Cheltenham Festival 2025: Tanya Stevenson's Selections For Day 2
Tanya Stevenson joins us once again to preview the very best racing action this week as all eyes turn to the Cheltenham Festival.
She has cast her eye over Wednesday's card at Prestbury Park, and has made three selections which can be backed with horse racing betting sites.
Sign up to a Gambling.com account For FREE to find Tanya's tips below.
Tanya Stevenson's Selections For Day 2 At Cheltenham
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tips 1: Gorgeous Tom - Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (14:00)
In the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, Gorgeous Tom gets his opportunity to run over a distance that should really suit.
He has only had 10 career races, he still looks raw and green yet comes into Cheltenham with so much untapped potential and having run his best race last time out.
Henry de Bromhead has brought him along beautifully, he ran to a fair mark over hurdles meeting the likes of Slade Steel along the way, he even won twice over the smaller obstacles.
And his run in the Galway Hurdle in August can be overlooked as in hindsight the distance and tempo of the race would all be too quick for him.
His progression over the bigger obstacles has been hidden in plain sight from his debut at Wexford beating Monbeg Park and Jazzy Matty, then he fell next time out, every novice can be forgiven such an error.
But then he dusted himself off and bounced right back to serve up a bigger defeat to Monbeg Park at Cork.
* Want to win a GRAND on the Lucky Last each day at Cheltenham? All you need to do is vote on if the winner will be from GB or Ireland! Click on the banner below to be in with a chance of winning €1,000 every day of the festival. UK and IRE residents only.
Last time out he was put in the Drinmore Chase and that alone advertised three miles is what he needs.
What a ride too by Mark Walsh. Two out and Gorgeous Tom dropped to last of five and was a few lengths behind.
Mark just let the horse compose himself, get over the last two fences and then there was no horse finishing faster, just two strides after the line he was in front.
He was only beaten a length in the end at Grade 1 level. He comes into this with all the pressure on the Willie Mullins' pair. Gorgeous Tom could end up being a real good looker after the race.
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tips 2: Colonel Mustard - Coral Cup (14:40)
My membership to the Tiernan Power Roche fan club might be about to become complete with keepsake photos of a debut win at the Cheltenham Festival.
He has been excellent this season with 27 wins, yet his achievements have to some extent gone unnoticed in Britain, more's the better as far as the Coral Cup is concerned.
Originally, I was waiting for him to pop up on a Philip Rothwell runner, but instead Lorna Fowler has played a blinder and booked him for Colonel Mustard.
Many might be rude and say Colonel Mustard could have played the lead in the film 27 Dresses, where the actual lead is a bridesmaid until finally (spoiler alert) - Katherine Heigl’s character wins her man.
Well, Colonel Mustard hasn’t quite got to 27, but he has had 24 races and finished second a total of 11 times. I have a feeling he could be there coming to the last and if fate is kind, it could be his day.
The only 10-year-old to win the race was Chance Coffey 30 years ago, but he had nowhere near the form coming into this race.
Colonel Mustard has already ran at two Festivals. He was third to State Man in the 2022 County Hurdle and last year he finished fifth to State Man in the Champion Hurdle.
In his career, he has run in five Grade 1s, six Grade 2s and mixed it with the best of them.
In only three races this season, he has run brilliantly. He was second to Solness on seasonal debut over hurdles at Sligo, and look at Solness now.
Then he ran in the Ascot Hurdle, where he hit the front turning for home. That was far too soon, but Adam Wedge was left with no choice, only for Colonel Mustard to run on again after the last behind Lucky Place.
Last time out at Punchestown, he was the only one to go after Kitzbuhel, who then subsequently went on to win impressively at Gowan Park.
He has had an 18-hurdle race only three times and finished out of the placings. Two of those were Grade 1s. Now add Tiernan Power Roche and his five-pound claim and he becomes a contender on betting apps.
Tanya Stevenson Panel Tips 3: Jazzy Matty - Grand Annual (16:40)
The last time a six-year-old won the Grand Annual it was Solar Impulse back in 2016, and before that Oh Crick and Edredon Bleu won. This year, it might be Jazzy Matty's turn.
He won the 2023 Fred Winter ridden by Michael O’Sullivan, which in itself adds poignancy and brings extra will and emotion for this fella to do well.
He moved from Gordon Elliott to Cian Collins in May 2024, and has soon got into his stride again. There have been a couple of glitches since with a hurdle at Killarney in May and a fall on his chase debut at Wexford in July.
All that was forgotten quiet quickly with a win back at Wexford and then a third to Gorgeous Tom at the same venue, which ties up nicely should Gorgeous Tom run well in the Arkle.
He finished slightly lame when pulling up on his next race at Listowel, then won just 10 days later over half a mile further at Sligo. He then had a look round Cheltenham and almost won over the two-mile trip.
Thankfully, after a busy summer and autumn he has been given some time off. He returned over hurdles at Thurles to be second and his chase mark could turn out to be a handy one.
Stay In The Loop With Free Bets, Insider Tips & More!
Live Betting. Sports Promos. Sent Weekly.
