Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of day three of the Cheltenham Festival and what looks a far more open racecard than the first couple of days.
In the opener, the two-and-a-half-mile Turners Novices’ Chase, there is little to separate Willie Mullins’ Facile Vega and Grey Dawning for the Skeletons at the front of the market. Facile Vega finished second to Marine Nationale in last year’s Supreme, while confidence in Grey Dawning was buoyed by the Skeltons landing a handicap double yesterday. Ginny’s Destiny is one of Paul Nicholls’ better chances this week, and has won three Cheltenham chases in preparation for this, including finishing ahead of Grey Dawning in December.
Then comes the always open Pertemps, with Cuthbert Dibble and another Skelton fancy Le Milos attracting plenty of interest. Icare Allen for Willie Mullins has had just one run this season, although has an indifferent Festival record.
Envoi Allen is looking to win consecutive Ryanair Chases at 2.50, and the form of Henry De Bromhead’s horses this week and their reliable jumping means he has every chance. Stage Star for Paul Nicholls won over this trip as a novice at last year’s Festival, and is a rare case of a British contender who could feasibly stick it up to an Irish rival. Former Gold Cup runners Protektorat and Ahoy Senor are worthy of consideration given the soft ground.
The main race of the day comes at 3.30 with the Stayers’ Hurdle. Surely 12-year-old Sire Du Berlais cannot repeat the trick after last year’s win? Former Grand National winner Noble Yeats has a strong chance, while former Stayers’ winners Flooring Porter and Paisley Park line up. Crambo flies the flag for the British, but Gordon Elliott’s Teahupoo leads the market.
There follows the Plate, the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and the Kim Muir in the final three races of the day.