7 days ago17: 50 Alex Milne
That’s your lotThat’s it from Cheltenham for today.
Thanks a lot for joining us, and please do join again tomorrow, where we will have all the action from the Gold Cup.
See you then!
7 days ago17: 49 Alex Milne
Top four from Kim Muir Challenge Cup1. Angels Dawn -10/1
2. Stumptown – 7/2
3. Mr Incredible – 4/1
4. Dunboyne – 8/1
7 days ago17: 39 Alex Milne
Angels Dawn wins the Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase!A great scrap towards the end there, and Angels Dawn comes out on top.
7 days ago17: 10 Alex Milne
Final race coming upThe final race of Thursday is coming up at 5.30pm, and it is the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.
Last chance to get those bets in before tomorrow…
7 days ago17: 02 Alex Milne
Top four from Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle1 You Wear It Well (G Sheehan) 16-1
2 Magical Zoe (Adrian Heskin) 15-2
3 Halka Du Tabert (D N Russell) 12-1
4 Luccia 6-4
7 days ago16: 57 Alex Milne
You Wear It Well wins Jack de Bromhead Mares Novices’ Hurdle!A convincing win for You Wear It Well, who stormed clear at the end.
7 days ago16: 30 Alex Milne
Next up: 16.50 Jack de Bromhead Mares Novices’ HurdleThe penultimate race of the day is coming up in around 15 minutes.
7 days ago16: 27 Alex Milne
Top four for Magners Plate1 Seddon (Ben Harvey) 20-1
2 Fugitif (S Bowen) 11-1
3 Shakem Up’arry (Luca Morgan) 16-1
4 Gevrey (Sam Ewing) 125-1
7 days ago16: 19 Alex Milne
Seddon wins the Magners Plate!It is an outside shot who takes victory, with Seddon claiming the win.
Plate marketThe Magners Plate Handicap Chase is up next, with Datsalrightgino being backed into favouritism over the last few hours. Jamie Snowden’s stable star finished just three lengths behind this afternoon’s Turners winner Stage Star in January, which looks the best form on offer now. So Scottish is the leading Irish hope, with Haut En Couleurs drifting to an each-way price recently.
Stewards EnquiryThe Stewards have reversed the placings of the 2nd and 3rd horses in the Stayers. Teahupoo has therefore been promoted to second, with Dashel Drasher being moved down to third after drifting into his rivals’ path.
Sire Du Berlais wins the Stayers!Sire Du Berlais has landed an upset in the Stayers Hurdle at odds of 33/1. He rallied well late on under a strong drive from Mark Walsh to get the better of Dashel Drasher, who ran a mammoth race as well.
Envoi Allen has won the Ryanair!Envoi Allen has managed to return to winning ways at Cheltenham by winning the Ryanair Chase. Shishkin didn’t look his usual self on the day, making a major mistake coming onto the home straight.
7 days ago14: 36 Mikael McKenzie
Ryanair oddsThe Ryanair is up next, and favourite-backers will be hoping to get back on track with Shishkin. Nicky Henderson’s stable star was unbelievable when stepped up in trip last time out, though the way he bombed out last year at the festival has prompted some concerns. Here is how the market looks, with odds provided by Betfair.
Ryanair Chase
Shishkin 1/1
Blue Lord 5/1
Janidil 11/2
Envoi Allen 17/2
Fury Road 10/1
Hitman 25/1
French Dynamite 28/1
GA Law 33/1
Chacun Pour Soi 40/1
Good Time Jonny wins the Pertemps!Good Time Jonny has been given a peach of a ride from jockey Liam McKenna to win the Pertemps. The eight-year-old weaved his way through the field and found plenty when he hit the front.
Pertemps runners are out on the trackThe Pertemps runners are heading to the start. Thanksforthehelp, JP McManus’ only runner, is the favourite to land the spoils at odds of 10/3 following his win at Chepstow in the qualifier last month.
Stage Star wins the TurnersStage Star has won the Turners! Harry Cobden was allowed quite an easy lead out in front and he’s jumped them silly. Laura Morgan’s Notlongtillmay has ran a huge race in second at odds of 40/1.
Countdown is onThe runners are now heading down to the start. Davy Russell has managed to keep a lid on Mighty Potter around the parade ring and he hasn’t sweated his chances away this year, so far.
