Cheltenham 2023’s Thursday (March, 16) will be no different to that of its predecessors, expect plenty of craic, Guinness and of course, Irish riders and trainers pushing harder than ever to win. Yes, it’s St. Patricks Thursday from Cheltenham! If you’re looking to get your Cheltenham day 3 betting off to a flier, then you’ll want to check out our table showcasing just SOME of the fantastic offers available to you. Check out our table below!
Day 3 (Thursday) March, 16:
14:10 – Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle →
16:10 – Brown Advisory Plate →
16:50 – Mares Novices Hurdle →
Cheltenham Thursday tips will be forthcoming in due course, as we begin the countdown to these magnificent seven festival races. Already millions of pounds have been gambled on the festival by this stage in the proceedings, but there’s much more to come as Cheltenham races Thursday 16th March 2023 feature the Ryanair Chase and the Stayers’ Hurdle among other great events.
With big-hitting punters either chasing losses or looking to capitalise on their great fortunes, Cheltenham day 3 offers will be abundant from bookmakers based right around the world as things start to reach fever pitch before we get to Gold Cup day itself.
Here we take a look at Thursday’s Cheltenham Festival races in more detail, including who may be in contention to land some of the biggest prizes in National Hunt racing.
Cheltenham 2023’s Thursday racecard is out of the fence sharpish at 1.20pm with this exciting race, so you’ll want to make certain you’re ready for this great opening race. This 2 mile 4 furlong outing is run by horses of at least five years old. With seventeen fences to be jumped over the distance it is the ideal race to kick off Cheltenham day 3.
Registered and known by many as the Golden Miller Novices’ Chase, the Cheltenham Festival day 3 opener was taken last year by Defi Du Seuil who could be back in action against the bigger boys at this year’s event.
The JLT is worth around £155,000, features chasers aged 5+, has Grade 1 status and tasks runners to jump 17 fences around the New Course over a trip just shy of two-and-a-half miles.
Given its distance, this race can produce future challengers for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Ryanair Chase and the Gold Cup and indeed has been won since its inception in 2011 by Sir Des Champs, Vautour and Yorkhill.
Not only will JL Novices’ Chase (currently known as The Turners Novices’ Chase) be a race to keep you on the edge of your seat and test your betting, but also because the runners will need to get a rub of the green to run to victory in the first race of the day!
The Turners Novices’ Chase 2022 Ante-post Betting Update
6-4 Bob Olinger, 7-1 Galopin Des Champs, 8-1 Bravemansgame, 10-1 Klassical Dream
Bob Olinger is a hot favourite in the Cheltenham day 3 ante-post betting for the Marsh Novices’ Chase after an impressive chasing debut at Gowran Park. Although he made a couple of minor errors, he was always travelling with plenty of enthusiasm and beat Bacardys with the minimum of fuss. Trainer Henry De Bromhead has indicated that this is his Cheltenham target in preference to the more gruelling Festival Novices’ Chase.
Willie Mullins trained Galopin Des Champs to win the Martin Pipe at last year’s festival and the gelding could be back to contest the Marsh Novices’ Chase this time. He was a spectacular winner on his chasing debut at Leopardstown but the Festival Chase is probably the race for him.
Stable companion Haut En Couleurs also made a winning start over fences at Leopardstown over Christmas. He was placed in Grade 1’s at Cheltenham and Aintree over hurdles. He will also have an entry in the shorter Arkle Chase, a market currently dominated by another Mullins’ horse in Ferny Hollow.
The Marsh Novices’ Chase is the opening race on Cheltenham day 3 and had been the long term objective for leading novice chaser Envoi Allen. Transferred from Gordon Elliott to Henry de Bromhead in the lead-up to the race, the seven-year-old started one of the shortest priced favourites of the meeting at 4-9.
After racing prominently he fell at the fourth fence, leaving Nicky Henderson’s duo of Chantry House (9-1) and Fusil Raffles (14-1) to fight out the finish. The Willie Mullins-trained Asterion Forlonge (14-1) looked menacing at the second last but could not match the front two over the last and had to settle for third.
