Bravemansgame and Fury Road out of Brown Advisory due to rain-softened ground

Your one-stop shop for Cheltenham Festival news on Wednesday morning

Top story: rain falling at Cheltenham

Rain on day two of the Cheltenham Festival started before 11am, changing the going to soft, having been good, good to soft in places first thing – conditions that ruled leading player Bravemansgame out of the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (2.10), along with Fury Road.

Fury Road will also miss that race and, by 1pm on Wednesday, 6mm of rain had fallen, although clerk of the course Jon Pullin was in the tricky position on Tuesday night of being faced with drying ground and forecasts that predicted varying degrees of rain.

Groundstaff watered on Tuesday evening, but local trainer Kim Bailey wanted easier ground for Fair Frontieres in the Coral Cup (), so withdrew him, presumably believing that whatever rain fell would not be enough.

The rain arrived at Cheltenham on WednesdayCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The Racing Post's James Stevens is at the track and said just before 11am: "The light blue sky that looked over a thrilling Tuesday at Cheltenham seems a long way away now.

"The rain is not heavy, yet still enough for racegoers to flood through the gates with umbrellas positioned before taking shelter inside. The rain is forecast to stay through racing and will lighten up as we head towards the last at 5.30pm."

Rain at Cheltenham changes festival going – but how much is still to come?

Lisa O'Neill, a key part of Gordon Elliott's team, who do not want testing ground for Tiger Roll's retirement race in the Glenfarclas Chase (), was a guest on Racing TV and said: "It's a shame there's a bit of rain falling now. I don't know how much of that will get into the ground and affect it, but it definitely isn't a positive for Tiger Roll."

Updated at 1.20pm

Party spoiled for big guns?

If Hollywood script writers were on duty at Cheltenham on Wednesday, victories for Shishkin and Tiger Roll might be the main storylines, but Paddy Power reckon punters are after a different plot.

Shishkin heads the betting for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (3.30) at a general 10-11, but Paddy Power have trimmed his main rival Energumene to 3-1 (from 7-2).

Tiger Roll, set for retirement afterwards, lines up in the Glenfarclas Chase (4.10), which he has already won three times. But his Gordon Elliott-trained stablemate Delta Work, who also runs in the Gigginstown maroon, could be the villain.

Tiger Roll at Cheltenham on Sunday morningCredit: Edward Whitaker

He is 5-1 (from 11-2) with Paddy Power, whose spokesman Paul Binfield said: "Many people see both Shishkin and Tiger Roll as bankers today, but, so far, punters are taking them on with Energumene and Delta Work respectively with backers seemingly believing that Energumene can reverse the Clarence House form with Shishkin despite Willie Mullins indicating that he thought it would be difficult for his lad to scoop the rematch."

Elliott seems sweet enough on his stable stalwart, who is 2-1, and told ITV's The Opening Show: "He's in good form and it's his last hurrah, so all we want is him home in one piece, but I'm really looking forward to it. He's a bit of a show-off and he's had a great career – I'd love him to win.

"Delta Work has taken to it very well, but it's hard to win over these banks [fences] first time. He could be one to follow the footsteps of Tiger Roll though."

Posted at 10.19am

Market mover: Editeur Du Gite slashed

Gary Moore and the Preston family have been here before in a 2m chase on the Wednesday of the Cheltenham Festival and a market move for Editeur Du Gite could signal another memorable day for connections.

They were over the moon in 2014 when former favourite Sire De Grugy landed the Champion Chase and Editeur Du Gite also had that option this season, although he would have been an outsider.

His team have plumped for the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual (4.50) and the smart gelding seems to have caught the imagination of punters.

Editeur Du Gite: smart chaser runs in the Sire De Grugy coloursCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

He had been 14-1 on Tuesday with a few firms but those odds were nowhere to be seen on Wednesday morning and the 10-1 BoyleSports offer is the standout price.

William Hill, who were 14-1, are now 17-2 and Moore seemed to play down his chance on Tuesday, saying: "I hope we've chosen the easier option for him. I'm slightly concerned about the rain that may come, but he should be okay."

An eight-year-old, Editeur Du Gite has won four of his last five starts, but has been off since December.

Cheltenham Festival tips: one key runner from each ITV race on Wednesday

Market movers

2.50 Grand Roi 20-1 (from 22), Fastorslow 14-1 (from 18)
3.30 Energumene 3-1 (from 7-2), Envoi Allen 14-1 (from 16)
4.10 Delta Work 5-1 (from 11-2), Prengarde 15-2 (from 8)
4.50 Andy Dufresne 5-1 (from 6), Editeur Du Gite 8-1 (from 14)

Updated at 10.10am

Non-runners

2.10 3 Bravemansgame, 7 Fury Road
2.50 7 Hang In There, 25 Fair Frontieres
5.30 6 Esperti

Updated at 9.50am

Wednesday's Cheltenham Festival previews:

1.30 Cheltenham: 'It is ours to lose' – can anything stop the might of Sir Gerhard in Ballymore?

2.10 Cheltenham: star novices Bravemansgame, L'Homme Presse and Ahoy Senor clash in thriller

2.50 Cheltenham: can The Shunter land the Coral Cup after switching back to hurdles?

3.30 Cheltenham: 'This is going to be the biggest test of Shishkin's life' says Nicky Henderson

4.10 Cheltenham: Tiger Roll bids to bow out on a high back where it all began

4.50 Cheltenham: can Andy Dufresne unlock sky-high potential for Gordon Elliott in Grand Annual?

5.30 Cheltenham: who will be crowned the bumper king? Facile Vega and American Mike face off

Sign up to William Hill here and get 30-1 on Shishkin to win the Champion Chase on Wednesday of the festival. New customers using EPS30. Applies to bets placed from 12:00 9th March 2022 until 15:30 16th March 2022. Max £1 bet at 30-1. Returns paid as 2 x £15 free bets (30-day expiry). Player, currency restrictions and terms apply. 18+. begambleaware.org.