Ruby Walsh has his sayCheltenham legend Ruby Walsh has had his say on who he believes will win the Turners, revealing that he thinks the race will be tighter than the market suggests.
He told Paddy Power: “Mighty Potter will probably win but Appreciate It will really give him a race. It’ll be a good race between them both.”
Gordon Elliott full of praise for Mighty PotterGordon Elliott has revealed that he is bullish about Mighty Potter’s hopes in the opener, though concedes that he can understand why there is scepticism about the favourite given how he faded at Cheltenham last year.
He told Racing TV: “I don’t think you could be anything but impressed with him in Leopardstown – he looks the real thing. I loved how, coming by the line, he was only getting into top gear really. We won’t start leaping up and down about him yet and we’ll let him do the talking, but I wouldn’t mind having a few more like him.
“He’s a big horse now, but he was every bit as big last year and gangly. If you look at the Supreme last year, he just never got into a rhythm and I think he landed on top of a hurdle and it was all over then.
“Everything is so easy to him. Even at home he’s kind of a big baby still, but he’s exciting. I couldn’t be more happy with him. I don’t think he’s been properly opened up yet. He’s just a relentless galloper.”
Turners Novices’ Chase pricesAction gets underway at 1.30pm with the Turners Novices’ Chase, and Mighty Potter is a worthy favourite. The gelding has been unbeaten since pulling up at Cheltenham last year, and he is many punters’ ‘banker’ on day three. Here are the prices for the opener, provided by Betfair…
1: 30 – Turners Novices’ Chase
Mighty Potter 8/11
Appreciate It 11/4
Stage Star 17/2
Balco Coastal 11/1
James Du Berlais 18/1
Notlongtillmay 50/1
Unexpected Party 80/1
Day Three scheduleThe Stayers’ Hurdle is the feature race today, with the field looking deep and several runners being well-supported in the market this morning. Though the overall race card also suggests that it will be an incredibly exciting day once again, here is today’s schedule…
13.30 – Turners Novices’ Chase
14.10 – Pertemps Handicap Hurdle
14.50 – Ryanair Chase
15.30 – Stayers’ Hurdle
16.10 – Magners Plate Handicap Chase
16.50 – Mares Novices’ Hurdle
17.30 – Kim Muir Challenge Cup
Day Two recapPunters appear to have been getting the better of the bookmakers so far at Cheltenham. Here is a recap of the winners on the day two of the festival…
Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle – IMPAIRE ET PASSE
Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – THE REAL WHACKER
Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle – LANGER DAN
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase – ENERGUMENE
Glenfarclas Chase (Cross Country Chase) – DELTA WORK
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase – MASKADA
Weatherbys Champion Bumper – A DREAM TO SHARE
The Real Whacker lands 50/1 ante-post betFormer jockey Paddy Merrigan has revealed that he landed a massive touch at the Cheltenham Festival by backing The Real Whacker for the last six months at ante-post prices.
The gelding battled gamely to win the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on Wednesday, going off at odds of 8/1. Though Merrigan had such faith in his ability that he has been telling friends and family to back him at much bigger prices.
Merrigan explained: “The whole of Ireland has backed this horse for six months.
“We have cleaned the bookies, it’s over. 50-1 is the first bet I had, don’t worry about I much I win. I can assure you it was the biggest bet of my life.
“The bookies got educated today. This is a serious issue, I want to use this moment now. I backed this horse for six months, I told thousands of other people to back him, they all did.”
Davy Russell hits back at Michael O’LearyIrish jockey Davy Russell has hit back at Gigginstown Stud owner Michael O’Leary for telling him that he should not have come out of retirement for the Cheltenham Festival and put his family first.
The 43-year-old retired earlier this year but decided to return to the saddle just 18 days later after Gordon Elliott’s retained rider Jack Kennedy broke his leg.
Russell retired to the quotes, telling ITV: “I have about as much respect for Michal O’Leary’s opinion as he has for my opinion. I didn’t see any ‘Father of the Year’ awards being thrown out yet and I’m happy enough with my responsibilities at home. That’s about it.”
O’Leary has numerous horses being trained by Elliott, and Russell is booked to ride three of his horses over the next two days of the festival.
Welcome!Good morning and welcome to Express Sport’s live coverage of day three of the Cheltenham Festival! The Stayers’ Hurdle is the feature race today on what looks a tricky card to unpick.
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