Envoi Allen was pulled up lame on his next start at Punchestown and was a beaten favourite in the well-contested John Durkan Memorial Chase at the start of December. The form did receive a boost with Chantry House following up at Aintree and Fusil Raffles winning the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.
If the first race of Cheltenham’s race card on Thursday wasn’t enough to whet your appetite on this very Irish occasion, then the Pertemps Network Final is up next at 2.10pm.
This grade 3 race is run by horses of five years old and over in this rather lengthy 3 mile encounter. With 12 fences for the field of runners to navigate their way over, there is definitely plenty of scope for mishaps along the way!
Given its handicap status we will have no real idea of who is truly in contention for this thrilling race until much nearer post time, but betting is already open with the likes of Thatsy, Party Playboy and Carwright throwing their hats into the ring early doors.
The Pertemps Final is a Grade 3 handicap hurdle on the New Course with twelve hurdles to be taken over the course of a full three miles. The race is for those aged 5+ and has a prize fund of almost £100,000, making it a very competitive betting event indeed.
The race has been around since the 70’s and has been landed in past years by Buena Vista (twice), Call The Cops and Presenting Percy.
16-1 Ardhill, Come On Teddy, Pileon, 20-1 Born Patriot, 20-1 Commander Of Fleet, Dallas des Pictons, Folcano, 25-1 Sassy Yet Classy
The big handicap race on Cheltenham Festival 2022 day 3 is the Pertemps Final over three miles. The victory of Mrs Milner was the sixth successive year that the Irish have won this race. Gordon Elliott was responsible for three of them; Delta Work (2018) and Sire Du Berlais (2019, 2020). It is no surprise therefore to see the bookmakers quoting Elliott’s Ardhill, Folcano and Sassy Yet Classy among the ante-post favourites. Ardhill landed a gamble at Ascot in December and faces a steep rise in the handicap.
Sassy Yet Classy certainly caught the eye when just failing to catch Futurum Regem at Navan in December. The mare had won the Punchestown November Pertemps qualifier off an 8lbs lower mark. Folcano was a close-up fourth in the same race at Navan. Born Patriot has a similar profile to last year’s winner having finished second here in October.
TIP: SASSY YET CLASSY makes some appeal at 25-1 for Cheltenham day 3 tips having already shown that she can be competitive in these big handicaps.
Irish-trained horses filled three of the first four places in the Pertemps Network Final. Mrs Milner (12-1), narrowly beaten at Cheltenham in November, defeated the 100-30 favourite The Bosses Oscar by five lengths. Come On Teddy (10-1) finished best of the home team in third with the market mover Milliner (7-1) in fourth place for the De Bromhead-Blackmore combination.
Mrs Milner was racing off only a 4lbs higher mark than when catching the eye on her previous visit. The Bosses Oscar ran creditably considering he was 13lbs higher than his last start in a Leopardstown handicap but was a beaten favourite in three consecutive beginners chases at the start of the 2021-22 season.
The third race of the third day from Cheltenham is a relatively new one. Introduced in 2005 when the fourth day was added onto the Festival extravaganza, this race is run at 2.50pm
This is a grade 1 chase open to horses aged five and older is run over a distance of 2 miles 5 furlongs with a huge 17 fences to be cleared. While this event and its high-profile sponsor are inextricably linked these days, it is officially known of course as the Festival Trophy and has been in existence for only 15 years. Despite this, it is already seen as a hugely important event holding Grade 1 status with its distance of two miles, four-and-a-half furlongs meaning it is perfect for those in-between chasers thought of as not quick enough for the Champion Chase, or either not being good enough nor having the requisite stamina for the Gold Cup.
As always in these cases the race is aimed at five-year-olds and over with runners tackling 17 fences around the New Course. The prize fund will be well in excess of £300,000 and could be challenged for by horses such as Cyrname, Douvan, Min or perhaps last year’s JLT winner Defi Du Seuil who is the current favourite.
