After two sensational days at the Cheltenham Festival, we reach the business end of the meeting as day three arrives with another outstanding card.
Thursday is traditionally the most difficult day to find winners at the Cheltenham Festival, but this year may be slightly different.
The Ryanair Chase and the Stayers’ Hurdle headline day three. The former sees Fact To File attempt to defend his crown, while the latter looks like a fascinating clash between proven Festival performers and a new generation trying to take over the staying division.
As always at the Cheltenham Festival, the feature races may grab the headlines, but the supporting contests are packed with betting opportunities for those willing to dig beneath the surface.
Cheltenham Festival Day Three Tips
- 1:20 Oldschool Outlaw 9/2
- 2:00 Slade Steel 8/1 (each-way)
- 2:40 Wodhooh 8/11
- 3:20 Bob Olinger 8/1 (each-way)
- 4:00 Fact To File 8/11
- 4:40 C’Est Different 9/1 (each-way)
- 5:20 Waterford Whispers 9/2
*Odds subject to change.
Cheltenham Festival 1:20 – Grade 2 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (2m1f)
This race has been framed as a match between Bambino Fever and OLDSCHOOL OUTLAW, and it’s easy to see why.
Bambino Fever arrives with plenty of hype after winning last year’s Champion Bumper and has been well supported in the market to get the job done. However, the key piece of form that many seem to be overlooking is that Oldschool Outlaw has already beaten her.
Yes, you can argue that Oldschool Outlaw had the benefit of fitness that day, but racing rarely stands still. The Gordon Elliott-trained mare has improved again since that victory and looks to be thriving with racing.
The gap between the pair is minimal on form, yet the prices suggest a far wider margin. From a betting perspective, that makes Oldschool Outlaw the obvious play.
If she reproduces the form of her previous win over Bambino Fever, she has every chance of confirming the placings.
At higher prices, Carrigmoornaspruce has enough ability to sneak into the frame if everything falls right, while Future Prospect would be interesting if the market speaks in her favour late on.
- Selection: Oldschool Outlaw 9/2
- Danger: Bambino Fever 11/10
Cheltenham Festival 2:00 – Grade 2 Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (2m4½f)
This is one of the more intriguing handicaps of the week, and there are several runners who you can make a case for.
Regent’s Stroll has a profile strikingly similar to last year’s winner, Caldwell Potter, while Meetmebythesee looks like a classic JP McManus Festival plot job, which immediately catches the eye. But like any JP McManus handicap plot, he has been well found in the market.
However, one horse that looks to have slipped under the handicapper’s radar is Slade Steel.
It’s not often that a former Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner turns up in a handicap off a workable mark, but that’s exactly what we have here with Slade Steel.
The Henry de Bromhead-trained eight-year-old missed most of last season through injury, which has meant he arrives here without the miles on the clock over fences. His three defeats this season are easy enough to forgive; he was brought down when travelling well at Punchestown and then found Navan's deep ground not to his liking when beaten by Joystick.
Back on better ground and returning to the track where he produced his career best performance, this looks like the moment for Slade Steel to strike.
Ol Man Dingle, Kiss Will, and Jordans Cross all have claims, but the value play in the race looks crystal clear.
- Selection: Slade Steel 8/1 (each-way)
- Danger: Meetmebythesee 11/2
Cheltenham Festival 2:40 – Grade 1 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (2m4½f)
The decision to send Lossiemouth to the Champion Hurdle has completely reshaped this race.
With the division’s standout performer elsewhere, the Mares’ Hurdle looks in the hands of Wodhooh.
Last season’s Martin Pipe winner has been a model of consistency, winning nine of her ten starts over hurdles, with her only defeat coming against Lossiemouth at Aintree last season. Her form that reads exceptionally well here, and it’s form that any of her rivals have failed to match.
Her two wins this season have come with authority, and there’s little in this field that appears capable of matching that level of performance.
Simply put, if Wodhooh runs to her usual level, she should win.
Jade De Grugy looks the most likely to give chase, while Feet Of A Dance is not one to dismiss to follow home Wodhooh once again.
But ultimately, this looks like Wodhooh’s race to lose.
