Cheltenham Festival 2025 LIVE: Day 2 results, updates, tips and latest odds

Style Wednesday is underway at Cheltenham – they’re off in the Turner Novices’ Hurdle! 2 miles, 5 furlongs to race and 10 hurdles to clear

The Townend-Mullins duo have the favourite Final Demand, who is much fancied, but second-favourite The Yellow Clay and third-favourite The New Lion are not far behind in the betting.

Here are the expert tips for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle – Final Demand well-fancied it seems.

Final Demand is a very good horse. He jumped brilliantly at Limerick and brought that to a whole new level at the Dublin Racing Festival. He travelled really well and his jumping was rock solid. His form overall is more solid than The New Lion’s. If Paul Townend is positive on him then he’ll be hard to beat. The Yellow Clay is a bigger danger than The New Lion.

Sam Turner’s tip: Final Demand 6/4

A cracking renewal of this race with the powerful Dublin Racing Festival winner Final Demand facing a strong challenge from The New Lion and The Yellow Clay, while the likes of Potters Charm (tongue tie for the first time) and Sixmilebridge help to provide a strong supporting cast.

The shower that fell at the track on Monday may just play to the strengths of Final Demand who posted a freakish performance at Leopardstown and is held in extremely high regard by Willie Mullins and the team at Closutton.

A decisive winner of the Challow Hurdle at Newbury, The New Lion must overcome the poor strike rate of those winners trying to win this, while The Yellow Clay could be slightly underestimated by the market given, he is tough and genuine and boasts a touch of class.

Ed Chamberlin’s tip (via Sky Bet): The New Lion 15/8

It’s The New Lion – big head-to-head against Final Demand – who I think is going to be a Gold Cup horse, against The New Lion, who I think could be a champion hurdle horse, hopefully he’ll have too much speed.

Runners: Final Demand; Forty Coats; Kaid d’Authie; Kappa Jy Pyke; Kel Histoire; Kiss Will; Potters Charm; Sixmilebridge; Supersundae; The New Lion; The Yellow Clay

The snow this morning has had some influence as the Glenfarclas Cross Country viewing area has been closed off.

The Cross Country is the only race of the festival ran around the centre course and some spectators are invited to watch the race from inside the track.

That is if conditions are suitable and the morning snow means the grass is wetter and muddier than expected causing the viewing to be cancelled.

The race, which was cancelled in 2024, will still go ahead.

The Independent’s racing correspondent Sam Turner has previewed today’s action on Style Wednesday, with the Queen Mother Champion Chase as the headline act.

The official ground description remains good to soft, good in places but the GoingStick moving from 5.5 to 5.1 shows a slight easing from yesterday.

What that means is there is very little difference to the course conditions and the horse should run similar to yesterday.

Certainly in the Champion Hurdle they set a quick pace so it may be the same this afternoon.

Jockey Harry Skelton was pictured on Tuesday with stitches on a swollen and black right eye with many wondering how he sustained the injury.

Skelton, 35, revealed that he was kicked by one of his foals at home but can still race.

“We’ve got four foals at home and between me and my wife Bridget, we look after them. On Sunday morning Bridget went off and said to me ‘Will you go and water the foals before you go racing to Warwick?’

“I went in and did the two colts and then I went in to sort the two fillies who were over the other side. I got to the water trough and one of the fillies came around the back of me and kicked out and caught the side of my right eye.

“It split the side of my eye around my eyebrow. My vision was fine so I thought thankfully it has not kicked my eye, but it has definitely kicked something as I had a load of blood pouring out everywhere.

“I jumped in the car and drove 15 minutes to Warwick Racecourse to see the doctor, who stitched it up and here we are.”

Queen Camilla has arrived at Prestbury Park for day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

She will present the trophy to the winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase which runs at 4pm this afternoon.

Ruby Walsh: Third Time Lucki 22/1

Last year’s winner Unexpected Party has a massive chance again. Third Time Lucki ran well enough on his first run for Fergal O’Brien’s yard, he’s dropped enough in the weights and he’s an each-way poke.

Sam Turner’s tip: My Mate Mozzie 6/1

No horse has won this event back-to-back since 1959 so Unexpected Party must defy history to repeat his win from 12 months ago. However, his trainer is brilliant at targeting Festival handicaps so he can’t be discounted despite the stats.

Proper spring ground is ideal for My Mate Mozzie who came from a long way back to take second in a hot Leopardstown handicap last time. He could be the chief beneficiary from a strong gallop. JPR One (ground will also suit), Traprain Law (should relish a generous pace) and Dancing On My Own (decent course form) also made the shortlist.