Cheltenham Festival 2025 - Day Two

 


14:40 - Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle 2m4f

Dan Skelton is always one to keep a close eye on in these festival handicap hurdles and he looks to have teed up another great chance in BE AWARE. It’s not rocket science picking him out and even though he’s close to the top of the market I still make him a bet with the extra places available. He was 2nd to Burdett Road in at the Greatwood off 130 and given that rival is now rated 17lb higher (potentially more after his fortunate Champion Hurdle second on day one) he has to have a huge chance off 137 here. You can put a line through his effort last time out and he has obviously been saved for this.


SANDOR CLEGANE was one of the Irish runner fortunate enough to get away without the usual handicapper ‘tax’ for crossing the Irish Sea and I think he could be up to taking advantage of that. It would probably be unfair to say his chasing career was a complete failure, because he was mixing it in some tough races (including a 4th behind Fact To File at the festival last year), but he was 0-5 over the larger obstacles. He’s better judged on his hurdle efforts and he is particularly effective in bigger fields, including an excellent 3rd in the Albert Bartlett in 2023. He won his last start over this trip and a decent Cheltenham record is always a big plus in these races.


I’m happy to go with a three-pronged attack this year, with the last selection being COMFORT ZONE for Joseph O’Brien. He met a bit of trouble turning for home at Leopardstown last time out and has run well in these big field handicap hurdles on a number of occasions. This son of Churchill has shown smart form on the flat, including landing a valuable handicap at the Curragh and was a two time grade 2 winner as a novice hurdler. The 4lb extra from the UK handicapper isn’t too much of a concern, I think he could improve further still.


BE AWARE 11/2 - 1.5 Points Win

SANDOR CLEGANE 20/1 - 0.5 Points Each-Way

COMFORT ZONE 9/1 - 1 Point Each-Way



16:40 - Grand Annual Handicap Chase 2m

UNEXPECTED PARTY is another selection who I think offers some value despite being at the front of the market, I plan to play him in a single and an each-way double with BE AWARE in the Coral Cup. You didn’t need to be a genius to see that his season has been planned around a bid to go back-to-back in this race. He’s 6lb higher than when winning this last year, but that form has worked out with the 2nd Liberty Hunter winner a Cheltenham handicap off 5lb higher subsequently.


UNEXPECTED PARTY 6/1 - 1 Point Win


BE AWARE (14:40) & UNEXPECTED PARTY (16:40) 41/1 Each-Way Double - 0.5 Points Each-way

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