TEMPLEGATE takes on day two of Cheltenham Festival confident of smashing in some winners.
He reveals all his picks for a blockbuster second afternoon from Prestbury Park – with the big race, the Champion Chase, coming at 4pm.
Back a horse simply by clicking their odds below. Good luck!
Cheltenham 2025 – all you need
COMFORT ZONE (2.40 Cheltenham, nap)
Can win this red-hot handicap for the excellent Joseph O’Brien. This six-year-old did well on the level last season, finishing the campaign with a big handicap win at Naas in October. He has had just one spin over hurdles since then when he was more than a little unlucky not to score in a big field at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting. He didn’t get the clearest of runs at the business end and crossed the line with something left in the tank.
FINAL DEMAND (1.20 Cheltenham, nb)
Willie Mullins’ hope looked a superstar when scoring at Leopardstown latest when clocking a really fast time. He has plenty of staying power and looks open to massive improvement on just his fourth visit to the racecourse.
UNEXPECTED PARTY (4.40 Cheltenham, treble)
Can defend his Grand Annual title for the Skeltons who have campaigned him to peak today. The brothers have a track record for targeting Festival handicaps and he showed really positive signs when second at Windsor last time. He drifted like a barge in the market before getting a ‘quiet’ ride and running on nicely into second when the winner had long gone. He jumps well and has every chance from 6lb higher than 12 months ago.
Templegate’s race-by-race guide to day two of Cheltenham
1.20 Turners Novices’ Hurdle
FINAL DEMAND can get payment in the Turners.
Willie Mullins’ hope looked a superstar when scoring at Leopardstown last time and can edge out the Skeltons’ The New Lion in what should be a cracker.
Here’s my guide to the field with ratings out of five stars:
FINAL DEMAND 5 stars
FINAL score. Brilliant winner at Leopardstown latest when clocking a fast time. Stays well and much more to come.
FORTY COATS 1
FORTY winks. Beaten all three starts in minor contests and needs a rocket to figure.
KAID D’AUTHIE 1
KAID aid. Beaten a distance in a Grade 1 last time and looks well short.
KAPPA JY PYKE 2
KAP doesn’t fit. Has run well in the mud twice at much lower level. Needs major improvement.
KEL HISTOIRE 3
KEL to pay. Bit unlucky last time and step up in trip looks a wise move. Can improve and clear pick of the outsiders.
KISS WILL 2
KISS off. Tanked along to score at Fairyhouse and looks a stayer. Can improve and outside place chance under Patrick Mullins.
POTTERS CHARM 3
CHARM offensive. Won Gr1 Formby on soft and has run well here twice but has nine lengths to find with Sixmilebridge.
SIXMILEBRIDGE 4
SIX hitter. Made all to win Gr2 here last time and stays all day. Will improve and has solid place shout if handling quicker going.
SUPERSUNDAE 2
SUN block. Best has come in bottomless ground and held in Gr1s on past two starts. Needs a downpour.
THE NEW LION 4
LION can roar. Visually impressive in the Challow at Newbury last time. Stays strongly and can improve further. Ground should be ideal too.
THE YELLOW CLAY 4
CLAY rock solid. Won a Naas Gr1 with ease last time and will love this trip. Goes on fast or decent ground and Gordon Elliott is confident. Right in the mix.
2.00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
GORGEOUS TOM can take a massive step forward now he’s tackling three miles for the first time.
After a novicey tumble at Tipperary on comeback, he has gone from strength to strength for Henry De Bromhead and had six lengths in hand when landing a Cork Grade 3 in November.
That saw him thrown into the top-class Drinmore at Fairyhouse the following month where he was beaten less than a length.
That was over 2m4f and he was finishing strongly to suggest this trip will be right up his street.
Ballyburn sets a high standard and was a good five-length winner at the Dublin Racing Festival.
He shapes as though this longer trip will suit but he’ll have to prove it here. He can make the odd little error but he’s got plenty of class and will be right there.
Dancing City has won on decent ground but he loved the mud when scoring at Naas last time. He was Grade 1 level over hurdles but may just find things happening a bit fast here if the ground doesn’t ease.
Stellar Story won the Albert Bartlett over hurdles last season and has place claims if he can jump a little bit better.
Better Days Ahead is a proven stayer who won last year’s Martin Pipe. Rain would help his chances.
Cheltenham Day Two – Hoodoos and Do Dos
TEMPLEGATE (Steve Mullen) has rifled through the killer stats for all 28 races at the Festival.
