CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL TIPS - DAY THREE
The 3rd day of Cheltenham Festival is forming up to be a belter on St Patrick's Thursday.
Here, Daily Mail Sport brings you our professional racing pointers, featuring a choice, primary danger and live outsider for each race ...
Teahupoo will be contesting the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle for the fourth straight year
RYANAIR MARES' NOVICES' HURDLE
1.20: GRADE TWO - 2 MILES, 1 FURLONG
Last season's Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever holds strong claims now dropping in grade.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old lost her unbeaten record when completing second to the reopposing Oldschool Outlaw on her hurdling launching in December.
That day her rival had the benefit of race fitness after a bumper a month earlier. A 12-length winner at Fairyhouse in January, Bambino Fever looks efficient in offering Mullins with a record sixth win in the race.
Carrigmoornaspruce appears the main threat to the selection. She was beaten simply 5 lengths by Skylight Hustle in the Grade One Future Champions Novice Hurdle when facing the geldings.
Owner Kenny Alexander has an exceptional record with his mares at this Festival 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 4 1/2 FURLONGS
The form of the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase from Trials Day was given an increase when Quebecois was third in the Ultima on Tuesday.
As an outcome, his conqueror that day, Jordans Cross, appears well treated from a mark only 6lb higher. He is unlucky not to be unbeaten in four starts over fences, having fallen when taking a trip well over this course and range at the November meeting behind stablemate Kdeux Saint Fray. Both are trained by Anthony Honeyball, with the latter slipping into the race at the foot of the weights.
Regent's Stroll represents the same connections as Caldwell Potter, who won this race last season. His runner-up effort here on Trials Day has actually been increased by both the winner and 3rd because, and he looks to hold strong 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, 4 1/2 FURLONGS
Gordon Elliott had to wait till the last race of last year's Festival to get on the scoresheet with Wodhooh - and she seeks to hold impressive claims of gaining a very first Grade One success in this contest.
The six-year-old has won nine of her 10 starts over obstacles, two of which came over this course and distance last season.
A rating of 154 leaves her 4lb clear of Jade De Grugy, who completed runner-up in this race last year behind Champion Hurdle heroine Lossiemouth. She reverts back from amateur chasing to run here.
Trainer Paul Nolan has brought his greatest team yet to the Festival this year and one of his leading hopes is Feet Of A Dancer, who has actually won two of her 3 starts this season and completed runner-up to Wodhooh on her other 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 last 2 winners of this race renew their competition, with the 2024 scorer Teahupoo more strongly fancied than Bob Olinger.
This will be the 4th straight year that Teahupoo has actually contested the race. Gordon Elliott's nine-year-old has ended up in the first 2 on all eight of his starts because December 2023 and produced a career-best efficiency on ratings when defeating Bob Olinger by 7 lengths in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Emma Lavelle trained Paisley Park to win this in 2019 and Ma Shantou has followed a comparable path to that star. A seven-length triumph over the reopposing Impose Toi in the Cleeve Hurdle earned him a rating of 154, however supporters of the runner-up will be hoping a swing in the weights can assist him close the space - and even reverse the kind.
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
Electric Mason might have seen the form of his reappearance runner-up effort increased earlier in the day, when Ma Shantou runs in the Stayers' Hurdle.
He was beaten simply under 3 lengths by that rival at Cheltenham in October, with the reopposing Supremely West in third.
Electric Mason went on to land the Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle at Haydock on his next start off 132 and looks deserving of the 7lb increase he got. With Ma Shantou now ranked 25lb higher than he was here in October, both Electric Mason and Supremely West, now rated 2lb lower, appear to hold claims.
Staffordshire Knot represents Gordon Elliott, who won this race 3 years in succession between 2018 and 2020. He arrives on the back of a career-best display screen 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, 2 1/2 FURLONGS
Six-time Cheltenham Festival-winning rider Derek O'Connor has actually two times won this race on horses at the head of the weights. Jeriko Du Reponet's connections will be hoping he can do the same on their charge.
The choice was runner-up in the Pertemps at last year's Festival last season when fitted with first-time cheekpieces, while all 4 of his 4 chase starts have come without headgear. The cheekpieces are reapplied here. Herakles Westwood could prove the most significant threat.
Finny Maguire, who partnered him when ending up 2nd at the November meeting at this course, is back on board. Daily Present beat Johnnywho when winning this race in 2015 which competing won the Ultima on Tuesday. His two starts this season have actually come by difficulties 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
- Rating: 16 of the last 17 winners have been rated 152+.
- Last time out: 11 of the last 12 winners ended up in the top 4 last time out. Of those, five won their last race.
- Betting: 15 of the last 17 winners had a starting price of 14-1 or much shorter. There have been 6 winning favourites because time.
- Age: 10 of the last 12 winners were aged 6, 7 or eight years old.
- Trainer: Two of the last 3 renewals have been won by Gordon Elliott-trained horses.
VERDICT: Teahupoo is hard to oppose provided his Cheltenham record and current form, but minor choice on trends is for the gently raced.
HONESTY POLICY Gordon Elliott's six-year-old landed the Grade One Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree in April before being directly denied when stepped up in trip at Punchestown later on in the same month. He ran well in his only start this season, completing a close 3rd in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
He pertains to Cheltenham fresh, open up to plenty more improvement and could be the next star in the staying ranks.
4.00: RYANAIR CHASE
- Rating: 16 of the last 17 winners have actually been rated 161+.
- Age: 16 of the last 17 winners were aged 7, 8 or nine years of ages.
- Last time out: Nine of the last 12 winners completed in the leading 3 last time out.
- Betting: 14 of the last 17 winners originated from the top 3 in the market.
- Trainer: Eight of the last 10 winners have been trained by Willie Mullins (6) or Henry de Bromhead (2 ).
VERDICT: The Willie Mullins pair Fact To File and Impaire Et Passe come out best on trends. Fact To File was a remarkable winner of the race last year and enters into this in fine type, having landed the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last month.
However, he is set to go off at short odds today, so an opportunity is handled stablemate IMPAIRE ET PASSE at a more attractive cost. An elegant hurdler, consisting of a Grade One triumph as an amateur at the 2023 Festival, he has now won 2 races on top level given that changing to the bigger obstacles. He completed his preparation for today with a triumph in the Grade Two Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park last month.
PLACEPOT.
In 2015's Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever seems a placepot banker, and it is difficult to see stablemate Jade De Grugy finishing outside the first 2 places later the card. The last leg looks the trickiest, so 3 selections are advised.
RACE ONE: (3) BAMBINO FEVER
RACE 2: (2) SIXMILEBRIDGE (4) REGENT'S STROLL
RACE 3: (3) JADE DE GRUGY
RACE 4: (7) HONESTY POLICY (11) TEAHUPOO
RACE 5: (5) IMPAIRE ET PASSE (3) FACT TO FILE
RACE 6: (7) SUPREMELY WEST (8) ABSOLUTELY DOYEN (3) ELECTRIC MASON
1 x 2 x 1 x 2 x 2 x 3 = 24 LINE
