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Cheltenham Day Two: From Ballymore to Bumper - all Wednesday's betting

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Jack Houghton goes through all the races on Wednesday's Festival card

Ballymore Properties Hurdle

An open race for the second day's opener, with eight of the 16 starters all having confirmed ability on the clock to operate at Festival pace. Interestingly, one of the market leaders, Group Captain, who is sure to be popular after what has proved a great Festival opening (at the time of writing) for his jockey Robert Thornton, has yet to put up a really convincing time figure, despite winning his last two hurdles in a visually impressive manor. What's more, it's not clear the step up in trip will suit him. I'll be looking to lay him in the place market at around [2.5].

Of the eight mentioned above, they are hard to split, but I would favour a small win bet on Forpadydeplasterer, based on his impressive win last time on softish ground at Leopardstown.

Royal and SunAlliance Chase

Assuming Tidal Bay is a non-runner, this race is particularly difficult to decipher, given that 75 per cent of the field have all posted top-flight speed ratings that suggest any of them are in with a shout. One that I think will struggle however is Air Force One. He only won a soft race at Fontwell and was unable to beat Albertas Run when receiving weight from that rival at Ascot. On level weights here, in a fast run race, he will need to improve a lot to get close. I'll be laying him for a place at any price up to [2.5].

Starzaan is an interesting runner at his current price of [11.0], winning his two chase starts to date (albeit relatively minor affairs) and managing a respectable 7th in the World Hurdle here in 2006, and I'll be having a small win and place bet on him.

Queen Mother Champion Chase

For starters, it's hard to see why Master Minded is the current favourite for this. He unseated first time out in this country at Exeter, only beat a mediocre field at Sandown next time, and although beating Voy Por Ustedes at Newbury, he received six pounds from that rival and was given a very easy lead. Furthermore, he seems to have been campaigned over longer trips in France and it's not clear that two miles will be his best distance.

With that much against him I have to look elsewhere, and whilst respecting the chances of both Voy Por Ustedes and Twist Magic, the best piece of form on offer, from both a speed and handicap point of view, is Tamarinbleu's win at Ascot, where he beat Twist Magic by 12 lengths. I'll be having a maximum on him in the win and place markets. I also think Mansony is overpriced at around [27.0] based on his defeat of Nickname at Leopardstown, and if his price holds up, he is also worth a small interest to win and place.

Coral Cup

Last year's Cesarewitch winner, Leg Spinner, is sure to be a short price given the ability he has shown on the flat and the near god-like status with which punters view his trainer, Tony Martin, whenever he runs a horse in a handicap. But it's hard to make sense of what little jumping form there is to examine, and whilst he won the Galway hurdle easily - despite his saddle slipping in the latter stages of the race - he runs off a 30lb higher mark in this and so at the price, I can't be interested.

Song Of Songs will also be popular towards the bottom of the handicap. He is lightly raced and his six length defeat by Osana reads well in the context of that rival's performance in the Champion Hurdle. However, all his best form has been on flat tracks and you're taking a lot on trust to support a horse so inexperienced.

Given the difficulty in properly assessing the form on offer, I'll be splitting a small stake four-ways and having a little to win on Whispered Promises, Sporazene, Pablo Du Charmil and Liberate. They all have solid speed ratings in the book and will all be large double-figure odds.

National Hunt Chase

Very few of these look to have the ability to trouble the judge in an idiosyncratic event. Only five seem to have any chance - Sandhurst, Rimsky, Over The Creek, Ornais and Ice Tea - and I'll back them all to varying stakes to try and win a set amount.

The Bumper

A race I normally do well in, I can't make any sense of the Bumper this year, and suggest that if you've had a good day at this stage, just sit back and enjoy the spectacle. On the other hand, if you've had a shocker, even more reason to sit back - and sit on your hands - because this isn't the race in which to be trying to recoup losses.