Cheltenham Tips: Paddy Power’s Epic Wednesday Cheat Sheet for day 2 of the 2025 Festival

FINAL DEMAND’S 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.

The softer the ground then FINAL DEMAND looks the most likely winner. I respect The New Lion but Final Demand could be one with a bright future.

I really like THE NEW LION. The track and 2m 5f trip will suit him and Dan Skelton has trained him for the race. He could be one of the best chances of the week for the Skelton yard.

The New Lion has to be taken seriously and I’m a big fan of The Yellow Clay but we think the world of FINAL DEMAND. We’re hoping he could be a Gold Cup horse in the future. We’ll be very disappointed if he can’t do the business.

FINAL DEMAND looks an absolute monster. My boy is undefeated in three starts, a point-to-point and two novice hurdles. He blew the field away in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown last time and while he’s a big chaser in the making. I just think he will be too good for this lot.

BALLYBURN is the best horse in the race but I wouldn’t rule out the outsiders. There may only be seven of them but it’s a really decent race.

DANCING CITY (each-way) is a very good jumper and will stay the 3m 1f trip and looks a slogger in what could be quite a fight up Cleeve Hill. Ballyburn is very good, but I’d sooner have Dancing City on my side to be in the first two.

I can’t see any of the others having anywhere near as much class as BALLYBURN. The trip and track isn’t an issue. He jumps well and he’s the best horse in the race.

I schooled BALLYBURN last week and he was very measured and the nature of the Cheltenham fences will help him settle and his sixth gear will kick in, up Cleeve Hill.

BALLYBURN looks another good thing for Willie Mullins although he’s not crazy short in the betting. It’s odd how quickly people forget that as a hurdler Ballyburn looked as though he might never be beaten, slamming the field in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle last year.

I like BUNTING but I wouldn’t rule out Jimmy Du Seuil. It’s more a race for the Eliminator than trying to find the winner. I wouldn’t put you off Bunting, but it’s a race I could never figure out.

BE AWARE has been coming along nicely all season when placed over 2m in some big handicaps. The step up in trip now to 2m 5f off a lovely racing weight can see him go very close.

I had a chat with Harry Skelton last week and he is very sweet on BE AWARE. I also schooled
IMPOSE TOI for Nicky Henderson last week and he’s in good form. COMFORT ZONE has an each-way chance in one of the most competitive handicaps of the season.

There’s wriggle room with JIMMY DU SEUIL’S handicap mark but he doesn’t have much experience of running in a big field. He jumps well and travels strongly and may be over-priced.

BALLYADAM has just turned 10 and his best years are behind him. That said, he was second in this last year for Henry de Bromhead and is only 4lb higher now. BE AWARE is one for the win but his odds are shortening all the time.

Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue are keen on Stumpton but I’m not listening, I’m still going with VANILLIER. Galvin is a bigger danger at the weights than Stumpton.

Soft ground might not be ideal for BUSSELTON but it will also hinder those carrying lumps of weight. He had a nice spin around here when sixth to Stumptown in December, but should be a lot sharper now.

I’ve no real opinion on this race.

GALVIN looks the classiest horse in the race with good course form. He could be difficult to beat even at 11 years old.

MISTER COFFEY has never won over fences and it’s probably ridiculous to think he might land this contest, even though he’s proven over these odd obstacles. He only has 10st 10lb to hump and a mark of 143 is workable should he finally want to really win!

It’s JONBON all day, every day. He comes here on an upward curve and I hope he wins. He’s an absolute good thing.

There’s plenty of pace in the Champion Chase so JONBON is not going to have it all his own way up front. I want to see him finally win a race at the Cheltenham Festival and the race could set up for him to do just that.

The biggest question is what will beat JONBON and I can’t see anything! I don’t think it matters how fast Solness goes as Jonbon will be in his slipstream and get past him.

Jonbon looks ‘gettable’ to me around Cheltenham. SOLNESS has to have a major chance as his forward-going and rapid jumping style on this track and ground could see him cause an upset.

JONBON gets his chance for Festival glory here for Nicky Henderson. At Cheltenham so far he’s finished second to Constitution Hill in the Supreme and second to El Fabiolo in the Arkle. I’m sure this is his moment to win at the Festival.

Last year’s winner Unexpected Party has a massive chance again. THIRD TIME LUCKI (each-way) ran well enough on his first run for Fergal O’Brien’s yard, he’s dropped in the weights and can hit the places.

UNEXPECTED PARTY won this race last year for Dan and Harry Skelton. Everything about his season has been geared towards this race and despite being slightly higher in the weights, he still looks reasonably treated.

I really fancy UNEXPECTED PARTY. He won the race last year and while he’s higher in the weights, he will love the ground. I rode Libberty Hunter last year and I thought I was going to get past him, but Unexpected Party just kept going.

One that catches my eye is JAZZY MATTY for Irish trainer Cian Collins. He gets in at the foot of the weights, won the Fred Winter juvenile hurdle in 2023 here and with Danny Gilligan in the saddle, looks to have a huge chance.

This column banged in UNEXPECTED PARTY here last year at 12-1 and although 6lb higher he’s the each-way selection again. Last year soft ground was a worry on the day, but the drying ground this time around is just what he wants.

COPACABANA has been in the routine a long time. I was impressed with him at Navan. I put him up after that and I haven’t changed my mind. He’s the one.

The home challenge features a couple of decent performers in Paul Nicholls’ No Drama This End and in particular, Gary Moore’s unbeaten EL CAIROS (each-way). Connections feel the latter could be a decent horse on the Flat if it comes to it, so I’ll take him.

NO DRAMA THIS END could be my only ride on Wednesday. He’s pretty solid and he’s got a great temperament. We’re walking into the unknown as he could be right there or he could run a career best but come up short against the Irish runners.

It was a flip of a coin really as to why I picked COPACABANA, but he looks to have the temperament and ability to win this contest.

As always a bit of a lottery. I’m happy to risk an each-way play on  KALYPSO’CHANCE for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown. A point winner who has scored in style at Punchestown and Navan my hope should have more to give in a big field off a strong gallop.