- Selection: Wodhooh 8/11
- Danger: Feet Of A Dance 9/1
Cheltenham Festival 3:20 – Grade 1 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (3m)
This year’s Stayers’ Hurdle looks like a fascinating clash between proven Festival performers and emerging challengers.
Kabral Du Marthan has looked impressive in two starts for Dan Skelton this season, but there has to be a lingering doubt about whether he truly stays this demanding three-mile trip around Cheltenham.
Teahupoo, a former winner of this race, has enjoyed a strong campaign and clearly commands respect. However, his overall Cheltenham record isn’t quite as convincing as many might assume.
Honesty Policy is an interesting newcomer to this level, but lacks the battle-hardened experience that may count against him this year.
That leaves a horse with a flawless Cheltenham record, the one to side with, and that’s the hugely talented Bob Olinger.
The defending champion absolutely relishes this track and was a decisive winner of this race last season when pulling clear of Teahupoo late on.
His most recent run at Leopardstown can be upgraded significantly given the testing ground, yet he still finished an eye-catching second.
With conditions likely to suit him far better here and a proven ability to deliver at the Festival, Bob Olinger makes a huge amount of appeal at the prices.
- Selection: Bob Olinger 8/1 (each-way)
- Danger: Honesty Policy 5/1
Cheltenham Festival 4:00 – Grade 1 Ryanair Chase (2m4½f)
The Ryanair Chase could end up being one of the more straightforward races of the week.
At the centre of it all is the defending champion Fact To File.
There was plenty of discussion about whether he should be aimed at the Gold Cup after his commanding victory in the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival, but connections have instead chosen to defend this crown.
From their perspective, the decision makes perfect sense.
Fact To File was devastating in this race last year and arrives in even better form this time around. His cruising speed and relentless jumping make him incredibly hard to contain over this trip.
Expect Mark Walsh to adopt positive tactics and turn the race into a relentless gallop.
If that happens, the rest could simply be left chasing shadows.
For those searching for each-way value, Banbridge, Heart Wood, and Impaire Et Passe are the most interesting alternatives.
But in truth, it would be a shock if Fact To File were beaten.
- Selection: Fact To File 8/11
- Danger: Banbridge 7/1
Cheltenham Festival 4:40 – Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (3m)
The Pertemps Final is one of the deepest handicaps of the week, and solving it is never straightforward.
The market has latched onto Supremely West, and given the success of the Skelton yard in these types of races, the support is easy to understand. However, backing a 4/1 favourite in a race this competitive rarely appeals.
Melbourne Shamrock arrives here after an impressive victory at Naas, while Kikijo is another runner who could outrun his odds given his solid Cheltenham record.
However, the one who really catches the eye is C’Est Different.
Trainer Sam Thomas has quietly built an excellent reputation since going out on his own, and this improving hurdler looks to be peaking at exactly the right time.
He bolted up in his qualifier at Market Rasen before following up with an even more impressive victory under top weight at Newbury.
With his confidence clearly sky-high and stamina assured, C’Est Different looks tailor-made for a race like this. It’s hard to see him not fighting it out in the latter stages of the race.
- Selection: C’Est Different 9/1 (each-way)
- Danger: Kikijo 16/1
Cheltenham Festival 5:20 – Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (3m2½f)
Day three closes with the traditional Kim Muir, a race that regularly produces a dramatic finish and plenty of hard-luck stories.
JP McManus dominates the betting, but of his runners, the one who makes far greater appeal is Waterford Whispers.
In the same ownership as Jeriko Du Reponet, who has been targeted at this race all season but remains difficult to trust when the pressure is on, as he showed when beaten in the Pertemps last season. He is one horse that is hard to trust, especially at his current odds and around such a testing track as Cheltenham's new course.
Waterford Whispers, by contrast, shaped very encouragingly when finishing strongly for third at the Dublin Racing Festival, suggesting that his turn may not be far away.
This extended trip is an unknown, but the race could play to his strengths. A slightly steadier tempo should help his jumping and allow him to conserve energy before launching his challenge late on.
If his stamina holds out over the final half-mile, Waterford Whispers may have enough in the locker to finally land a Cheltenham Festival victory.
Herakles Westwood, The Enabler, and last year’s shock winner, Daily Present, are all worth keeping onside.
- Selection: Waterford Whispers – 9/2
- Danger: Herakles Westwood – 10/1
