The third day of Cheltenham Festival is shaping as much as be a belter on St Patrick’s Thursday.
Right here, Day by day Mail Sport brings you our skilled racing suggestions, that includes a variety, most important hazard and stay outsider for every race…
Teahupoo shall be contesting the Paddy Energy Stayers’ Hurdle for the fourth straight yr
RYANAIR MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE
1.20: GRADE TWO — 2 MILES, 1 FURLONG
Final season’s Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever holds robust claims now dropping in grade.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old misplaced her unbeaten report when ending second to the reopposing Oldschool Outlaw on her hurdling debut in December.
That day her rival had the good thing about race health after successful a bumper a month earlier. A 12-length winner at Fairyhouse in January, Bambino Fever appears able to offering Mullins with a report sixth win within the race.
Carrigmoornaspruce seems the principle hazard to the choice. She was overwhelmed simply 5 lengths by Skylight Hustle within the Grade One Future Champions Novice Hurdle when dealing with the geldings.
Proprietor Kenny Alexander has a wonderful report together with his mares at this Pageant and he runs Echoing Silence.
SELECTION: BAMBINO FEVER… 6-5
MAIN DANGER: CARRIGMOORNASPRUCE… 12-1
LIVE OUTSIDER: ECHOING SILENCE… 16-1
JACK RICHARDS NOVICES’ CHASE
2.00: HANDICAP — 2 MILES 4½ FURLONGS
The type of the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase from Trials Day was given a lift when Quebecois was third within the Ultima on Tuesday.
In consequence, his conqueror that day, Jordans Cross, seems properly handled from a mark solely 6lb larger. He’s unfortunate to not be unbeaten in 4 begins over fences, having fallen when travelling properly over this course and distance on the November assembly behind stablemate Kdeux Saint Fray. Each are educated by Anthony Honeyball, with the latter sneaking into the race on the foot of the weights.
Regent’s Stroll represents the identical connections as Caldwell Potter, who received this race final season. His runner-up effort right here on Trials Day has been boosted by each the winner and third since, and he appears to carry robust claims.
SELECTION: JORDANS CROSS… 6-1
MAIN DANGER: REGENT’S STROLL… 9-2
LIVE OUTSIDER: KDEUX SAINT FRAY… 18-1
CLOSE BROTHERS MARES’ HURDLE
2.40: GRADE ONE — 2 MILES, 4½ FURLONGS
Gordon Elliott needed to wait till the ultimate race of final yr’s Pageant to get on the scoresheet with Wodhooh — and she or he appears to carry excellent claims of gaining a primary Grade One success on this contest.
The six-year-old has received 9 of her 10 begins over hurdles, two of which came to visit this course and distance final season.
A score of 154 leaves her 4lb away from Jade De Grugy, who completed runner-up on this race final yr behind Champion Hurdle heroine Lossiemouth. She reverts again from novice chasing to run right here.
Coach Paul Nolan has introduced his largest crew but to the Pageant this yr and one among his main hopes is Ft Of A Dancer, who has received two of her three begins this season and completed runner-up to Wodhooh on her different outing.
SELECTION: WODHOOH… 4-5
MAIN DANGER: JADE DE GRUGY… 5-2
LIVE OUTSIDER: FEET OF A DANCER… 10-1
PADDY POWER STAYERS’ HURDLE
3.20: GRADE ONE — 3 MILES
The final two winners of this race renew their rivalry, with the 2024 scorer Teahupoo extra strongly fancied than Bob Olinger.
This would be the fourth straight yr that Teahupoo has contested the race. Gordon Elliott’s nine-year-old has completed within the first two on all eight of his begins since December 2023 and produced a career-best efficiency on scores when defeating Bob Olinger by seven lengths within the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Emma Lavelle educated Paisley Park to win this in 2019 and Ma Shantou has adopted an identical path to that star. A seven-length victory over the reopposing Impose Toi within the Cleeve Hurdle earned him a score of 154, however supporters of the runner-up shall be hoping a swing within the weights can assist him shut the hole — and even reverse the shape.
SELECTION: TEAHUPOO… 7-2
MAIN DANGER: MA SHANTOU… 13-2
LIVE OUTSIDER: IMPOSE TOI… 11-1
PERTEMPS NETWORK FINAL HURDLE
4.40: HANDICAP — 3 MILES
Electrical Mason might have seen the type of his reappearance runner-up effort boosted earlier within the day, when Ma Shantou runs within the Stayers’ Hurdle.
He was overwhelmed slightly below three lengths by that rival at Cheltenham in October, with the reopposing Supremely West in third.
