Cheltenham Day 3 Tips - Through the card tips on Stayers' Hurdle day
- Through the card tips at the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday 16th March
- Three Grade One races will be run on day three of the Cheltenham Festival
- Janidil, Teahupoo and Magical Zoe feature in our selections
- Cheltenham Day 3 Schedule
- Race 1 - Turners' Novices' Chase Tips
- Race 2 - Pertemps Final Tips
- Race 3 - Ryanair Chase Tips
- Race 4 - Stayers' Hurdle Tips
- Race 5 - Plate Handicap Chase Tips
- Race 6 - Mares' Novices' Hurdle Tips
- Race 7 - Kim Muir Tips
Cheltenham Day 3 Tips
The Cheltenham Festival rolls into its third day on Thursday and racing fans have another power-packed card to enjoy on St Patrick's Day.
Three Grade One races headlined Thursday's action, which features both the Ryanair Chase and the Stayers' Hurdle. Punters will also sink their teeth into three red-hot handicaps, plus a wide-open renewal of the Mares' Novices' Hurdle.
Here are our free tips through the full card on day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
Cheltenham Day 3 Schedule
Time | Title | Free Guide |
---|---|---|
1:30pm | Turners Novices' Chase (Grade 1) 2m4f | READ HERE |
2:10pm | Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 3m | READ HERE |
2:50pm | Ryanair Chase (Registered As The Festival Trophy) (Grade 1) 2m4½f | READ HERE |
3:30pm | Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1) 3m | READ HERE |
4:10pm | Magners Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 2m4½f | READ HERE |
4:50pm | Jack De Bromhead Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m1f | READ HERE |
5:30pm | Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase 3m2f | READ HERE |
Cheltenham Day 3 Tips - Thursday 16th March 2023
Race 1 - Turners' Novices' Chase Tips
Mighty Potter is undoubtedly the most likely winner of Thursday's opener. Gordon Elliott's star has progressed with each start over fences and won't be inconvenienced by the softening ground.
The only blemish against the favourite is his run in the Supreme last year. Mighty Potter blew his top in the parade ring, crashed through some railings on his way to the start and proceeded to run a shocking race. Elliott's charge returns to Cheltenham a year older and a year wiser, but horses are creatures of habit and there is a slim chance that Mighty Potter could get overwhelmed by the festivities again.
Given that slight negative, I'm inclined to take the market leader on with an each-way alternative. Balco Coastal was my 20/1 ante-post selection, but I fear the ground has turned against Nicky Henderson's talented seven-year-old.
I'll switch my each-way allegiance to JAMES DU BERLAIS, who got outpaced and jumped poorly when sixth behind Mighty Potter at the Dublin Racing Festival. Willie Mullins has always thought highly of this talented gelding, who was the best horse in France back in 2019/2020 and placed second to Klassical Dream in the Champion Stayers' Hurdle at Punchestown last season. James Du Berlais will relish the ground at Cheltenham on Thursday and the bookies have overreacted to that below-par effort at Leopardstown.
Turners' Novices' Chase 2023 Tips - James Du Berlais each-way
Race 2 - Pertemps Final Tips
Only four Irish qualifiers have been declared in the capacity field for this Final, but they're all well-found in the market. My preference would be for Gordon Elliott's third-string THE BOSSES OSCAR, who was the beaten favourite in this race two years ago when he finished second to Mrs Milner off a mark of 151.
Having struggled over fences last season, Elliott's eight-year-old secured some decent results back over hurdles in the summer and booked his spot in the Final with a third-place finish at Musselburgh last month. The Bosses Oscar returns to the Pertemps Final rated six-pounds lower than last year and five-pound claimer, Ben Harvey has been booked to ride.
Of the British contenders, I like the chances of HECTOR JAVILEX, who hacked up in the Paddy Power Handicap Hurdle held over this course-and-distance on New Years' Day.
Charlie Longsdon's six-year-old qualified for the Pertemps Final behind Itchy Feet at Huntingdon, where Lilly Pinchin seemed more than happy to settle for the fourth and final qualification spot. Hector Javilex loved the soft ground here at Cheltenham in January and could still be ahead of the handicapper.
Pertemps Final 2023 Tip 1 - The Bosses Oscar each-way
Pertemps Final 2023 Tip 2 - Hector Javilex each-way
Race 3 - Ryanair Chase Tips
Like with Mighty Potter in the opener, I can see a world where Shishkin destroys this field. Nicky Henderson's charge looked back to his very best in the Ascot Chase last time out. That run only came four weeks ago though, which is a fairly sharp turnaround for a horse who's had several injury problems over the past 12 months.
The one I like at a better price is JANIDIL who finished a distant, and somewhat fortunate second behind Allaho in last year's renewal of the Ryanair Chase.
Willie Mullins' star motored to an impressive reappearance victory on heavy ground at Gowran Park, despite most in attendance noting that Janidil would come on plenty for the run. Mark Walsh's mount was outpaced behind Allaho in this race 12 months ago, before his stamina kicked in. There isn't a dominant front-runner in the field this time around and I'll expect Janidil to be hitting the line hard once again.