5-2 Allaho, 10-1 Shishkin, 12-1 Fakir D’Oudairies, 14-1 Protektorat, 16-1 Asterion Forlonge, 20-1 Envoi Allen
Allaho was one of the most impressive winners on last season’s Cheltenham Festival day 3 when storming to a 12 lengths win in the Ryanair. Willie Mullins had been racing him over three miles prior to a Grade 2 win at Thurles in January. The extended two and a half miles at Cheltenham clearly suits him perfectly and it will be a major surprise if he does not attempt a repeat victory. He reappeared with a hard fought win at Punchestown in the John Durkan Memorial in December.
Fakir D’Oudairies has 12 lengths to make up on last season’s form and that looks a tall order. He was 8 lengths adrift of Allaho in the John Durkan with Envoi Allen just in behind. That looked as good a trial as we are likely to see for the Ryanair Chase.
TIP: ALLAHO looks a worthy favourite to defend his crown after his brave win in the John Durkan Chase. The form received a boost when fifth-placed Tornado Flyer won the King George VI Chase at Kempton.
Allaho (3-1 favourite) had always shown plenty of speed and Willie Mullins chose the two miles and five furlong Ryanair Chase for the talented seven-year-old. Rachael Blackmore allowed him to bowl along in front from the third fence and he kicked clear from the third last to win by 12 lengths. Fakir D’Oudairies (11-2) plugged on into second for Joseph O’Brien while Tornado Flyer (25-1) finished third. Six horses were pulled up, including the winner’s stable companions Min and Melon.
Allaho ran over two miles at Punchestown but was beaten by another stablemate in Chacun Pour Soi. Back to his best trip on his first start in 2021-22, the son of No Risk At All ground out a workmanlike victory in the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Chase. The Ryanair looks to be his main target at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.
The next outing comes at 3.30pm with this grade 1 outing which is the standout long distance event of the National Hunt calendar. Not only that, but, it is also the standout race of the day here at Cheltenham. This outing is run over the distance of 3 miles with 12 tough fences to be jumped by those aged four and over. The feature event of Cheltenham Thursday races, the Stayers’ Hurdle has been around under various names including the World Hurdle for over 100 years.
Those aged four and over may run, though the race often suits those with plenty of experience given its gruelling nature, something exemplified in 2019 by Paisley Park who battled hard to score in the £320,000 event and in the process adding his name to the trophy alongside multiple winning greats such as Baracouda and Big Buck’s. It should go without saying really that this is the ultimate championship race for long-distance hurdlers; a Grade 1 event over three miles of the New Course with twelve flights being jumped over the course of the race.
7-2 Klassical Dream, 9-2 Champ, 8-1 Thyme Hill, Flooring Porter
Nicky Henderson’s Champ has emerged as a leading contender for the Stayers Hurdle following his comeback win at Ascot in December. A victory over Minella Indo in a dramatic RSA Chase at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival set him on a course for the Gold Cup. Things did not go his way last season and the way he pulled his way to the front at Ascot will make the Stayers’ Hurdle a very tempting option. Thyme Hill ran a good, honest race in second with Paisley Park in third.
Flooring Porter made all the running last year but failed to complete in next two races. He was going well when falling in the Lismullen Hurdle in November. He then chased home the former Supreme Hurdle winner Klassical Dream in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown. Klassical Dream won the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown in April and looks certain to feature in plenty of Cheltenham day 3 tips for the Champion Stayers title.
TIP: KLASSICAL DREAM has had his fair share of injury problems but is a formidable opponent on his day. He defeated Flooring Porter at Leopardstown in great style and is favourite to confirm the form at Cheltenham.
2021 Winner – Flooring Porter (Gavin Cromwell) Danny Mullins
Paisley Park was made 9-4 favourite to regain his Stayers’ Hurdle Crown having surprisingly been well beaten behind 50-1 shot Lisnagar Oscar in 2020. A hard fought win over Thyme Hill at Ascot in the Long Walk Hurdle persuaded punters that he was back to his best. After hitting his usual flat spot at the third last, Paisley Park rallied to finish third but could never land a blow at front-running Flooring Porter (12-1). Sire Du Berlais (5-1), twice successful in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival, stayed on to finish second.
