Extra places & best each-way terms for every race on Wednesday: Cheltenham Festival day two betting guide

Looking to get the most out of your Cheltenham Festival free bets? We have tips here for day two as well as the best offers to claim for each race, including which bookmakers are offering extra places on which races at Cheltenham.

The 2024 Cheltenham Festival is underway and the entertainment on the track is always memorable, with punters trying to score a profit at the end of the meeting.

Our expert provides you with a well-thought-out selection, including the reasoning behind it, to help you kick off the festival with a bang.

Cheltenham free bets: grab over £600 in free bets with these bookmaker offers

Secure £600+ in free bets for the 2024 Cheltenham Festival right here.

Here is a list of the best Cheltenham betting offers for new customers up for grabs for Wednesday:

Paddy Power: £40 in free bets
Sky Bet: £40 in free bets
William Hill: £60 in free bets
Betfair: £40 in free bets
bet365: £30 in free bets
Tote: £30 in free bets
Ladbrokes: £20 in free bets
Coral: £20 in free bets

Terms and conditions apply.

Already have accounts with those bookmakers? No problem - here are some additional Cheltenham festival free bets that you can claim ahead of the races:

Betfred: Get £50 in free bets
Bet Victor: Get £40 in free bets
CopyBet: Get £50 in free bets
SBK: Get £30 in free bets
Kwiff: Get £30 in free bets
Britain Bet: Get £50 in free bets
BetUK: Get £30 in free bets
Spreadex: Get £40 in free bets
Unibet: Get £20 in free bets + £10 Casino Bonus

Total: £775

1.30 Gallagher Novices' Hurdle

Ballyburn 1-2 generally

Firefox, who was third in the Supreme, was too quick for him over two miles on his debut, but he’s clearly not short of speed, given his dismissal of subsequent Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Slade Steel over that trip at the Dublin Racing Festival. It’s hard to forget what he did at Christmas when upped to two and a half miles at Leopardstown, where he sauntered effortlessly clear of a couple of decent sorts. He’s sure to be a stayer in time, but this intermediate trip looks perfect for him at this stage, and his high cruising speed and sharp turn of foot should lend themselves perfectly to the test.

2:10 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

American Mike 11-1 generally

American Mike looks to have a great chance. Runner-up in the Champion Bumper in 2022, he never really got going over hurdles but left that firmly behind when getting the better of Fact To File on his chasing debut at Navan in November. Something was amiss in a Grade 1 next time but he showed that to be all wrong when upped to three miles last time, and he was no stronger than at the line. There's no reason to suggest he won't confirm form with favourite Fact To File and his proven stamina is a big plus.

2:50 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle

Lucky Place 16-1 generally

Nicky Henderson is the Coral Cup's most successful and looks to have a couple of great chances this year with Doddiethegreat and Lucky Place. Preference is for the latter, whose form is working out really well. His second over two miles looks good, considering the winner beat a subsequent Grade 1 scorer on his previous start, and he has improved since stepping up in trip, latterly going down by just half a length to the unbeaten Gidleigh Park in a Grade 2. A mark of 137 could well underestimate him now handicapping.

Sky Bet are offering two extra places more than any other bookmaker for the Coral Cup, with each-way punters payed out for a horse finishing in the first eight. If you're having a bet in the Coral Cup, we recommend using Sky Bet.

3:30 Champion Chase

El Fabiolo 4-9 generally

There may be no three-timer for Energumene but Willie Mullins is sure to bring up the hat-trick with El Fabiolo. He had five and a half lengths to spare when readily accounting for Jonbon in last season's Arkle before adding a third Grade 1 to his CV at the Punchestown festival, and he confirmed his well-being with a comfortable victory on seasonal reappearance in the Hilly Way, the race won by Energumene on his way to both Champion Chase victories. He looks rock-solid.

Paddy Power are giving all new customers the opportunity to bag an unbelievable 50-1 on El Fabiolo to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

4:50 Grand Annual Handicap Chase

Saint Roi 7-1 generally

Saint Roi holds plenty of back class and looks to have been primed for this. An effortless winner of the 2020 County Hurdle, he has run well at the past two festivals, finishing third in the Champion Hurdle and Arkle. He's a proper Grade 1 horse running in a handicap and could prove way better than these.

Sky Bet are offering an extra place to all customers having a bet in the Grand Annual, with the bookie paying down to sixth place instead of fifth.

5:30 Champion Bumper

Sixmilebridge 20-1 generally

Sixmilebridge beat four previous winners on his sole bumper start and was really strong in the market to do so. It's hard to know how that Sandown form compares with what Ireland will bring to the table but Pauling has an excellent Cheltenham Festival record and Sixmilebridge reportedly worked the house down on a trip to Kempton recently when he came home well clear of Shakem Up'Arry, who is a very decent handicapper himself.

Plenty of bookmakers are offering an extra place on Champion Bumper, with Paddy Power, Sky Bet, Coral, Ladbrokes, Betfred, Unibet and Betway all giving each-way punters five places to play with.

To discover more Cheltenham betting offers and free bets for both new and existing clients, make sure to explore the promotions provided by other top bookmakers in the UK and Ireland:

Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing.

Harry WilsonReporter

Published on 12 March 2024inBetting offers