Cheltenham 2026 - Day 2 Selections

1.20 Turners Novices' Hurdle 2m5f

Having taken the first four places in the Supreme, the British novices have shortened considerably for this and I think one of them will win it. Paul Nicholls nearly won the Ultima with Quebecois yesterday and in the same colours, NO DRAMA THIS END has a brilliant chance of getting him off the mark this week. Comparisons with Denman may feel premature, but everything has come so easily to him over hurdles and he has something inscrutable about him that form doesn't conjure. Perhaps that is a roundabout way of saying he has class - and bundles of it. With the likes of Hermes Allen, Stage Star and Bravemansgame failing to inspire in recent years, it has become something of a lazy dogma to knock a Nicholls-trained Challow winner, underlined by the idea they haven't beaten anything and fuelled by the trainer characteristically using his most successful horses as a frame of reference. Both those points can be made here but though Nicholls may be sounding like the boy who cried wolf, I think we should believe him this time.

There is, however, a competitive novice hurdle to be run. One with a full field of 22 and all the constituent parts, not least a six-fingered Willie Mullins. At different times I have also liked the chances of Sober, King Rasko Grey and Skylight Hustle but despite wavering, my one long held belief is that ACT OF INNOCENCE is a top-class animal and I have been backing him down from 28/1. He finished third in a Punchestown bumper on racecourse debut at 80/1, arrived at Ditcheat and, after almost a year off, made the running and pulled clear with three smart horses at Newbury - most of whom had more experience under their belts at the time (and two of whom were second and fourth in the Supreme yesterday).

He has since won two of his three starts over hurdles and perhaps had a target on his back when being robbed in a sprint finish conceding 20lb to Minella Yoga. I watched him win the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon in early February and he really takes the eye. You can tell Nicky Henderson adores him and it is not insignificant that he was once seen as the yard's Supreme hope over Old Park Star. He has been brought along in conservatively run races and I think we will see him step up a level with a stronger pace to aim at. Whether or not today is the day he steps forward, my flag is tied to his mast.

Bet: Act of Innocence @ 10/1 1pt each-way (NAP)

2.00 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase 3m1f

It is highly likely that Romeo Coolio will prove to be the best of these down the line, though whether he will win this is another matter. He has been very busy this season and had a notably hard race in the Irish Arkle just a few weeks ago. Given the absence of a two-and-a-half mile novice chase Gordon Elliott wanted to skip Cheltenham altogether, but they have ended up here, over three miles, with a hood on.

Unsurprisingly there has been some money for the highly-touted Final Demand despite his flop at Leopardstown, which could be read as yard confidence or a red herring. Personally, I have always thought he was a bit overrated and can't get it out of my head that you can rearrange his name to spell 'Failed Denman'. However good connections thought he might be and impressive though he looked when dotting up in uncompetitive early season races, he has folded when faced with serious competition both over hurdles and over fences. The only interesting point that has been made in the DRF post-mortem is that Walk in the Parks sometimes have a strong aversion to deep ground. Who knows. If he wins it will be a missed opportunity to steal money and if he loses then it will feel foolish to have ever entertained the idea of backing him.

In a field that feels like much of a muchness, the most appealing option might be KOKTAIL DIVIN, who has been brought along patiently by Henry de Bromhead for Barry Moloney. It has to be taken as a vote of confidence that they have decided to run him in this rather than the novice handicap tomorrow, where he'd have a mark of 150. Many thought he was a non-stayer over three miles when losing out to Oscar's Brother at Punchestown, but there is every chance he was just caught out by deep ground that day. That form has been franked, while his convincing defeat of Kiss Will et al. in a beginners chase was very impressive and it goes without saying that Henry knows how to ready one for the festival.

Wendigo is a brilliant jumper and Jamie Snowden has geared his season around this race. Galway Plate winner Western Fold ran an eyecatching race at Leopardstown and will appreciate better ground. Both of them appeal for place purposes.

Bet: Koktail Divin @ 15/2 1pt win

2.40 BetMGM Cup Hcap Hurdle 2m5f

The old Coral Cup is a productive hunting ground for embryonic hurdlers from top yards. Storm Heart and Kopeck de Mee both have claims as graded horses in a handicap but the two I have come down on are JINGKO BLUE and KATEIRA. Nicky Henderson's horses are flying at the moment and Jingko Blue remains 7lb below his chase mark. He showed more respect for the bigger obstacles in his two starts over fences but his second to Kabral du Mathan in the Relkeel looks like strong form for a trainer with a fine record in this race.