Race 4 - Stayers' Hurdle Tips
I've been sweet on Home By The Lee's Stayers' Hurdle chances since his victory at Leopardstown over Christmas. I still think Joseph O'Brien's charge is an excellent each-way bet, given how well he's progressed this season. However, now that ground conditions have softened in his favour, I'm coming down on the side of TEAHUPOO.
Gordon Elliott's charge boasts the best piece of form in this race, having beaten the then unbeaten Honeysuckle and a fresh Klassical Dream in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle on his reappearance. Gordon Elliott's star thrashed a far inferior field in the Galmoy Hurdle last time out, where Teahupoo put the race to bed with a superb turn-of-foot between the final two flights.
Flooring Porter has barely seen a rival in this race the past two years, but he should have competition for the lead this time with Dashel Drasher in the field and Gavin Cromwell's charge usually crumbles when challenged. I think Teahupoo is the most talented horse in this race and he'll relish every millimeter of moisture in the Cheltenham ground.
Stayers' Hurdle 2023 Tip 1 - Teahupoo
Stayers' Hurdle 2023 Tip 2 - Home By The Lee each-way
Live Stream
If you plan on watching any of Thursday's races via a mobile or tablet, then check out our Stayers' Hurdle Live Stream page for more details.
Race 5 - Plate Handicap Chase Tips
Course-and-distance form is always valuable when it comes to the Plate. With that in mind, I'm going to side with MIDNIGHT RIVER, who came from well off the pace to finish third in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, before going two better on New Years' Day.
Harry Skelton's mount travelled sweetly throughout that contest, hitting the front turning for home before staying on strongly to defeat Stolen Silver. Midnight River has been upped seven pounds for that success, but that shouldn't stop him from running another huge race.
Further down the market, WAR LORD holds plenty of each-way appeal in this handicap chase. Joe Tizzard's grey ran well to finish fourth in the Arkle last year and War Lord was one of my horses to follow at the start of the season off his mark of 149.
After a poor performance in the Haldon Gold Cup and a shocking run behind Midnight River here at Cheltenham, I'd almost given up on this talented eight-year-old. War Lord then came out and ran a blinder under 12-00 at Wetherby last month and this horses has the potential to run a massive race.
Plate Handicap Chase 2023 Tip 1 - Midnight River each-way
Plate Handicap Chase 2023 Tip 2 - War Lord each-way
Race 6 - Mares' Novices' Hurdle Tips
There will be emotional scenes around Prestbury Park if Henry De Bromhead managed to win the race named in honour of his son, Jack, who lost his life in a tragic pony racing accident at the age of 13 earlier in the season.
De Bromhead, who won this race with Tellmesomethinggirl two years ago, will be represented by the unbeaten MAGICAL ZOE, who bolted up in a bumper at Cork back last spring and cruised to an excellent maiden hurdle win at Wexford in September.
Adrian Heskin's mount was hampered in running and pitched wide during the Grade Three at Down Royal in November, but still managed to win going away from the field. The form of that race has been franked several times since and the Mares' Novices' Hurdle is often run to suit hold-up horses. Magical Zoe has a fantastic each-way chance.
I'm also going to have an each-way punt on MULLENBEG, who ran out a superb winner of a bumper here at Cheltenham last January.
Milton Harris' mare took a while to warm to hurdling, but travels to Cheltenham on the back of a career-best effort when second to Rubaud in the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton. On the only other occasion that Harry Cobden has partnered Mullenbeg, they hacked up by ten lengths in a novice hurdle at Plumpton, so I'm delighted to see that Cobden has been confirmed in the saddle. If she goes on the ground, then Mullenbeg could mount a challenge.
Mares' Novices' Hurdle 2023 Tip 1 - Magical Zoe each-way
Mares' Novices' Hurdle 2023 Tip 2 - Mullenbeg each-way
Race 7 - Kim Muir Tips
With Jamie Codd confirmed in the saddle, I'd give a strong chance to DUNBOYNE, who travels to Cheltenham on the back of a fantastic effort in the Thyestes Handicap, where Gordon Elliott's novice finished a close second behind favourite Carefully Selected.
Elliott's eight-year-old is a real mudlark. All of Dunboyne's wins have come on soft or heavy ground. Codds' mount couldn't get involved from out the back in the Pertemps Final last season, but he's already proven himself much more effective over fences and the forecast will fill Gordon Elliott with plenty of hope.
I'm also going to back RAPPER in the Kim Muir, who always seems to run well at Cheltenham - apart from when I tipped him in the Ultima last season.
Henry Daly's nine-year-old bolted up over this course-and-distance at Cheltenham on New Years Day and ran a very good race when fifth under 12-00 around Sandown last time out. Alice Stevens takes three pounds off Rapper's back, and she's no stranger to the winner's enclosure at Cheltenham, having ridden Jimmy The Digger to victory during the October meeting. Rapper will be the last of my Cheltenham Festival day three tips.
Kim Muir 2023 Tip 1 - Dunboyne each-way
Kim Muir 2023 Tip 2 - Rapper each-way
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