Joe Whitaker's guide to what to watch out for at Cheltenham on Wednesday

The Wednesday Cheltenham can sometimes be a bit of a breather, along with the Thursday, as the drama from the first day settles down. It doesn’t look a bad second day this year however.
By Joe Whitaker
Published 15th Mar 2022, 14:23 BST
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The Ballymore Novices Hurdle (13:30) sees a red-hot Willie Mullins favourite in Sir Gerhard at around 4/6. This hacked up in the Bumper last year and has a serious engine.

Having looked at the winner of the Supreme yesterday, Willie has probably steered him safely to a much easier race and its hard to see him not winning.

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There are only 9 runners though and each way bet on Paul Nicholls STAGE STAR at 7/1 could be a shrewd bet. He has done nothing wrong this season and won three from three, with his limit potentially yet to be reached. I can foresee a big run.

A full crowd in the stands watch the runners and riders during the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle during day one of the Cheltenham Festival at CheltenhamA full crowd in the stands watch the runners and riders during the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle during day one of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham
A full crowd in the stands watch the runners and riders during the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle during day one of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham

The Brown Advisory Novices Chase (14:10) could be one of the races of the week for me, with three very nice horses at the top of the market, and all of them representing the home team! Out of the three its Venetia Williams’ L’HOMME PRESSE who I like the most and he can be backed at around 7/2. When he won at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day I had him down as one I wanted to back at the festival and he looked even better Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown last month.

He could take some beating!The Coral Cup (14:50) is probably one of the races its best advised to keep the interest on the small side, and you want to be backing them each way with such a large field of 28 runners. Emmett Mullins’ THE SHUNTER won the Plate here last year and clearly likes the place, so he looks like one who should be in the mix at around 10/1.

The Champion Bumper is the last race of the day (17:30) and always throws up a nice winner, and its Willie Mullins, that man again, who saddles REDEMPTION DAY at around 6/1 that could prove to be a very nice horse, having looked eye-catching when winning at Leapordstown in December.