Cheltenham Festival Day 2 Tips 2026

Cheltenham Day 2 Race Schedule & What to Expect

1.20pm The Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m5f

2.00pm The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 3m 80y

2.40pm The Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 2m5f

3.20pm The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase 3m6f 37y

4.00pm The BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) 1m7f 199y

4.40pm The Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 1m7f 199y

5.20pm The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) 2m 87y

The second day of the Cheltenham Festival follows a familiar structure, with two opening Grade 1 novice races setting the tone. The Turners Novices’ Hurdle currently boasts a huge entry list, before the staying novices take centre stage in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

Two competitive handicaps follow, with the Coral Cup one of the deepest open-aged hurdle races of the week and the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase a specialist contest where last year’s winner Stumptown could attempt to retain his crown.

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is the feature race of the day and the season’s showpiece for the two-mile chasers. It was a dramatic renewal last season and Barry Connell will be hoping his stable star Marine Nationale can claim back-to-back wins in 2026.

The Grand Annual precedes the Champion Bumper, a race that routinely provides exciting novice hurdlers and novice chasers of the future and is often one of the most informative “what’s next?” contests of the entire week.

Cheltenham Day 2 Best Bets

Nap of the Day

Champion Bumper – KEEP HIM COMPANY 16/1 (1pt)

With Willie Mullins expected to have multiple potential runners in this race, it could pay to back a horse whose next run is likely to be the Festival itself (barring a setback). Gordon Elliott has stated that his unbeaten six-year-old Keep Him Company is set to have his next start at the Cheltenham Festival.

Gigginstown House Stud purchased the gelding for £220,000 after an impressive point-to-point victory and he has since won both bumpers. He scored by three lengths at Fairyhouse in November and followed up at Leopardstown over Christmas in a strong contest, proving he handled good to yielding ground. He looks a leading contender for a powerful stable at the current prices.

Best Each-Way Bet

Queen Mother Champion Chase – L’EAU DU SUD (0.5pt e/w)

With doubts surrounding several of the runners towards the bottom of the Champion Chase market, L’Eau Du Sud looks a solid contender. The eight-year-old was a useful handicap hurdler before winning his first four chase starts last season, and Dan Skelton has deliberately kept him fresher this term after feeling he got too close to the Festival last year.

L’Eau Du Sud beat Jonbon by 15 lengths in the Shloer Chase over this course and distance on his reappearance, before a slightly below-par run in the Tingle Creek at Sandown. The stable appearing likely to skip the Festival with Thistle Ask underlines their confidence in this horse, and he looks a strong each-way play at current odds.

Banker

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – FINAL DEMAND 6/4 (1pt)

The most likely winner on Day 2 could be Final Demand, who looks tailor-made for the Brown Advisory test. Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old has won six of his seven starts, with his only defeat coming when third in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival last season.

Final Demand was foot-perfect on chasing debut at Navan, winning by 13 lengths, before justifying short odds to land the Grade 1 Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick over Christmas. He set a high standard in the division prior to going over fences and should arrive in March off the back of a run in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Best Multiples (Double, Treble, Acca)

DOUBLE – L’Eau Du Sud (Champion Chase) & Be Aware (Grand Annual)

TREBLE – L’Eau Du Sud (Champion Chase), Be Aware (Grand Annual) & Nurse Susan (Coral Cup)

Dan and Harry Skelton appear to have three lively each-way contenders on Day 2 and it may be worth grouping them in each-way multiples. The yard has an outstanding Cheltenham record in handicaps, with recent Festival winners including Langer Dan (Coral Cup 2023 & 2024), Faivoir (County Hurdle 2023) and Unexpected Party (Grand Annual 2024).

Day 2 Offer Friendly Picks

Bookmakers typically run a wide range of promotions during the Cheltenham Festival, including free bets, money-back specials and extra-place races. You may also see changes to Best Odds Guaranteed cut-off times and boosts on a headline horse, often the market leader in the feature race.

Cheltenham Day 2 Race by Race Tips

Turners Novices’ Hurdle – SKYLIGHT HUSTLE

No Drama This End has drawn comparisons to Denman in Paul Nicholls’ post-race quotes and looks set to try to win this Grade 1. Ninth in the Champion Bumper last season, he’s unbeaten in three hurdle starts this term, including two Grade 2 wins and a Grade 1 success in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury last time. The New Lion ended a long-running Challow hoodoo at the Festival last season, and No Drama This End will be hoping to follow that path in 2026.

