Cheltenham Festival Day 3 Thursday Preview Tips

Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival and our top tipster has his best bets for all the big races including the Ryanair Chase and Stayers Hurdle

 Turners Chase (Cheltenham Festival)

We switch to the new course for day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival and it`s the Turners Novice Chase which kicks things off. Mighty Potter is another seen by many as a banker for the week unbeaten over fences he looks rock solid if we can forgive last year’s Supreme flop.3 from 3 over fences the Gorden Elliot runner has done nothing wrong and is  hard to knock on what we seen this season especially with the ground turning in his favour. He did however bomb out art Cheltenham last year in the Supreme when he went through the rail prior beforehand, before jumped badly during the race. He could just be a different horse now with that experience but given the short price I`m happy to leave alone.

2021 Cheltenham Festival Supreme Hurdle winner Appreciate won comfortable on his first two runs over fences at Punchestown and Naas. He then went onto finish third behind El Fabio in the Irish Arkle, he should improve for this step up in trip over fences now and given the ground looks more in his favour today also than last time then he looks a more than viable option against the favourite.

Banbridge won the Martin Pipe last year and we know this is normally won by a graded horse in a handicap and has a excellent record of producing graded horses.  He won here over the larger obstacles in November before finishing behind Might Potter. Last time out he was doing all his best work finishing 2nd in the Irish Arkle, unfortunately for his chances though it looks as if the ground is going to be softer than ideal on this occasion.

Selection: Appreciate It

Pertemps Handicap

The Pertemps handicap is always seen something as a plot race given its qualifying nature. Thanksforthehelp looks likely to head the market, he was good winner at Chepstow when stepping up to this trip and remains unexposed over it. I don`t think that race was the strongest though and I`m happy to take on.

Maxxum looks the first string for Gordon Elliot, he was bit disappointing last time out but you can forgive that effort and he is better judged on his run prior when readily winning a handicap at Naas, the gorund has come in his favour and he looks the one to beat.

Of the home contingency Green Brook was third in this last year, conditions should suit and he`s off the same mark this time around. He showed enough promise last time to suggest this 11-year-old could still run a big race.

Selection Maxxum Each Way Alternative Green Brook

Ryanair Chase

On to the Ryanair and another short price favourite on day 3 in the shape of Shishkin who looked to bounce back to somewhere near his best last time out at Ascot. This to me is all about if he can now reproduce that effort once again, if that’s the case then there really should be no other winner. This step up in trip now looks needed and all going to plan he should add to his festival victories ion the Supreme and the Arkle.

Janidil was second in this last year behind Allaho and should run his race once more however its Fury Road who makes more appeal of the others. He`s a well at the festival before and has put in some really good performance this year notably in the Irish Gold Cup. A strong stayer suited to soft ground if this becomes a test, he could be the one picking up the pieces.

Selection: Shishkin Each Way Alternative Fury Road

Stayers Hurdle                                                                                                              

The big race on day 3 is the Stayers Hurdle, it looks a wide-open renewal this season with Blazing Khal currently heading the market. The Charles Byrnes runner is unbeaten in his last 5 starts including success in grade 2 here at Cheltenham. He needs to totally prove himself under these conditions over this trip though and whilst on the upgrade I’m happy to look for a more proven runner.

You can’t get much more proven that Flooring Porter a dual winner of this race he shaped as if needed the tun last time which is no surprise given that he will only have been trained with this race in mind. Conditions will be fine and he could just once again get the run of things. It`s not often you see a horse of this profile at the price he is currently to defend his crown and offers some value.

Of the others Gold Tweet has not been given the credit he should for his victory in Cleeve hurdle and should offers fair each way value.

Selection: Flooring Porter Each Way Alternative: Gold Tweet

Plate Handicap

Yet another handicap this week in which JP Mc Manus currently has the favourite in the shape of So Scottish for the excellent Emmet Mullins. This looks to have been the target all season and seems to have been kept fresh for this race after his success at Ascot on handicap debut. Whilst he handles cut I`m just mindful that he might be better on a sounder surface and that is my only concern. For all the success Willie Mullins has at the Cheltenham festival he doesn’t train many handicap chase winners. That could be about to change though in the shape of Haut En Couleurs. He`s top weight here for a reason given some of his graded form like for example his second to Janadil last time out. Proven under these conditions he also ran well enough here last year at the festival when finishing sixth.

At bigger odds War Lord could be the type to run well he finished behind Edawardstone in last season Arkle and looked to be coming to hand when showing more promise at Wetherby when last seen. He a interesting contender from a reduced handicap mark.

The recent rain will be welcome for the Venetia Wiliams trained Frero Banbau, He has some good handicap form to his name in the last year all of which over the minimum distance of 2 mile, He has though on numerous occasions given the impression that he would have more to offer when stepped up in distance. He sneaks in here on a handy mark and a big run is expected.

Selection Frero Banbou Each Way Alternative War Lord

Mares Novice

The unbeaten Luccia looks a mare to follow for the Nicky Henderson team, and is likely to make a bold bid to she keep her unbeaten record going in the Mares Novice. She seems an uncomplicate type and should be hard to beat, however there is not much juice in her price given the rise in grade.

Magical Zoe won a Grade 2 at down Royal when last seen she will need to brush up on her jumping but not sure how much she still has in the tank, soft ground will suit and she looks a player. In what would be an emotional victory for Henry De Bromhead it’s his other runner Foxy Girl who I also want to have on my side. It will take some step up to win a maiden hurdle and then take this but she has listed form on France as a 3-year-old and again conditions will be no issue.

Selection Magical Zoe Each Way Alternative Foxy Girl

Kim Muir

Day 3 closes with the Kim Mur in what looks a typical wide-open race. Beauport has taken well to fences including a listed chase success, he looks all about stamina and could just be well treated off 143 given his form in open company. Ben Pauling’s runners always have to be respected in Cheltenham handicaps and of his 2 runners here I think Slipway has more in his favour. He looks all about stamina and is likely to be running on when many have cried enough here.

Selection Beauport Each Way Alternative Slipway