Cheltenham Festival Day 3 – St Patrick’s Day – Tips & Predictions

Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival is St Patrick's Day. We have expert tips and predictions plus the latest news.

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For four days in March the racing world centres on the Cotswolds countryside and the famous Cheltenham Festival. This spectacular showpiece is rightfully labelled ‘the greatest show on turf’ and racing does not have anything quite like it for atmosphere, occasion and pure sporting theatre.

Day three is billed as St Patrick’s Thursday, a celebration of Ireland feast-day and the ongoing sporting battle British and Irish trained horses on the Cheltenham turf.

Thursday’s Championship contest is the Stayers’ Hurdle over three-miles, dominated in recent times by stars like Inglis Drever and Big Buck’s.

It is ably supported by the Ryanair Chase, with more Grade 1 action via the Golden Miller Novices’ Chase and three very tough handicaps in the Pertemps Final, the Festival Plate and the Kim Muir Challenge Cup.

Betting Tips & Predictions

It’s day three of four in the Cotswolds as the Cheltenham Festival continues to capture the sporting imagination in what has already proved an exhilarating meeting despite the lack of crowds.

The Stayers’ Hurdle (3.05pm) is the main event on Thursday, while the afternoon begins with the Marsh Novices’ Chase.

Our tipster marks your card for the day three action at Prestbury Park.

Click on the race names below for the latest betting tips and previews.

TIMERACE TIPSDISTANCEPRIZE MONEY
13:20Marsh Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)2m4f£150,000
13:55The Pertemps Network Final (Listed)3m£100,000
14:30The Ryanair Chase (Grade 1)2m5f£350,000
15:05Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)3m£325,000
15:40The Stable Plate Handicap Chase (Grade 3)2m5f£110,000
16:15Dawn Run Mares Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)2m1f£90,000
16:50The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup3m2f£70,000

Day three at the Cheltenham Festival is now commonly celebrated as St Patrick’s Thursday in honour of the hordes of Irish racegoers and connections that descend on the Cotswolds annually. The Stayers’ Hurdle and the Ryanair Chase are the main events on day three.

Race 1 – 13.20 Marsh Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)

This race was added to The Festival programme in 2011 and gained Grade 1 status three years later. Eight of the ten runnings have gone to Irish trainers, with Willie Mullins responsible for four of those, including the splendid virtuoso from Vautour in 2015.

YEARWINNERTRAINERJOCKEYODDS
2021Chantry HouseNicky HendersonNico de Boinville9/1
2020SamcroGordon ElliottDavy Russell4/1
2019Defi Du SeuilPhilip HobbsBarry Geraghty3/1
2018Shattered LoveGordon ElliottJack Kennedy4/1

Race 2 – 13:55 The Pertemps Network Final (Listed)

The Pertemps Final is a competitive handicap hurdle and the field is brought together by a series of qualifiers through the season in Britain, Ireland and France. Jonjo O’Neill has trained the winner of this contest on four occasions, though Gordon Elliott is rapidly gaining on that record having won the last three.

YEARWINNERTRAINERJOCKEYODDS
2021Mrs MilnerP NolanBJ Cooper12/1
2020Sire Du BerlaisGordon ElliottBarry Geraghty10/1
2019Sire Du BerlaisGordon ElliottBarry Geraghty4/1
2018Delta WorkGordon ElliottDavy Russell6/1

Race 3 – 14:30 The Ryanair Chase (Grade 1)

Often viewed as a go-between for horses not fast enough for a Champion Chase and unassured over the Gold Cup stamina-test, the Ryanair Chase has established itself as a much sought-after Grade 1 in its own right and it is the most valuable race on the day three card in terms of prize money.

YEARWINNERTRAINERJOCKEYODDS
2021AllahoWP MullinsRachael Blackmore3/1 Fav
2020MinWillie MullinsPaul Townend2/1
2019FrodonPaul NichollsBryony Frost9/2
2018Balko des FlosHenry De BromheadDavy Russell8/1

Race 4 – 15:05 Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

Three-miles for Stayers’ over hurdles on Cheltenham’s New Course is an exacting test and it can seem a long way up the run-in at the end. Some real greats have won this race on multiple occasions, including Inglis Drever (3) and Big Buck’s (4).

YEARWINNERTRAINERJOCKEYODDS
2021Flooring PorterGP CromwellDE Mullins12/1
2020Lisnagar OscarRebecca CurtisAdam Wedge50/1
2019Paisley ParkEmma LavelleAidan Coleman11/8fav
2018PenhillWillie MullinsPaul Townend12/1

Race 5 – 15:40 Plate Handicap Chase (Grade 3)

A Grade 3 handicap over two-and-a-half-miles for horses aged five and up, the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase is amongst the most wide open races run over the four days of the Cheltenham Festival.

YEARWINNERTRAINERJOCKEYODDS
2021The ShunterEmmet MullinsJC Gainford9/4 fav
2020Simply The BettsHarry WhittingtonGavin Sheehan10/3
2019Siruh Du LacNick WilliamsLizzie Kelly9/2
2018The StorytellerGordon ElliottDavy Russell5/1

Race 6 – 16:15 Dawn Run Mares Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)

The newest addition to The Festival programme, this Grade 2 was added to enhance the mares’ programme in 2016 and trainer Willie Mullins has bagged all five renewals.

YEARWINNERTRAINERJOCKEYODDS
2021TelmesomethinggirlH de BromheadRachael Blackmore5/1
2020ConcertistaWillie MullinsDaryl Jacob9/2
2019Eglantine De SeuilWillie MullinsNoel Fehily50/1
2018LaurinaWillie MullinsPaul Townend4/7

Race 7 – 16:50 The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup

A race for amateur riders and one in which Jamie Codd has starred with four wins on board Character Building (2009), Junior (2011), The Package (2015), Cause of Causes (2016).

YEARWINNERTRAINERJOCKEYODDS
2021Mount IdaMrs D FosterJW Kennedy3/1 Fav
2020Milan NativeGordon ElliottRob James9/1
2019Any Second NowTed WalshDerek O’Connor6/1
2018Missed ApproachWarren GreatrexNoel McParlan8/1

Betting & Promos for Cheltenham Festival Day 3

Be sure to check out our daily Cheltenham Festival tips from insiders and racing experts on all four days of the iconic Festival.

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