With 94 entries, many will have alternative options in either the Supreme or the Albert Bartlett, but Skylight Hustle looks a likely runner. Gordon Elliott has suggested he’ll step up in trip for this race and he was a wide-margin maiden hurdle winner at Fairyhouse in November, before capitalising when Talk The Talk fell at the last to land the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas. He pulled five lengths clear at the line and this 2m5f trip should be well within range. Compare prices in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle market.

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – FINAL DEMAND

Willie Mullins has won this race three times in the last five years and looks to have a strong hand again, headed by Grade 1 novice chasers Final Demand and Kitzbuhel. Final Demand’s only defeat came in the Turners last season, but he has won his other six starts by more than six lengths.

He was foot-perfect on chasing debut at Navan before following up with an eight-length success in the Grade 1 Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick over Christmas. He’s a short-price favourite for the Ladbrokes Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival and would likely go odds-on for this race if successful there. You can track the latest prices in the Brown Advisory market.

Kitzbuhel looks the main threat after an impressive Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase win at Kempton on Boxing Day, taking him to 2/2 over fences, while other talented novices may yet decide on targets depending on DRF outcomes and final plans.

Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle – NURSE SUSAN

Handicap entries are made in mid-February, but bookmakers are already trading on the big Festival handicaps. This is the first open-aged handicap hurdle of the week and it rarely lacks depth.

Iberico Lord heads the market after landing the Lanzarote at Kempton over this 2m5f trip, though an 8lb rise will ask a different question in a typically ferocious Coral Cup. Dan and Harry Skelton have owned this race in recent seasons with Langer Dan (2023 & 2024) and look to have another serious player in Nurse Susan.

She has won six of 11 hurdle starts and has two Cheltenham wins to her name (albeit on the New Course). Now rated 140 after winning the listed Unibet Mares’ Hurdle at Sandown, she looks more likely to come here than the Mares’ Hurdle later in the week. Compare odds in the Coral Cup market.

Cross Country Handicap Chase – J’ARRIVE DE L’EST

Handicap entries are made in mid-February, but the Cross Country picture is already taking shape. Last year’s seven-length winner Stumptown heads the market again after winning the Velka Pardubicka in October, while stablemate Final Orders could also enter calculations depending on Trials Day outcomes.

J’Arrive De L’Est is an interesting alternative at the prices. Unexposed at this discipline, he shaped with promise when runner-up at the December Meeting despite showing inexperience. A dual winner in Cross Country chases in France prior to joining Emmet Mullins, he looks one of the more appealing value plays. Follow the latest prices in the Cross Country market.

Champion Chase – L’EAU DU SUD

There are currently 24 entries for the Champion Chase, with last year’s winner Marine Nationale the ante-post favourite ahead of Majborough. Both are likely to run in the Dublin Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival, where they could also meet Leopardstown specialist Solness.

Il Etait Temps was a key player in the ante-post market before a tired fall at Ascot in the Clarence House, while Jonbon and others may have alternative spring targets depending on how the season unfolds. The Skeltons have kept L’Eau Du Sud fresh, which could be a major positive given he appears best after a break.

He finished fourth in last season’s Arkle, beaten only 1½ lengths, then announced himself as a top two-mile chaser by routing Jonbon by 15 lengths in the Shloer over this course and distance on reappearance. If he returns to that level, he can hit the frame at the very least. Check the latest in the Champion Chase market.

Grand Annual Handicap Chase – BE AWARE

Handicap entries are made in mid-February, but bookmakers are already offering prices. This will be the sixth year the race has been staged on Wednesday rather than Friday, and the second year since the rule change requiring novices to have at least four previous runs over fences.

Last year’s winner Jazzy Matty has been campaigned over hurdles since mid-summer and his final mark will be key. Two novices that look to have been campaigned with this in mind are Vanderpoel and Be Aware, with the latter appealing as a horse who could be well suited by the unique demands of this race after a sequence of placed efforts at Grade 1/2 level. You can keep track of the market via the Grand Annual betting page.

Champion Bumper – KEEP HIM COMPANY

At the time of writing, it is around 10/1 the field in the Champion Bumper and the market is often heavily shaped by the Grade 2 Future Stars Bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Willie Mullins has a dominant record in this race, with 14 winners since it was introduced in 1992, and he’s likely to have multiple contenders again. However, the horse setting the standard on current form is Gordon Elliott’s Keep Him Company, who is unbeaten and whose trainer has indicated he could head straight here after wins at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown. Compare prices in the Champion Bumper market.

