Cheltenham Festival 2024: Day 2 tips for Queen Mother Champion Chase, Gallagher Novices Hurdle and more

By Bob Cross

After an exhilarating opening day, where we managed to find the winners of SIX of the seven races, we go again for day two of the greatest show on turf.

We start with the Gallacher Novices Hurdle, which is off at 1.30. BALLYBURN (nap) is my nap of the meeting. Owned by Lanarkshire businessman Ronnie Bartlett , he easily beat yesterday’s Supreme Novices winner, Slade Steel, last month and I dont believe any of the competition in this race is anywhere near as good.

With the ground being on the heavy side of soft we will have an each way shilling on the French bred JIMMY DU SEUIL.

The 2.10 event sees another odds on favourite who is hard to oppose. FACT TO FILE beat yesterday's Arkle winner, Gaelic Warrior, last month and this form looks rock solid. AMERICAN MIKE has been supplemented for this contest and is taken to run into a place.

The Coral Cup is off at 2.50 and is one of my favourite races of the year. A number of these horses will be aimed specifically for this event and previous form may well go out the window. Having said that, BUILT BY BALLYMORE has won his last two races and his handicap mark does not look too harsh.

LANGER DAN is a Cheltenham stalwart and merits an each way investment.

The 3.30 sees The Queen Mother Champion Chase and, as seems to be the way this year, we have a Willie Mullins hot-pot who looks bullet proof. EL FABIOLO is six wins from six and i expect both those digits to increase by one tomorrow.

I would expect EDWARDSTONE to make the running and hopefully hold on for a place.

The 4.10 is the Cross Country Chase. This course was waterlogged yesterday and there is every chance the race will not go ahead tomorrow. Assuming the contest takes place i am siding with MINELLA INDO who,