Cheltenham Festival: Day 3 Tips
The action from the Cheltenham Festival rolls on this Thursday with another bumper seven-race card as we switch to the New Course for Day Three.
The action includes a couple of competitive renewals of the Ryanair and Stayers’ Hurdle as well as a quartet of competitive handicaps on the card.
We’ve picked out our best bets for all seven races below.
1.20 Cheltenham - 2m1f (New) Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) (Class 1) (4yo+)
Willie Mullins has had a typically strong start to the week and it was slightly surprising to see Aurora Vega available at double figure odds for Thursday’s opener.
She’s been very impressive in her two wins at Fairyhouse since the turn of the year, putting a shock defeat behind her before Christmas. She’s also got form on a quicker surface and looks like one of the more solid each-way bets on day three.
2.00 Cheltenham - 2m4½f (New) Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2) (Class 1) (5yo+)
This race has really benefitted from being turned into a handicap, and one that could be a long way ahead of his handicap mark is Firefox.
He’s been running respectably in graded races over the last couple of seasons, and he relishes this sort of ground, so he can run a big race for Gordon Elliott.
2.40 Cheltenham - 3m (New) Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Class 1) (5yo+)
This is always competitive, but a chance is taken on J’Ai Froid at big odds after winning the qualifier for this at Chepstow.
He’s still well-treated on his old form and can come on for that first run of the season.
3.20 Cheltenham - 2m4½f (New) Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1) (5yo+)
A fascinating renewal with last year’s winner, Protektorat; freegoing French raider Il Est Francais and last year’s Festival winner, Fact To File all facing off.
The tentative vote goes to Il Est Francais, who was caught late in the day in a remarkable King George effort and he gives the impression that he’ll relish a drop back to 2m5f.
4.00 Cheltenham - 3m (New) Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1) (4yo+)
Teahupoo will probably be hard to beat, but The Wallpark appeals as an each-way selection given his progressive profile.
He showed how he handled this course when winning here before Christmas and he had too much to do in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot subsequently. A strong pace will suit and he looks capable of making the first three.
4.40 Cheltenham - 2m4½f (New) TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Class 1) (5yo+)
Plenty in with claims but it might be worth taking a chance on Il Ridoto at double figure odds.
Paul Nicholls’ second-string should really appreciate getting back on to a quicker surface, and Freddie Gingell is good value for the 3lb he can still claim.
5.20 Cheltenham - 3m2f (New) Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase (Class 2) (5yo+ 0-145)
A typically competitive renewal of this contest but it often pays to side with a good amateur rider and Patrick Mullins is an amateur in name only.
He takes the ride on Sa Majeste, who is two from four over fences and has been given a workable mark of 142 for his handicap debut here. He’s less exposed than most of his rivals and it’s a slight surprise he’s not vying for favouritism for the Mullins team.
View Tips For Each Race
Tips and strategies for Cheltenham Day 3
If you’re considering general betting tips for Cheltenham Day 3, you can look into setting budgets, carrying out research and taking into account specific conditions for the races.
Ahead of Day 3, setting a budget is a vital component of any Cheltenham betting strategy, helping to avoid chasing losses and improve the betting experience throughout the day. You also have a better understanding of how much you would like to use for the races that you are interested in throughout the day.
Although there is no guarantee of winning with betting, general research into the form of each runner and previous successes, will help inform your betting decision for the horse you would like to bet on.
Every day will change considerably, but the conditions of the course at the start of the day can often influence the result, with some runners struggling in certain situations. This can also include the status of jockeys and trainers going into the festival.
How Tips can help strategy on Cheltenham Day 3.
Having a strong betting strategy in place for Day 3 of Cheltenham can help you discover the best odds for each race throughout the day. Without budgets in place, it is also likely to lose track of betting, potentially resulting in chasing losses. Creating a budget can help you bet responsibly throughout Cheltenham and improve your betting experience.
As mentioned previously, there are a number of highly anticipated races during Day 3, so make sure you have researched each runner before considering which bets you would like to place. You can apply some of the general Cheltenham Festival Day 3 tips to find the best odds that are available on the markets.