Cheltenham Festival Day Two: race-by-race guide and Tote Placepot

Both new and existing customers can pick up a £1 Placepot bet at tote.co.uk, just by opting-in, with the offer also available on each day of the Festival.

If you’ve not played the Placepot before, you need to pick a horse to place in each of the first six races to win a share of the pool. Pools regularly pay well into the thousands during the Festival with the average Placepot dividend paying £7,376.54 in the last five years, which with Tote+ now in place at tote.co.uk, would be £8,114.19.

‘He who dares wins’ was one of Del Boy’s catchphrases and while most of us won’t be millionaires this time next week, getting one or more of the ‘good things’ out of the frame would certainly boost the Tote Placepot dividend. I don’t think SIR GERHARD (6) is one to leave out though and he rates a banker in a race which has a similar feel to last year, with representatives of Willie Mullins, Henry De Bromhead and Paul Nicholls dominating the market. Bob Olinger came out on top for De Bromhead last year but Journey With Me and Stage Star may have to settle for minor honours. I Am Maximus’ latest defeat looks better than it did at the time and may have taught him how to battle when the chips are down.

Bravemansgame was the Paul Nicholls-trained runner beaten into third in last year’s Ballymore and could suffer a similar fate, despite having looked a natural over fences. He has a lot of speed, but this is often won by a strong stayer and Ahoy Senor lacks nothing in that department, even if his jumping has given cause for alarm on occasion. It’s tempting to take them on, even though the top of the market has dominated this race recently. L’HOMME PRESSE (9) is stepping up three furlongs in trip but that isn’t expected to be an issue and he’s made rapid, and exciting, progress since being sent chasing. Capodanno unseated last time, which is far from ideal, but his previous second to Bob Olinger reads well and he represents powerful connections. FAROUK D’ALENE (6) rarely does more than he has to but that may be no bad thing in a race of this nature.

Nicky Henderson has saddled two winners and a second in the past three renewals, so anything he runs merits a second look. Drop The Anchor ran well in last year’s County Hurdle and has leading claims for owner JP McManus, as does Camprond, but THE SHUNTER (8) may be his best chance. First reserve Good Risk At All is respected after a wide-margin win at Ascot but this provides a very different test, and contrasting conditions, so – if he gets a run - opposing him is a risk worth taking. GOWEL ROAD(9) and Unexpected Party finished first and second over course and distance in the Autumn and look big players on that, and subsequent form. MCFABULOUS (4) has a touch of class and could just be overlooked, which is unlikely to be the case with the highly touted Saint Felicien, who is open to any amount of improvement after just three starts.

SHISHKIN (7) will be a Placepot banker for most punters following his brilliant, and narrow, defeat of Energumene at Ascot. The latter has had an interrupted preparation for this test and both horses had a hard race in energy-sapping ground in Berkshire. It’s possible that could count against them, and the brave may wish to look beyond that pair – and the ageing Chacun Pour Soi, third last year – to last year’s one-two. Not everything has gone to plan since for NUBE NEGRA (5) and Put The Kettle On but both have pleased their trainers in the build-up and may well have been underestimated.

Who wants to hear the Tiger roar? It may be the last time supporters of the popular TIGER ROLL (15) raise the roof with the horse’s retirement on the cards and it will be a brave player who leaves the remarkable 12-year-old (a three-time winner of this prize as well as twice winning that race at Aintree) out of their perm. Easysland has struggled since beating Tiger Roll into second in 2020 and his owner has recently shelled out for Prengarde which makes the French recruit of immediate interest and a viable alternative. Diesel D’Allier flies lower under the radar but has run two big races over course and distance whereas Delta Work is a classy new recruit to this sphere, but will he take to it? Je ne sais pas.

SKY PIRATE (1) may not be well enough handicapped to reprise last year’s heroics but is well enough treated to hit the frame and looks to have been trained with this race in mind. That’s also the case with Embittered who fell when favourite last year and he’s been quite well backed to atone. Andy Dufresne didn’t become the breakout star that his early reputation suggested he might, but the numbers are stacking up on his ledger and he could easily gain some redemption. Buddy Rich forms part of a typically strong hand for Gordon Elliott while ELIXIR DE NUTZ (9) and Thyme White both have plenty to commend them. The first named was a useful hurdler with scope for progress over fences and can provide a welcome tonic for his yard.

24 lines (1x2x3x2x1x2)

Leg 1: 6. Sir Gerhard

Leg 2: 6. Farouk d’Alene. 9. L’Homme Presse

Leg 3: 4. McFabulous. 8. The Shunter. 9. Gowel Road

Leg 4: 5. Nube Negra. 7. Shishkin

Leg 5: 15. Tiger Roll

Leg 6: 1. Sky Pirate. 9. Elixir De Nutz