Steve Ryder sides with one of Day 3's most popular picks in the Plate Handicap Chase - get selections from all of our tipsters and a rundown of all the key races.
14:40 Thursday
We move on to Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival, which signifies a switch from the ‘old’ course to the ‘new’ course. It is the only day of the Festival with two feature races, the Ryanair Chase at 3:20pm and the Stayers’ Hurdle at 4:00pm.
What to Expect on Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival
Those are accompanied by the Mares’ Novice Hurdle which is being run as the opening race of the day for the first time, the re-introduced Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, the Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle, the Plate Handicap Chase and finally the Kim Muir Handicap Chase.
According to the betting, this looks the most open card of the whole Festival with only Teahupoo in the Stayers' looking capable of going off odds-on.
Day 3 Best Bets from Our Tipster
Having already tipped Il Est Francais (4/1 in the Ryanair Chase), Jungle Boogie (14/1 in the Ryanair Chase), Mystical Power (16/1 in the Stayers’ Hurdle) and Fugitif (16/1 in the Plate) Steve Ryder provides three further tips on the third day of the Festival.
2:40 Doddiethegreat 25/1 (0.5pt ew)
His stablemates Jeriko Du Reponet and Shanagh Bob are better fancied for this race but I was taken with the run of DODDIETHEGREAT (best priced at 25/1) in his qualifier.
The Nicky Henderson trained nine-year-old had proved disappointing on his previous three starts so far this morning but the application of first-time cheekpieces and a step up in trip to 3 miles resulted in a much-improved effort when 2nd at Haydock last time under Brian Hughes.
Doddiethegreat had previously finished 2nd to dual Imperial Cup winner Go Dante here last season off a mark of 131 and he gets to run here off the same mark. It will be disappointing to see him out of the frame with a first-time tongue tie added.
16:40 Thursday
It was a slight surprise to see JAGWAR (best priced at 9/2) declared for this race instead of the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase earlier on this card and I would like to have him on side as well as an ante-post position on Fugitif.
The Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero trained six-year-old won his first two chase starts before finishing 3rd to Jingko Blue at Uttoxeter on his penultimate start. He then won the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Trials Day which is a race that has thrown up many Festival winners previously.
Irish Cavalier (2015), Mister Whitaker (2018) and Imperial Aura (2020) won the Novices’ Handicap Chase, Simply The Betts (2020) won the Plate , Stage Star (2023) won the old Turners’ Chase, Ginny’s Destiny (2024) finished 2nd in that last year and even Unexpected Party (2024) ran in it before winning the Grand Annual last year.
The handicapper has raised Jagwar 7lbs for that victory up to a mark of 139 but he looks a really progressive six-year-old in a race where there are a lot of exposed horses.
17:20 Thursday
The presence of Derek O’Connor, who won this race for JP McManus in 2019 on Any Second Now and last year on Inothewayurthinkin, on board JOHNNYWHO (best priced at 5/1) mean he is a fascinating contender this year.
A high class novice hurdler last season, who was only beaten two lengths in a Grade 1, he has caught the eye on his previous three runs over fences. The eight-year-old defied a drift to make a winning chasing debut at Carlisle before finishing 3rd in small fields on his next three starts in Grade 2 company at Newbury, Ascot and Windsor.
Ridden negatively on all three of those occasions, Johnnywho has gradually dropped down the ratings and now qualifies for this handicap off a mark of 140. This step up in trip to 3m2f for the first time in his career should suit him well and if his rider can improve his jumping then he should prove hard to beat.
Key Races to Watch on Day 3 at Cheltenham
The Ryanair Chase (3:20) has attracted nine declared runners with both connections of both Fact To File, who also had the option of running in t Gold Cup, and Il Est Francais, who had the option of running in the Champion Chase, deciding to run in this race. They are joined by last year’s winner Protektorat and the Henry De Bromhead trained trio Envoi Allen, Heart Wood and Jungle Boogie.
The Stayers’ Hurdle (4:00) on the other hand has attracted 15 runners but it will be a fascinating race to watch tactically with only Gowel Road a proven front-runner. Last year’s winner Teahupoo has been kept fresh since his runner-up effort in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle on his reappearance, with Gordon Elliott choosing to stick to the same campaign again.
Home By The Lee, who has been beaten in the previous three renewals of this race, arrives in the form of his life having won his two starts this season but he has six lengths to find with the favourite from last year.
Lucky Place was one of a handful of Nicky Henderson horses who ran well at the festival last season and he bids for a hat-trick of wins this year but he still needs to prove his stamina over this 3 mile trip.
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Key Cheltenham Stats & Trends for Day 3
Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle:
- Six of the nine winners were trained in Ireland with the first five all trained by Willie Mullins
- All nine winners were aged either five or six
- Six of the nine winners had run at least four times over hurdles
- Six of the nine winners returned shorter than 8/1
- Five of the nine winners were unbeaten that season
Ryanair Chase:
- The previous 17 winners had all won over a minimum of 2m4f
- Five of the previous nine winners were trained by Willie Mullins
- 15 of the previous 16 winners were aged between 7-9
- 13 of the previous 17 winners had previously won at Cheltenham
- 13 of the previous 17 winners had already won at least one Grade 1
- 11 of the previous 17 winners had finished 1st or 2nd in a Grade 1 or Grade 2 last time
Stayers’ Hurdle:
- Nine of the previous 11 winners were aged either six or seven
- Seven of the previous 11 winners were second season hurdlers
- 18 of the previous 21 winners had finished 1st or 2nd last time
- 16 of the previous 28 winners had won or placed at the Festival previously
- 23 of the previous 24 winners had previously placed in at least one Grade 1
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Cheltenham Festival Weather Update for Day 3
Racing will switch to the New course from Thursday with the going described as good to soft (from good to soft, soft in places). Temperatures dropped to -2C overnight and will only reach 7C throughout today.
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