Flooring Porter had made virtually all the running to beat The Bosses Oscar at Navan before following up in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown. He had several of his Stayers’ Hurdle rivals behind him that day and confirmed the form under an inspired ride from Jonathan Moore.
The next race brings us into our fourth hour of racing, with this cracking 4.10pm run. This grade 3 race is run over 2 miles and 5 furlongs with 17 hurdles to be successfully navigated by the five years old and up runners. This is another event that has changed title over the years, often still being referred to as the Mildmay of Flete for example, given that it was originally named after the 2nd Baron Mildmay of Flete when it first took place back in 1951.
It is run over the very same course as the Ryanair Chase; 2m4½f on the New Course with 17 fences to jump. The Stable Plate holds Grade 3 status, is a competitive handicap, and is open to chasers aged five and up. While this year’s potential contenders are as yet unclear, previous winners have included Blowing Wind and Road To Respect so we can look forward to some true quality animals taking part as usual.
If you’re looking for an inkling when getting your money on this outing, then you would be wise to keep an eye out for who Bryan Cooper is riding. With victories in both 2016 and 2017 he has had some great runs in this event on Cheltenham Thursdays.
Ante-post betting on the Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase does not open until the entries are known.
The Shunter, the winner of the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in November, showed his versatility by landing the Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase. He was heavily supported into 9-4 favourite and always looked to be travelling best for Jordan Gainford. His main market rival Farclas (5-1) finished second with Top Notch (50-1) in third place for Nicky Henderson. Fourth place went to another Cheltenham specialist in Coole Cody (22-1), trained by Evan Williams.
The Shunter finished a fine second to Protektorat at Aintree in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase next time. He then finished a close third in a valuable handicap hurdle at Punchestown, although the handicapper may finally have got to grips with him.
Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, next race of the hour is this 4.50pm encounter This race is run by both fillies and mares aged four and older. It is one of the shorter races of the day, over a distance of 2 miles 1 furlong, with just the eight fences to be hurdled.
Registered as the Dawn Run, its popular name but now known simply as the Mares’ Hurdle, this is a crucial Grade 2 mares only novices’ hurdle with two miles, one furlong of the New Course for runners to cover while clearing eight flights of hurdles.
The race last year was worth a cool £88,000 and featured a real surprise as 50/1 shot Eglantine Du Seuil managed to score to become just the fourth winner of this very new event. bIf you’re looking for a race with not much of a record to go on, then this could be the one for you! With just three years under its belt at Cheltenham, there isn’t much in the way of history in this event.
8-1 Statuaire, Brandy Love, 10-1 Elle Est Belle, Grangee, 12-1 Au Fleuron
This race was added to Cheltenham day 3 in 2016 and has been something of a benefit race for Willie Mullins who trained the first five winners. His monopoly was finally broken in 2021 by Henry de Bromhead who saddled Telmesomethinggirl to win under Rachael Blackmore.
Mullins is favourite to resume winning ways with Grangee and Statuaire both prominent in the Cheltenham betting. Grangee finished sixth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham before winning by seven lengths at Punchestown. The daughter of Great Pretender returned to action with a comfortable victory at Fairyhouse in November before finishing fourth at Leopardstown in the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle.
She is currently quoted at 8-1 along with stable companion Statuaire who just edged out My Mate Mozzie in the Grade 1 Royal Bond Hurdle. That was a fine performance against the boys and opens up a number of options.
TIP: STATUAIRE looks the pick of the possible Willie Mullins-trained runners at this stage.
Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore continued their incredible week with Telmesomethinggirl (5-1) in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. Royal Kahala (9-2 favourite) had been narrowly preferred in the Cheltenham betting but that mare was beaten with two to jump. 22-1 shot Magic Daze gave De Bromhead a 1-2 with Joseph O’Brien’s Mighty Blue taking third spot at 12-1.
The winner has since been well beaten in a Grade 1 at Punchestown in April. Magic Daze has been sent chasing and got off the mark at Cork in November before finishing a close third to Concertista at the same track the following month.
What a way to end the Cheltenham Thursday! Kim Muir Challenge Cup starts at 5.30pm. This race is open to amateur riders and is run over the distance of 3 miles and 1 ½ furlongs with a huge 19 fences to be run over.