Electrical Mason went on to land the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at Haydock on his subsequent begin off 132 and appears deserving of the 7lb rise he obtained. With Ma Shantou now rated 25lb larger than he was right here in October, each Electrical Mason and Supremely West, now rated 2lb decrease, seem to carry claims.
Staffordshire Knot represents Gordon Elliott, who received this race three years in succession between 2018 and 2020. He arrives on the again of a career-best show when taking the Boyne Hurdle.
SELECTION: ELECTRIC MASON… 11-1
MAIN DANGER: SUPREMELY WEST… 7-2
LIVE OUTSIDER: STAFFORDSHIRE KNOT… 20-1
FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR CHASE
5.20: HANDICAP — 3 MILES, 2½ FURLONGS
Six-time Cheltenham Pageant-winning rider Derek O’Connor has twice received this race on horses on the head of the weights. Jeriko Du Reponet’s connections shall be hoping he can do the identical on their cost.
The choice was runner-up within the Pertemps finally yr’s Pageant final season when fitted with first-time cheekpieces, whereas all 4 of his 4 chase begins have come with out headgear. The cheekpieces are reapplied right here. Herakles Westwood might show the most important hazard.
Finny Maguire, who partnered him when ending second on the November assembly at this course, is again on board. Day by day Current beat Johnnywho when successful this race final yr and that rival received the Ultima on Tuesday. His two begins this season have come over hurdles and he might outrun his odds.
SELECTION: JERIKO DU REPONET… 10-3
MAIN DANGER: HERAKLES WESTWOOD… 9-1
LIVE OUTSIDER: DAILY PRESENT… 6-1
THE WIZARD OF ODDS
By Chris Baker
STAYERS’ HURDLE
– Score: 16 of the final 17 winners have been rated 152+.
– Final day trip: 11 of the final 12 winners completed within the high 4 final day trip. Of these, 5 received their final race.
– Betting: 15 of the final 17 winners had a beginning value of 14-1 or shorter. There have been six successful favourites in that point.
– Age: 10 of the final 12 winners had been aged six, seven or eight years previous.
– Coach: Two of the final three renewals have been received by Gordon Elliott-trained horses.
VERDICT: Teahupoo is tough to oppose given his Cheltenham report and up to date kind, however slight choice on traits is for the flippantly raced.
HONESTY POLICY Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old landed the Grade One Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in April earlier than being narrowly denied when stepped up in journey at Punchestown later in the identical month. He ran properly in his solely begin this season, ending a detailed third within the Lengthy Stroll Hurdle at Ascot.
He involves Cheltenham contemporary, open to lots extra enchancment and may very well be the subsequent star within the staying ranks.
4.00: RYANAIR CHASE
– Score: 16 of the final 17 winners have been rated 161+.
– Age: 16 of the final 17 winners had been aged seven, eight or 9 years previous.
– Final day trip: 9 of the final 12 winners completed within the high three final day trip.
– Betting: 14 of the final 17 winners got here from the highest three out there.
– Coach: Eight of the final 10 winners have been educated by Willie Mullins (6) or Henry de Bromhead (2).
VERDICT: The Willie Mullins pair Truth To File and Impaire Et Passe come out finest on traits. Truth To File was a formidable winner of the race final yr and comes into this in nice kind, having landed the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown final month.
Nonetheless, he’s set to go off at quick odds immediately, so an opportunity is taken on stablemate IMPAIRE ET PASSE at a extra engaging value. A cultured hurdler, together with a Grade One victory as a novice on the 2023 Pageant, he has now received two races on the high stage since switching to the bigger obstacles. He accomplished his preparation for immediately with a victory within the Grade Two Pink Mills Chase at Gowran Park final month.
PLACEPOT
Final yr’s Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever appears to be a placepot banker, and it’s onerous to see stablemate Jade De Grugy ending exterior the primary two locations in a while the cardboard. The final leg appears the trickiest, so three alternatives are advisable.
RACE ONE: (3) BAMBINO FEVER
RACE TWO: (2) SIXMILEBRIDGE (4) REGENT’S STROLL
RACE THREE: (3) JADE DE GRUGY
RACE FOUR: (7) HONESTY POLICY (11) TEAHUPOO
RACE FIVE: (5) IMPAIRE ET PASSE (3) FACT TO FILE
RACE SIX: (7) SUPREMELY WEST (8) ABSOLUTELY DOYEN (3) ELECTRIC MASON
1 x 2 x 1 x 2 x 2 x 3 = 24 LINE