Cheltenham Day 2 Market Tips

Here are the most popular bets and percentage of bets placed through Oddschecker in January 2026 for each race on Day 2. For more Festival-wide insight, visit the Cheltenham Festival tips hub.

Turners Novices’ Hurdle: Skylight Hustle – 13%

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase: Final Demand – 30%

Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle: East India Express – 11%

Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase: Favori De Champdou – 30%

Queen Mother Champion Chase: Marine Nationale – 35%

Grand Annual Handicap Chase: Vanderpoel – 18%

Weatherbys Champion Bumper: Love Sign D’Aunou – 24%

Cheltenham Day 2 Trends

Turners Novices’ Hurdle Trends:

• 12 of the previous 12 winners were rated 146 or higher

• 11 of the previous 12 winners were aged 5 or 6

• 11 of the previous 12 winners won last time out

• 11 of the previous 12 winners had a win over 19f–21f

• 10 of the previous 12 winners had already won a graded race

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase Trends:

• 12 of the previous 12 winners had previously run at Cheltenham

• 10 of the previous 12 winners were rated 152 or higher

• 10 of the previous 12 winners had already won a graded race

• 9 of the previous 12 winners were aged 7

• 9 of the previous 12 winners won last time out

Champion Chase Trends:

• 11 of the previous 12 winners had already won a Grade 1

• 10 of the previous 12 winners were aged between 7 and 9

• 10 of the previous 12 winners had at least 2 previous runs at Cheltenham

• 10 of the previous 12 winners had at least 7 chase starts

• 9 of the previous 12 winners were rated 162 or higher

• 6 of the previous 12 winners had run in the Clarence House Chase on their previous start

Tips for Betting on Cheltenham Day 2

Bookmakers tend to push hard for new accounts on Day 1 but will also use offers to keep punters engaged for the remaining three days. As a result, it’s common to see specials linked to horses with obvious claims. The morning of the race is often the best time to back favourites, with the “true price” becoming clearer as the market builds towards the off.

As with Day 1, markets later on the card can be influenced by early results, with liabilities from multiples rolling over onto related horses. With Willie Mullins likely to have a short-priced favourite in Final Demand in the second race, bookmakers may be particularly wary of multiples that also include Marine Nationale in the Champion Chase and the shortest-priced of Mullins’ runners in the Champion Bumper.

Best Markets by Race Type

The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase could be a small field with Final Demand expected to be a short-priced favourite for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. Bookmakers often offer alternative markets such as match bets and “without the favourite”, which can provide value if you like a horse to run well but don’t expect it to beat the market leader.

In handicaps at the Festival, enhanced place terms are common, making them strong each-way betting opportunities when you can secure extra places at competitive odds.

Each-Way Terms and Extra Places

It is worth using the Oddschecker grids to compare each-way terms during the Cheltenham Festival. Typical place terms are often:

• 1–4 runners: win only (no places)

• 5–7 runners: 1/4 odds for 2 places (1st & 2nd)

• 8+ runners (non-handicap): 1/5 odds for 3 places (1st, 2nd, 3rd)

• 16+ runners (handicap): often 1/4 odds for 4 places (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th)

During Cheltenham, bookmakers often enhance these terms (for example, paying 3 places in a seven-runner race, or 5–6 places in a big handicap). Some firms may restrict Best Odds Guaranteed in these races, so it’s important to use the grid to find the best book to place your bet with.

Cheltenham Day 2 Tips FAQ

What races are on Cheltenham Day 2?

1.20pm The Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m5f

2.00pm The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 3m 80y

2.40pm The Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 2m5f

3.20pm The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase 3m6f 37y

4.00pm The BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) 1m7f 199y

4.40pm The Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 1m7f 199y

5.20pm The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) 2m 87y

What time is the first race on Wednesday?

The opening race is the 1.20pm Turners Novices’ Hurdle.

Are there free bets for Cheltenham Day 2?

Bookmakers will offer a range of welcome deals and existing customer promotions for Cheltenham. Closer to the Festival, the best offers will be highlighted, and you can also visit our Cheltenham Festival tips hub for the latest updates.

When should I place my Cheltenham Day 2 bets?

At present, you can bet on every race at the Cheltenham Festival under ante-post rules, meaning you typically lose your stake if your selection doesn’t run. Closer to the Festival, many bookmakers will introduce NRNB (Non-Runner No Bet) markets, where prices are often shorter but your stake is refunded if the horse doesn’t take part.

As fields contract nearer the time, many horses shorten in price as their chance increases. However, race-day markets can be volatile and it’s not unusual to see a bigger price available on the day than the afternoon before.