Cheltenham Festival 2025 LIVE: Day 2 tips and latest odds after major upset on first day of races

The Independent’s Racing Correspondent previews Cheltenham Festival’s Style Wednesday

The 2025 Cheltenham Festival began with a bang on Tuesday’s Champion Day and now Style Wednesday promises more drama as the UK’s biggest week of racing continues.

The Queen Mother Champion Chase headlines the action at 4pm, where Jonbon is much fancied with Nico De Boinville aboard, while the Coral Cup Hurdle (2.40pm) and Cross Country Steeple Chase (3.20pm) are among the other fascinating races on Day 2.

The opening day of racing delivered a huge shock as the showpiece Champion Hurdle was won by 25/1 shot Golden Ace, with horse racing superstar and heavy favourite Constitution Hill stunningly falling halfway through, as did last year’s winner State Man. It allowed Golden Ace to come from nowhere to triumph, with Burdett Road (66/1) taking second and 150/1 shot Winter Fog in third for an all-time Cheltenham shock.

The “greatest show on turf” will also include Friday’s Gold Cup, where Galopin Des Champs, who is the favourite on betting sites, hopes to land a famous hat-trick this. The full race card and Festival schedule is here, and we’ll be bringing you all the action as Day 2 unfolds.

Follow all the news, including previews, expert tips, free bet offers and the latest Cheltenham odds from Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival with our live blog below:

Queen Mother Champion Chase tips

It’s a clean sweep in the expert tips for today’s big race – the Queen Mother Champion Chase at 4pm

Jonbon, all day, every day. He comes here on an upward curve and I hope he wins. He’s a brilliant horse and I hope he gets the credit he deserves. He’s an absolute good thing.

Sam Turner’s tip: Jonbon 4/5

Jonbon’s critics will point to the fact he has been beaten three times at Cheltenham, while handicappers will point to his best six career efforts taking place away from Prestbury Park. However, the nine-year-old has won all eight of his starts with Nico de Boinville on board and he looks sure to have a good pace to aim at here with the front-running Solness in opposition. Of his rivals, Marine Nationale should relish the drying ground and strong pace and looks the best placed to cause Jonbon most problems.

Ed Chamberlin’s tip (for Sky Bet): Jonbon 5/6

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is the big race of the day, and one of the big horses of the week. I can’t wait to see Jonbon – I love him. Sir Anthony McCoy would come back and ride him if he could. He’s unbeatable, I think, under Nico de Boinville – and how pleased am I that Sky Bet are going to super boost Jonbon – fantastic!

Luke Baker12 March 2025 08:20

Cheltenham Festival 2025 tips: Experts’ best bets and 13 horses to watch on day two

A cool, dry day two – known as Style Wednesday – at Cheltenham promises more thrills with the Coral Cup and the Queen Mother Champion Chase among the highlights of a packed schedule.

Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon is back for glory in the Champion Chase, having withdrawn at the 11th hour last year. Henry de Bromhead’s Captain Guinness triumphed in Jonbon’s absence but the form book suggests defending his crown will be tough and betting sites make him a big outsider.

Check out tips from the experts from this race and others on Day 2:

Luke Baker12 March 2025 08:11

‘The best atmosphere’: Cheltenham festivalgoers undeterred by £7.80 Guinness pints give opening day lift off

Fashions change, betting stakes increase and the weather in late winter fluctuates – but at Cheltenham Festival, many things remain largely unchanged.

Amid the sea of flat caps and tweed jackets in the Grand Stand, racing on Tuesday got off to the famous Cheltenham roar, sounding as exuberant and impassioned as ever.

More than 55,000 racegoers piled into the terraces that line the course to excitedly cheer as the favourite Kopek Des Bordes came first amid the heavy thud of hoofs on the soft turf.

Read a full report from Alex Ross at Cheltenham:

Luke Baker12 March 2025 07:59

Dramatic Champion Hurdle provides thrilling twist on opening day at Cheltenham

Golden Ace took the trophy for jockey Lorcan Williams and trainer Jeremy Scott after the pre-race favourite, Constitution Hill, and last year’s champion, State Man, both fell.