Cheltenham 2025 Day 2 tips: Best outsider and value long-odds bets

The first day saw Rizzel get a 28/1 placed effort with his pick Happygolucky in the Ultima Chase.

Turning for home, Happygolucky appeared to be in with a fighting chance of landing the spoils, but it was just a matter of time before Patrick Wadge pressed the go button on Myretown and the horse scooted 11 lengths clear, proving why Lucinda Russell is mustard in the Ultima. In hindsight, the winner was a great price and he was smashed in the betting throughout the morning, so it's not a surprise to see how well-handicapped he was.

Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle

Rizzel's tip

For Day two of the Festival, I have gone for an outsider in the Coral Cup which is notoriously known for being one of the harder handicaps to find a winner, unless you're in the know. Over the last two years, Langer Dan has been a punter's paradise and has delivered the goods for his backers who have followed him off a cliff since he was brought down in the Martin Pipe race in 2022 when punted off the boards.

With what I've just mentioned, it's hardly a surprise to see the Dan Skelton trained, Be Aware at the top of the market for the reasons I've just stated, and punters will be wanting to latch onto trends and hope this Skelton horse is as well handicapped as Langer Dan had been in the last two renewals. I'm not going to lie and say he won't win, as Dan Skelton is a master at beating the handicap system, and he could've done the same for this year's race, but at the prices, I am happy to swerve him. To be fair to the horse, he has some good form. He has finished behind Kamsinas, Helnwein and Burdett Road in the last 12 months, which is decent and gives him a live chance in this race. This has always been the target, so a mark of 137 could be very low and he's been away from the track and primed for this afternoon.

Nicky Henderson has a decent record in this race, normally winning with a decent-priced runner, so the second string in today's race (Captain Morgs) could be worth a few quid EW if you like the look of that horse. Impose Toi is the main fancy with Nico on board, and he has all the makings of a horse who will be very competitive off a mark of 141. He is a second-season hurdler, and has competed in some tough races and shown he has plenty of quality. He was second to Luccia in December 2023, which is solid form and he returned to the track in winning fashion at Newbury in a Class 2 after being off the track for 322 days. I can see why he is fancied, and if he was to win, it's one of the more obvious angles to go for.

All of the darts fans will be latching onto Bunting who is the pick of Paul Townend. This horse's price has plummeted since Paul was booked for the ride. He could be very well handicapped off a mark of 139 as he was deemed good enough to run in last year's Triumph. He has had a quiet season so far but did finish second last time out. Willie has only won this race once in the last 20 years, so you might want to tread carefully, and for me despite him being a huge maybe horse, his price does stink now and even though he could be well in, I wouldn't back him with stolen money.

With some big-priced winners of this race in the last ten years, odds such as 50/1, 33/1, 28/1, 20/1 and more I thought it was worth a chance of thinking outside the box and having a play on an outsider. The outsider I landed on was Colonel Mustard who has been a ‘nearly' horse since he jumped a hurdle. It's crazy to think that this horse is unexposed over today's trip despite him being a veteran, but he hasn't been highly tried over this trip or slightly shorter trips, yet his running style suggests this could be the key to getting him back to the winner's enclosure.

He has been placed on 14 of his 18 career starts over hurdles, and some of those good efforts were in some very hot races, so we know he can handle himself back in a handicap. I had this horse picked out before Golden Ace managed to nick the Champion Hurdle, so it's not a reaction of that, but the form of the Ascot race which my selection finished third rates as good form. He was behind Lucky Place and that horse was fourth in this race last year, as well as winning a Grade 2 since. Golden Ace was back in fourth at Ascot and went on to win a Grade 2 the time after and has since won the big race on Day 1.

His handicap mark looks decent enough, but the 5lb claimer makes his life much easier and a mark of 146 with the claimer on board, taking that to 141 puts him on a nice racing weight.

Selection: Colonel Mustard 25/1 Each Way (6 places)

Top free bets for Cheltenham Day 2

🔗 Share Your Horse Racing Tips on Social Media