2022 Cheltenham Handicaps Wednesday Tips – DS

by Dave Stevos | Mar 10, 2022

2022 Cheltenham Handicaps Wednesday Tips

The fields for the Wednesday races at Cheltenham were trimmed this afternoon. We have already looked at the two Tuesday handicaps, today we’ll try and find some value bets in the Coral Cup and Grand Annual. I like the look of a couple of Irish challengers at decent odds, check out our 2022 Cheltenham Handicaps Wednesday tips below.

Coral Cup

He may be in off 10lbs higher than when he won at Aintree and it may be his first race of the season. However, if Tronador is revved up and ready to go, I think he has the potential to run a massive race here. This 6yo has run at the Festival before. In 2020 he was sent off at just 8/1 for the Boodles and with a bit more good fortune he would have finished a lot closer than 9th, beaten under 7L.

Three runs later this son of Arcadio was stepped up to 20.5f at Aintree (April 2021). Held up in midfield, Jack Kennedy switched him to the outer as they approached the last and he jumped into the lead and won doing handstands. That effort came off 128 and it is rock solid form. Dans Le Vent was 2.5L back in 2nd off 131. He is now rated 142 after his Grade 3 handicap triumph at Haydock.

A further 2.5L back was a certain Edwardstone (racing off 149). He is now rated 159 over fences and is the 9/4 fav for the Arkle. Since then, Tronador has run three times and one of those efforts was on the level. He disappointed over 20f at Punchestown and was pulled up over 23f at Galway in July. He hasn’t been seen since and I am hoping that Elliott has him primed for his return to action.

Well Handicapped

On that Aintree form, 138 should not be beyond this son of Lope De Vega. He was conceding 2lbs to Dans Le Vent at Aintree and he’ll be getting 4lbs from him here. Now, this horse is also entered at Naas on Saturday but I’d imagine that was a contingency plan in case he didn’t get into the Coral Cup. He only needs five to come out now to get a run. Elliott has five ahead of him in the weights so if he wants him to get in, he will.

There is a chance that whatever race he runs in will be used to sharpen him up for a return trip to Liverpool. However, he ran so well in the Boodles, I am hoping connections have lined him up for this race. Tronador ran well fresh in a maiden on his first run of the season in 2019 but he did have a prep run before Aintree last season.

He’ll have a nice low weight here and if Elliott claims off him too, he’ll be thrown in. The markets will tell a lot about stable expectations after decs are made but with NRNB and 5 places available, at 25/1 Tronador is worth chancing each way. If he does need the run, we’ll hopefully get our money back at Aintree.

2022 Cheltenham Handicaps Tuesday Tips: Tronador e/w @ 25/1 (5 Places NRNB)

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual

With the weather forecast looking rather pleasant, Capuccimix could be worth backing in this year’s Grand Annual. Henry De Bromhead’s charge has had a quiet season so far. On his return at Fairyhouse he was running alright when he fell. At Leopardstown, I think he was out for a spin to put in a clear round and blow away the cobwebs ahead of his return to Cheltenham. The perennial prominent runner was dropped out early by Darragh O’Keefe and he let him come home in his own time.

On his last start on good ground at Killarney this horse hosed up off 130. Previously he ran respectably at Punchestown when 9th of 19. Before that, he finished 6th in this race behind Sky Pirate, beat 13L off 136. I think the margin of defeat was harsh on this horse. He forced a pretty strong gallop and to his credit, he was bang there jumping the last before understandably running out of steam in the closing stages.

Restraint

When this horse won at Killarney, Jordan Gainford rode with a little bit more restraint in the early stages. Instead of going to the front he sat in behind the two leaders and Gainford didn’t hit the front until around 7f from home. Once he did take the lead he galloped the rest of them into submission. Despite a chancy leap at the second last, he won going away by 6L.

The Grand Annual is a race where it usually pays to be near the front. It can be rough and prominent racers avoid trouble caused by fallers. I am hoping that whoever rides this fella adopts the same tactics that were deployed in Killarney. If they can save a bit of energy in the early to middle part of the race, this horse will finish a lot stronger up the Cheltenham Hill.

Now, this fella admittedly has the propensity to throw in a bad jump at times. If he does that in this heat, he’ll be doing well to win. However, he jumped pretty well on his only previous Cheltenham run and De Bromhead will have him well schooled. It looks to me like he has been laid out for this and at 33/1, Capuccimix is the each way selection. Hopefully the weather gods are kind and we get nice ground.