Day three of the Cheltenham Festival is set to be a great day of racing and punters will be keen to recoup some of their losses after a good day for the bookies yesterday with several of the short-priced favourites not living up to the expectation.
It is St Patrick’s Thursday and the Irish will look to extend their lead in the Prestbury Cup after turning around the 4-3 deficit after the first day, the Irish now lead 9-5 going into the third day of the festival.
The feature race of the day is the Stayers’ Hurdle, where Teahupoo will look to go and defend his crown having won this race the year prior.
St Patrick’s Thursday ☘️
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 13, 2025
Gates Open – 10:30
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First Race – 13:20
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13:20 The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
Last year this race was won by Tuesday’s shock Champion Hurdle winner, Golden Ace. This year the favourite is Sixandahalf, who is trained by Gavin Cromwell and will be ridden by Keith Donoghue. The four-year-old won well last time out at Fairyhouse, winning comfortably by 12 lengths.
His nearest rival is Galileo Dame who is currently priced at around 7/2. It will be only her third run over jumps as she has spent the majority of her short racing career running the flats, with one win to her name.
As you look down the field there are plenty of names that could throw up a winner, with 24 runners expected to race today.
14:00 The Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
It is a very open handicap race for the second race of the day, which sees Irish trained horses Asian Master and Nurburgring leading the way in the market with prices of 6/1 currently being offered.
If you look past those two you have the first best priced British horse of the race in Springwell Bay, trained by Jonjo O’Neil Jr. He has some good handicap form having won here at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, that win will see him take a 9lb hit in this race.
There is plenty of value to be had if you look across the field in what should be a good betting race for the punters.
14:40 The Pertemps Network Final
Another open handicap race, this time a longer race over hurdles instead of fences. The market leader at the moment is Jeriko Du Reponet for Nicky Henderson who is still searching for his second win of the festival this year after the disappointments of Constitution Hill and Jonbon.
There is a strong line of Irish horses who will be chasing down the favourite with Win Some Lose Some who is priced similarly in the market to the favourite.
Keep an eye out for Jamie Brace who is riding One Big Bang for James Owen. Brace is a Cheltenham based jockey who’s roots are ingrained in the town, playing for local football club Prestbury Rovers. He went well last time out at Haydock, winning by a length and a half.
15:20 The Ryanair Steeple Chase
Fact to File is the favourite in this race currently sitting in the market at 7/5. Trained by Willie Mullins, he won here at Cheltenham last year in the Brown Advisory, he will take the step down in trip this year as he goes for back-to-back wins at the festival.
Fact To File 💚💛
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 13, 2025
Taking it all in on the Cheltenham gallops this morning ahead of today’s Ryanair Chase.#CheltenhamFestival | @WillieMullinsNH pic.twitter.com/JnpCzkVAT3
This race is packed with previous festival winners, including last year’s winner of this race Protektorat. Owned by Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson, he will hope Harry Skelton will be able to ride Protektorat home and retain his title.
Also in this race is Cheltenham Festival veteran Envoi Allen who has won three times at the festival and came second to Protektorat last year. The eleven-year-old is an outsider this year, priced at 16/1 mainly due to his age, but he could definitely be a factor come the end of the race.
16:00 The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle
This is the feature race of day three at the festival and the man to beat in this one is Teahupoo. The winner of this race last year beating out Flooring Porter and Home By The Lee, who also runs in the race this year. Many people have named him a ‘banker’, punters will certainly hope he lives up to that title given the upsets in the first two days of racing.
Teahupoo’s stablemate The Wallpark is his closest rival, also trained by Gordon Elliott, he is currently second in the market price at 4/1. He has four wins out of his last five, although against lesser opposition it has to be said, he will take a small step up in trip from those wins as he attempts to unsettle the favourite.
Dual festival winner Bob Ollinger is also worth a mention, the Henry de Bromhead horse is currently priced at 16/1 and will be susceptible to younger legs around him. But the ten-year-old has plenty of the grit and determination needed around Prestbury Park.
16:40 The TrustATrader Plate
This handicap chase is set to be another good betting race for the punters, Jagwar heads up the card as the favourite going into the race for trainers Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero. He won last time out at Cheltenham in January, beating out Masaccio, another who runs in this race.
Looking down the race card there are plenty of other storylines, including Il Ridoto who has won twice around Prestbury Park with young jockey Freddie Gingell aboard for the most recent win in what was an emotional ride for the 18-year-old who lost his mother to a battle with cancer in 2020. There will not be a dry eye in the house if Il Ridoto can bring it home.
You also cannot look past last year’s winner in this race; Shakem Uparry, trained by Ben Pauling and owned by legendary football manager Harry Redknapp. Shakem Uparry loves this race, having placed third in 2023 and winning in 2024, he has had a tough season having only ran three times since the win at Cheltenham, finishing poorly in all three.
17: 20 The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase
The final race on St Patrick’s Thursday is the fourth handicapped race of the day with 26 runners expected to race. Walking On Air trained by Gary O’Sullivan is the bookmakers’ favourite currently priced at 3/1, he fell at the last in his most recent outing at Doncaster despite leading, and his form in races prior has been shaky, having pulled up several times.
There will be some interest for Willie Mullin’s horse in this race Sa Majeste who was well beaten in the Coral Cup last year despite his well backed price of 5/1. Has had some decent runs since then with a couple of wins coming in small-field races, priced nicely at 8/1.