He has come up with a DO DO for each contest — that’s a fact we hope will hopefully pinpoint the winner.
And there is also a HOODOO which is designed to steer you away from a bad bet or two over the next four days.
Turners Novices’ Hurdle
DO DO: Back horses that won their last race as nine of the past 10 winners did. Irish yards have held sway as have horses that won a bumper.
HOODOO: Reigning Challow Hurdle winner has a shocking record as do any horse that ran on the Flat earlier in their career.
Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
DO DO: Back a horse that has finished at least second in a Grade 2 over fences. Stick with runners that had just one season as a hurdler.
HOODOO: It’s almost 30 years since a mare won and swerve any horse that wasn’t first or second last time.
Coral Cup
DO DO: Consider outsiders as 50-1, 33-1 and 28-1 shots have scored since 2019. Look for horses that have finished in the first four at a past Festival.
HOODOO: Only one favourite has won in two decades. Willie Mullins has won this once but from 50 runners.
Cross Country Chase
DO DO: Back horses that have run over this course at least once already this season. Gordon Elliott and JP McManus both have an excellent record.
HOODOO: Horses younger than eight tend to struggle. Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins have drawn a blank despite firing plenty of darts.
Queen Mother Champion Chase
DO DO: Look for horses that have won at the Cheltenham Festival before. No more than three runs earlier in the season and sent off no bigger than 6-1.
HOODOO: Nine of the past 12 odds-on favourites have been beaten. A fall or unseat this season is another major negative.
Grand Annual
DO DO: Stick with horses no older than nine, with most winners having run at the Festival before. Good Cheltenham form is a major pointer.
HOODOO: Favourites have a modest record and only two of the past 20 won last time out. Horses with more than nine runs over fences struggle.
Champion Bumper
DO DO: Stick with Willie Mullins who has trained the winner 13 times. Irish trainers have taken 25 of the past 32 runnings and your fancy must have won last time ou.
HOODOO: Cue Card was the last four-year-old to win, your fancy must have run in more than one bumper heading here.
2.40 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
COMFORT ZONE can win this red-hot handicap for the excellent Joseph O’Brien.
This six-year-old did well on the level last season, finishing the campaign with a big handicap win at Naas in October.
He has had just one spin over hurdles since then when he was more than a little unlucky not to score in a big field at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.
He didn’t get the clearest of runs at the business end and crossed the line with something left in the tank.
Going up in distance here looks a smart move and he looks fairly handicapped under Mark Walsh.
Owner JP McManus has another decent chance with Impose Toi from Nicky Henderson’s yard.
He was impressive at Newbury last time and won in a big field here in November.
Cheekpieces go on for the first time which may help him get up the hill.
Be Aware looks a typical Dan Skelton handicap challenger. He was a cracking second in the Greatwood here before a solid effort at Ascot last time when third in a big field.
He seemed to stay this far when second at Kempton last season and can improve.
Jimmy De Seuil has a touch of class as he showed when finishing second in last year’s Turners Novice Hurdle.
He’s back from a long break but Willie Mullins will have him fit to fire.
Lossiemouth (not the mare that ran yesterday!) is a Grade 2 winner at best and has been working his way back to full fitness after a long layoff.
He showed positive signs at Chepstow last time and is in the each-way picture.
There has been plenty of money for Bunting who is owned by canny Brighton chairman Tony Bloom.
He doesn’t often miss the target and this five-year-old wasn’t disgraced in last year’s Triumph Hurdle.
He came back from a long break with a rusty second at Clonmel in January and he’s dangerous.
Ballyadam was second in this last year from a 4lb lower mark and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he did something similar this time.
3.20 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
BUSSELTON caught the eye with a nice quiet spin around this track in at the December meeting.
He jumped the various obstacles without putting a foot wrong and ran on nicely enough in the closing stages to finish sixth.
That was an improvement on his first crack over the track and connections have looked after his falling mark by running him over hurdles last time.
He held his own in Grade 2 company at Navan in February and should be spot-on fitness wise now. He stays well and cut in the ground suits.
This is a handicap now which makes life a bit more difficult for Stumptown who is giving weight away all round.
He was hiked 8lb for winning at the December meeting and the cheekpieces go on after he idled a bit in the closing stages.
He has a massive chance again. The horse who gave him a fright last time – Mister Coffey – has every chance of getting on the podium again.
He has run so many good races that it’s a real head-scratcher to see him 0-15 over fences.
