DAY three already, we’re midway by way of the Competition. The solar has been shining right here at Cheltenham this week, so the bottom has been drying out – we have to issue that into our considering.
There are twin options on the cardboard, the Ryanair Chase and the Stayers’ Hurdle, which we’ll have a look at first.
Gordon Elliott has a really sturdy hand within the long-distance hurdle with 2024 winner Teahupoo and Honesty Coverage, whereas final 12 months’s victor Bob Olinger will clearly have his followers and there are some murmurs round for Ballyburn.
Nonetheless, second-season novices are accountable for seven wins within the final 12 years and that stat sends me in direction of Honesty Coverage. He’s a younger horse on the enhance, he was a high-class novice hurdler final 12 months, when he received the Grade One at Aintree. He had one run in open firm when he was a superb third in Ascot in December which was eye-catching to me.
He’s been put away with this race in thoughts since that run and whereas he must enhance to beat the heavyweights, he has obtained extra potential upside than the others, so he’s the one for me within the Stayers’ Hurdle.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Honesty Coverage is the one for me within the Stayers’ Hurdle
The Ryanair Chase has really turned out to be a extra aggressive race than I assumed it could be, however I nonetheless suppose Truth To File goes to win.
My method to this race can be to take my probabilities within the ‘betting with out’ market so my recommendation for punters is to again Banbridge, with out the favorite. Truth To File might be my nap of the day and I feel he’s going to win however I feel Banbridge is worthy to observe him residence.
The primary race on the cardboard is the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, for which there’s an enormous discipline however I see it as a straight shoot-out.
Oldschool Outlaw and Bambino Fever met at Naas in mid-December and it’s one nil to Oldschool Outlaw on the face to face. Bambino Fever has subsequently received, choosing up a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle early within the new 12 months, and now they’re making use of a tongue strap. The drying floor and the truth that she’s obtained course expertise sways me in direction of the Willie Mullins-trained mare.
Willie after all received the primary 5 renewals of this race when it was inaugurated in 2016, he has a really sturdy report.
Bambino Fever carried all earlier than her final 12 months, racking up the bumper wins, three of which got here with Jody Townend within the saddle. It’s her brother Paul changing her on board at the moment, however it’ll be the identical consequence, so it’s Bambino Fever for me within the first.
Within the Jack Richards Novices’ Chase, I like Sixmilebridge. I assumed he was spectacular within the Grade One at Sandown in January, he’s a course and distance winner right here again in December and whereas he has loads of weight to hold, I feel Sixmilebridge has loads of class.
He’s a greater chaser than he was a hurdler, and that will likely be one for Britain within the 2pm.
The Mares’ Hurdle has minimize up right into a far-from-competitive affair after Workforce Lossiemouth opted to go for the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday as an alternative, a transfer that paid off so handsomely. That leaves a large open purpose for Wodhooh.
JANE’S BEST BETS
NAP
Wodhooh
2.40 Shut Brothers Mares’ Hurdle
EACH WAY
Sixmilebridge
2.0 Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase
Gordon Elliott’s cost may be very troublesome to criticise. She’s solely been overwhelmed as soon as over hurdles in her life, she’s a course and distance winner right here from when she received the Martin Pipe final 12 months.
I feel she and Truth to File are the duo to lock collectively in somewhat mixture wager to get the worth from their shorter costs.
The British have a really sturdy hand this 12 months within the Pertemps Community Remaining and I just like the profile of Supremely West.
This gelding hasn’t been with Workforce Skelton for very lengthy – he had his first run for the yard behind Ma Shantou in October of 2025, three quick-fire outings after that and we haven’t seen him since Christmas.
They’re stepping him again as much as three miles, and the arrogance behind him on track appears to be plain. The Skeltons have a really sturdy report in handicaps on the pageant, so whereas Supremely West mightn’t clearly have the shape within the guide primarily based on his latest runs, his connections benefit respect and so I’m going to pick out him within the Pertemps.
The final race of the day is the Kim Muir, a three-mile, two-furlong stamina check for chasers for the novice riders particularly and I’m going to aspect with an Irish horse right here in Kim Roque.
Joseph O’Brien acquired a really promising recruit from France and he gave him two runs over course and distance in November and December, however he was eye-catching at Leopardstown behind Backmersackme on the Dublin Racing Competition.
They’ve booked John Gleeson, a really proficient Irish novice, for the journey, and Kim Roque is a six-year-old on the enhance. He’s not lengthy with Joseph O’Brien, however the few glimmers we’ve seen recommend he has an enormous day in him, and I feel that day is Thursday.