We were given a timely reminder of how good the Skeltons are in handicaps by Madara yesterday and they nominated Kateira as one of their best chances in the build-up to the festival. She has been running largely in listed races but two quiet runs in handicaps have seen her drop to an attractive mark. The ground will be in her favour here and she seems to come alive in the spring. At a bigger price, Guard Duty has an interesting profile for Emma Lavelle, but you'd want to see the ground riding a bit slower first.

Bet: Jingko Blue @ 7/1 0.5pt win

Bet: Kateira @ 9/1 0.5pt win

3.20 Cross Country Hcap Chase 3m51/2f

Last year's winner Stumptown sets a good standard but it will take some performance to win this off 162, despite what people will tell you about the weights mattering less in this race. He hasn't had the most conventional route into this year's race, either, having run in the Velka Pardubicka (Czech Republic) in October. Given the nature of his course and distance win in January, FAVORI DE CHAMPDOU has obvious claims for Gordon Elliott, who has won six of the last eight renewals. Age really is just a number in this race and like Delta Work and Tiger Roll, who won this at the ages of 10 and 11, this 11-year-old will take this with a view to running in the Grand National. The structure of the race means he gets to carry 9lb less than he did in January and his Paddy Power Chase win is the strongest form on offer this season outside of the Cross Country circuit. The main danger could be Desertmore House, who sneaks in from just 2lb out the handicap and carries a feather weight of 10-2. He won the Punchestown banks race in November convincingly and is 7lb better off with subsequent Cheltenham winner Final Orders. He has been kept for this with a spin over hurdles at Navan and appeals most of those at an each-way price.

Bet: Favori de Champdou @ 5/2 1pt win

4.00 Champion Chase 2m

It is beyond doubt that MAJBOROUGH is the best horse in this race and those taking him are mostly doing so on the expectation that things go wrong for him in the jumping department. Of course, that could happen, but is it not a distinct possibility for any horse running in this race? The Champion Chase is the greatest test of jumping at speed and his rivals are equally vulnerable to a race-ending error. Regardless, cheekpieces seemed to transform him at Leopardstown and rather than viewing it as a one-off performance, I think the floodgates will open and he will rule this division for years to come. He has always schooled well at home and jumping in behind horses just didn't suit him. It's like a positive feedback loop - the cheekpieces get him going forward, which helps him get into a jumping rhythm and, as a staying two-miler, means the race is run to suit.

The recent record of favourites is proof that you never know what will happen in this race but the one thing we do know is that if Majborough jumps well enough, he will win. He still managed to beat L'Eau du Sud when jumping like a snooker table (see last year's Arkle). Reigning champion Marine Nationale was the obvious danger but he has been ruled out, and the others have it all to do. I would be looking at the winning by a distance markets, too.

If betting at odds-on isn't your sort of thing, going for something without the favourite is another option and L'Eau du Sud looks a very good bet. Dan Skelton is bullish that he has him in better shape than he did for the festival last year and when he says he has got something wrong previously he is usually right. You can forgive his run in the Tingle Creek which was run on heavy ground and, reading between the lines, Skelton took a chance early the season knowing he might underperform. His performance in the Shloer shows what he can do when fresh and, most importantly, he is one of the best jumpers of a fence in training. That's all you can really ask for in a race like this and it's hard to see him finishing outside the first three.

Bet: Majborough @ 10/11 3pt win

4.40 Grand Annual 2m

Gavin Cromwell has had a disappointing season but Will the Wise ran a very eyecatching race in the Plate yesterday and BALLYSAX HANK looks like he will be primed for this, with the booking of James Bowen taking the eye. A Summer Plate winner under Harry Cobden, he then finished second to Zanahiyr in the American National and has been brought back for two quiet runs at Leopardstown. He shaped really well over three miles at Leopardstown and a stiff two miles back on better ground should be right up his street. JOUR D'EVASION may also be underrated for Henry Daly. He ran in a number of handicap hurdles last season to prepare him for novice chasing in competitive fields and has been sharply progressive in four starts over fences. He shaped nicely in a hot Aintree handicap on reappearance and has won his next three in this discipline - a strongly run two miles and decent ground looks sure to suit.

Bet: Ballysax Hank @ 14/1 0.5pt win

Bet: Jour D'Evasion @ 22/1 0.5pt each-way Selections:

1.20 Act of Innocence @ 10/1 1pt each-way (NAP)

2.00 Koktail Divin @ 15/2 1pt win

2.40 Jingko Blue @ 7/1 0.5pt win

Kateira @ 9/1 0.5pt win

3.20 Favori de Champdou @ 5/2 1pt win

4.00 Majborough @ 10/11 3pt win

4.40 Ballysax Hank @ 14/1 0.5pt win

Jour D'Evasion @ 22/1 0.5pt each-way

Double 2pt win

No Drama This End @ 11/4 (Turners) & Majborough @ 10/11 (Champion Chase)