden.

The ground also appears to be in his favour having produced his best effort on either good or yielding ground.

He’s one of the few Irish runners in this that the handicapper may have let in lightly, giving him just 1lb more than his Irish mark and he arrives on the back of a good performance at the Dublin Racing Festival last month.

He’ll need to be delivered late but his rider, Keith Donoghue, has been riding out of his skin in recent times and he rides this track particularly well.

Selection: My Mate Mozzie

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