Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: Cheltenham Festival 2026 Day Two Tips

Cheltenham, Wednesday

KING RASKO GREY is the call in a fiendishly competitive Turners (1.20). There are so many to be positive about here: No Drama This End is clearly really talented, likewise Act of Innocence - who is too big - and I wouldn't be shocked if Sober, Came From Nowhere or Klimt Madrik ran well. But, colours to the mast, the selection really impressed me in defeat last time, particularly given how fresh he was and how weak he had been in the market. He ought to love the step up in distance, and Townend rarely calls these wrong.

OSCARS BROTHER is again one of several you could fancy in the Brown Advisory (2.00). He is just very genuine and straightforward, improving in to the race, and with form that now stands up against some of the shorter priced horses. He travels more smoothly than Kaid d'Authie, has had a better prep than Final Demand, and is more a guaranteed stayer than Romeo Coolio. His trainer/jockey understand him inside out, and the fact they've been allowed to run here despite his nice National mark looks significant.

IBERICO LORD might just be able to follow up his Lanzarote Hurdle win (2.40). He isn't the most obviously well handicapped of these now, but he could have won that race by another few lengths and is clearly in very, very good heart. He's won a big field hurdle round here before and, although Henderson has a strong hand in this, it's worth remembering that this horse was supplemented for the Champion Hurdle a couple of years ago.

DESERTMORE HOUSE may well be an alternative to the favourite to the in the Cross Country (3.20). He was a high class horse before the demands of big-field chases started to make him appear a bit jaded, but he's looked really slick over the Punchestown banks a couple of times, and just has that touch of class to think that recipe of a stone from Favori de Champdou might be enough.

IL ETAIT TEMPS now rates the bet in the Champion Chase (4.00). Of course Majborough looked absolutely brilliant at Leopardstown, but both his spectacular career wins have come on really deep ground, through which he can simply gallop much better than any other horse. That superiority - while likely - will not be as marked on this surface, and I'd be happy to forgive Il Etait Temps one poor run.

THE OTHER MOZZIE is a bit of a wild one in the Grand Annual (4.40). He's having his first start for the very capable Laura Morgan, having gone through a bit of a lean spell when Gavin Cromwell's horses were bang out of form. As such, he's back to a decent mark on ground that he'll enjoy. He was in the process of running a sound race when hampered in the Jack Richards last year and - although he'll need a bit of luck - he might just be travelling through horses under Brian Hughes when others have done their running.

OUR TRIGGER is a speculative pick in the bumper (5.20). You have to overlook his age, but my hunch watching him despatch a well regarded rival at Gowran was that we were looking at a good one. He's a brother to Gaelic Warrior and described as "very mature" by Patrick Mullins, so ought to be able to run.