Ben Jones Cheltenham 2026 day two rides blog: 'It's important he gets into a rhythm early doors'

Leading jockey Ben Jones has four rides on day two of Cheltenham Festival 2026, and he previews them all in his latest Ladbrokes blog.

• Taurus Bay - Cheltenham - 1.20 race odds

• Thomas Mor - Cheltenham - 2.00 race odds

• Guard Duty - Cheltenham - 2.40 race odds

• Vanderpoel - Cheltenham - 4.40 race odds

1.20 - Cheltenham - Taurus Bay

Taurus Bay is a lovely horse who had a hard race the last day at Cheltenham, and to be honest it was touch-and-go as to whether he was going to be here this week. He had a couple of quiet weeks after his last run, but I schooled him last week and he seemed back to his normal self. I think if he runs to the level we saw at Aintree, that form has worked out really well, finishing in front of the Philip Hobbs horse [Captain Hugo] who went on to win the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso... we beat him quite comfortably, so we know we've got a nice horse here. If he's in the same form as he was at Aintree, then he should be bang there.

Wednesday is always an interesting one, particularly in the opening race of the day, because you're able to look back on Tuesday's results, and who was winning, from what position. I think that's what you take out of day one, more than the prices of the winners.

2.00 - Cheltenham - Thomas Mor

We've got Thomas Mor in the Brown Advisory and this is a lovely horse who has done nothing wrong for me - he does go a little bit out to his right which is a negative... that would be his only negative. He did beat Wendigo the last day, around Kempton. The actual track itself will suit him, other than the fact he's going the wrong way around it. But I think a stiff three-mile is going to be right up his street.

Wendigo has shortened in the betting for this one... it's a bit crazy to me that he's around 6/1 and we're out at around 66s, given that we beat him on Boxing Day. We'll be going there to pick up a bit of money in whatever place we can get.

2.40 - Cheltenham - Guard Duty

I've then got Guard Duty for Emma Lavelle in the BetMGM Cup, and I've said before, if you're coming to this festival with a 20/1 shot, you've got a chance... so we've definitely got a chance here. He's ran a few times in big handicaps, so big fields aren't a problem  for him. He's a hold-up horse, and his only negative would be that he's not really the most economical jumper.

But the last day I rode him, he actually jumped really well, and I think a good, strongly-run race is going to be right up his street. Hopefully he'll be doing his best stuff coming up the hill the last time.

Myself and Emma go back a long way, and they put a lot of trust in me when I was a claimer. I had a good season as a conditional, with 40-odd winners, and I'd say 75% of those were for her. She's played a massive part in my career so far, and it's nice to still be picking up rides for her and the team - I won the Ladbrokes Trophy on De Rasher Counter as a five-pound claimer... you know, not many trainers would give a young lad like that a chance, but she gave me that chance, and luckily it worked out.

Emma and Barry have been brilliant for me, so if I could give them back another big one, that would mean the world. They've got Ma Shantou later in the week, and I think he's got a very good chance. He obviously needs to step-up again, but he's a young horse, and probably the only one in there, with Dan [Skelton]'s, that are new to this grade and kind of level. What I like about Ma Shantou is that he gallops brilliantly, he stays the trip well, he's got a bit of speed about him and he obviously loves Cheltenham. I'd quite like to be on him, to be honest! But I think he's got a really good chance, so very best of luck to Emma and the team.

4.40 - Cheltenham - Vanderpoel

Vanderpoel would be my best chance of Wednesday on paper. I love him. We probably thought he was going to be our best novice chaser of the season - and he ran fine in his first couple of runs, but not to the level that we thought he was going to be. 

But everything has clicked in his last two runs... he's jumped brilliantly and he's travelled well... I think if he can get in a good rhythm, he should have a good chance. I think he's still on the right side of the handicap mark, and I'm very much looking forward to riding him. I haven't got any negatives to say about him, it's just important he gets into a good rhythm early doors.

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.