He must be one of the best maiden chasers of all time. He loved this test last time and, while he’ll probably find another way to lose, he’s got to be in your Placepot.
Galvin is probably on the downgrade now at 11 but he’s a past-master over this course and almost won the American Grand National last time out in October.
That’s a hurdles race but we know he’ll take to this challenge and won’t be far away.
Vanillier didn’t show a lot when ninth over this track at the December meeting but he ended a losing run going back three years when striking over the banks course at Punchestown last month.
A repeat of that effort would make him competitive.
4.00 Queen Mother Champion Chase
SOLNESS hasn’t had the credit he deserves for his blistering victory at Leopardstown last month.
He turned that race into a procession, blasting off from the front and showing electric pace.
He jumped brilliantly and showed no signs of flagging in the closing stages.
He drops back a furlong here which helps cancel out the stamina-sapping effects of the hill a little and he looks a good price to go very close again.
Jonbon will be a tough nut to crack and he’s been as good as ever this season.
He’s unbeaten with Nico De Boinville on board and he was very good at Ascot last time.
Us Solness fans can point to his three career defeats all coming at Cheltenham and two at the Festival.
Marine Nationale was two lengths behind the tip last time but his last visit to Cheltenham saw him win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle so he’s respected.
It is unlikely to be soft enough for Energumene to show his best and he’s 11 now so a place is the best he can hope for.
4.40 Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase
UNEXPECTED PARTY can defend his Grand Annual title for the Skeltons who have campaigned him to peak today.
The brothers have a track record for targeting Festival handicaps and he showed really positive signs when second at Windsor last time.
He drifted like a barge in the market before getting a ‘quiet’ ride and running on nicely into second when the winner had long gone.
He jumps well and has every chance from 6lb higher than 12 months ago.
My Mate Mozzie is solid each-way after a good return to chasing when second at Leopardstown last month. He has plenty of pace for this trip and rarely finishes out of the frame.
So Scottish looks a plot horse from canny Emmet Mullins.
He was seventh in the 2023 Plate and was running a big race in the December Gold Cup here later that year before a late tumble.
He’s run over hurdles ever since with mixed results which means he goes chasing again from a lower mark.
It would be no shock to see a market move for him in the JP McManus silks.
JPR One isn’t without a chance on this drop in class.
He ran in the Arkle last season and held his own in the Tingle Creek before a quiet run at Newbury last time.
He has plenty of weight but his ability could take him into any extra places that are on offer.
The King Of Prs was well on top over a slightly longer trip at Fairyhouse last time out in January.
General Medrano burst to the front at Doncaster last time only to be nabbed near the line.
The fast pace of this race should suit him better and a 2lb rise in the weights gives him every chance.
Dancing On My Own has an each-way squeak after a decent third here last time when Henry De Bromhead’s horses weren’t firing.
5.20 Champion Bumper
I’M backing Townend to come up trumps in the Champion Bumper – but it’s Jody rather than big brother Paul I’m putting my faith in.
She is on board BAMBINO FEVER who gets a handy 7lb allowance for being a mare.
Today’s pilot was in the saddle when she destroyed a fair field to win a Grade 2 at Leopardstown last month.
She picked up like a rocket to scoot more than seven lengths clear without breaking sweat.
That turn of pace will be a big asset here and she can go close. Another mare in Aqua Force could be the main danger.
She moved to Willie Mullins after a 28-length success for one of Ireland’s smallest trainers Miguel Gunn for whom she was his first winner in 28 years of trying!
She’s in the colours of JP McManus today and it would be no shock to see her improve for being in the custody of the champion trainer even for just a few weeks.
Kalypso’chance created a good impression by winning at Navan in December despite looking pretty green.
Gordon Elliott has not run him since then and he’s sure to have improved in the meantime.
Copacabana has been well touted for this and quickened pretty sharply when winning at Navan on debut four weeks ago. He is another who should take a big step forward.
Gameofinches didn’t have to get out of first gear when scoring first-time-out at Punchestown last month.
He could probably have done with a harder race to harden him up but he’ll be a major factor under Paul Townend.
He Can’t Dance was an expensive buy who wasn’t beaten far in a Leopardstown Grade 2 last month.
He’ll have to build on that but could nick a place.
Idaho Sun looks the pick of a pretty thin British challenge. He looked decent at Windsor last time but this is a different level.
The Skeltons’ Fortune De Mer took a Listed race over C&D so could run into the picture.
Templegate’s tips in full
FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.