Often referred to simply as the Kim Muir, this three-and-a-quarter-mile handicap chase for amateur riders is now called the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup and regularly features 20+ competitors, making it one of the big betting heats of the week.
Once more the New Course is used, this time with 21 fences being cleared by the runners and their amateur jockeys and given the competitive nature of the race, it is an event that will be among the most difficult for any Cheltenham runners on Thursday to win.
Ante-post betting on the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup does not open until the entries are known.
Mount Ida was all the rage for Cheltenham day 3 tips in the closing Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup and started 3-1 favourite. Jack Kennedy did not have the easiest of rides on the seven-year-old mare who jumped to her right throughout and was still last after the sixth fence.
Kennedy didn’t panic and began making headway at the 16th, eventually storming 6 ½ lengths clear of Cloudy Glen (33-1) on the run-in. Shantou Flyer (11-2) finished third with Hold The Note (9-1) in fourth place. That form looks even better now with the runner-up having won the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury in November.
Mount Ida was beaten at Fairyhouse next time but returned from a 222-day break to win at Clonmel in November. Her long term targets include a possible tilt at the Aintree Grand National and there is still plenty of improvement in the daughter of Yeats.
The Cheltenham Festival is a great time to be opening a new bookmaker account with some fantastic offers for new customers. Cheltenham Day 3 offers get under way with the Marsh Novices’ Chase and potentially one of the best-backed horses of the week in Bob Olinger. Bookmakers will be advertising special enhanced odds for new customers on Cheltenham favourites throughout the week so look out for some special odds for Bob Olinger.
Cheltenham St Patrick’s Day Thursday 2022 provides plenty of betting opportunities including the Stayers Hurdle, Ryanair Chase and the competitive Pertemps Hurdle Final. New customers signing up to 888Sport last year and placing a £10 on the Marsh Novices’ Chase were rewarded with a free £5 bet on each of the remaining six races.
Existing customers could also enjoy the Cheltenham betting bonanza with enhanced each-way terms on all Cheltenham handicap races. The Pertemps Hurdle Final offers usually include paying out each-way to fifth or sixth place. There are often Cheltenham free bets on the first race each day plus price boosts throughout the meeting.
When betting on Cheltenham day 3, you simply have to do the basics to make sure you give yourself any chance of making any profit.
For starters, you have to make sure to check the Cheltenham runners on Thursday, to make sure you know which horses have been declared and for what races. There’s no point leaving this until the last minute – as this can lead to last minute decisions if your selection isn’t declared!
This is the ideal day to get your money on as the whole place will be a buzz of Irish celebration; so, what better time to also benefit from some luck of the Irish yourself?
Some trials for the two main races are still to come around January and February, so when looking for Cheltenham day 3 top tips keep an eye out for the Relkeel Hurdle and the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham (Stayers’), as well as the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown and the Ascot Chase (Ryanair).
It is never different on the third day, and Cheltenham 2019’s Thursday racecards will no doubt live up to their predecessors. It is a true spectacle of a day at Cheltenham, and, with so much to take in away from the races too – this is a great day of racing and celebrations. So, make sure you’re celebrating through some winning bets!
Thursday March 17th 2022 is the penultimate day of the festival.
Offers will be thrown out left, right and centre by bookmakers in the run-up to the festival but the most regular will no doubt extra places on big races and plenty of ante post Non-Runner, No Bet deals. Some of the firms offering this will include Ladbrokes, bet365, William Hill, Betfair and Paddy Power.
Day 3 is due to get going with the much-anticipated JLT Novices’ Chase at 13:20.
Harvey Mayson has worked as a horseracing writer, blogger and tipster for several of the UK’s leading bookmakers and numerous other specialist racing sites. Harvey has great knowledge of horse racing history and was the author of the Paddy Power Cheltenham Festival and Aintree Grand National blog for three years. Harvey’s blog at the Cheltenham Festival in 2014 included a 100,000-1 ante-post four-timer while he correctly forecast the first four winners on Grand National day in 2015. He also tipped three Grand National winners in a row and eleven consecutive winning nap selections.