Cheltenham Festival (Day Three) Preview - 13/03/25
- JN Value Betting
- Mar 12
- 6 min read
BEST BETS:
FEET OF A DANCER - 14:40 (PERTEMPS NETWORK FINAL HANDICAP HURDLE) - 9/1 (GENERAL) - 0.25PTS E/W
DJELO - 15:20 (RYANAIR CHASE) - 12/1 (GENERAL) - 0.25PTS E/W (3 PLACES)
ALREADY ADVISED:
TEAHUPOO - 16:00 (STAYERS' HURDLE) - 7/4 - 2PTS WIN
JAGWAR - 16:40 (TRUSTATRADER PLATE HANDICAP CHASE) - 10/3 (GENERAL) - 0.5PTS E/W (5 PLACES)
Much like the first day of the Cheltenham Festival, there were thrills and spills on Style Wednesday at this year's festival. Odds on favourites Ballyburn and Jonbon were both turned over with fatal jumping errors putting pay to their chances. Marine Nationale benefitted from the misfortunes of Jonbon, and landed the feature on day two - the Queen Mother Champion Chase. That was a poignant success following the sudden passing of Michael O'Sullivan last month, with O'Sullivan guiding him to the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 2023. The promising young jockey recorded a double on that day, with Jazzy Matty landing the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. Lo and behold Jazzy Matty landed the Grand Annual, just 45 minutes on from Marine Nationale's success in the Champion Chase, sprinkling that little bit of magic that the Cheltenham Festival so often does. Attention turns to St. Patrick's Day on Thursday, with the feature being the Stayers' Hurdle, where Teahupoo looks to record back-to-back successes in the race.
Proceedings get underway in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle, where as you'd imagine, Willie Mullins has a strong hand, by way of Aurora Vega and Karoline Bandbou. However, the horse at the head of the market is Sixandahalf for Gavin Cromwell. She comfortably won her maiden at Fairyhouse by 12 lengths, and has been fancied for this race ever since. Her flat form was strong last season, finishing third in the Irish Cesarewitch, should she continue to translate that to her hurdles form, she could take all the beating here. The Irish challenge is strengthened by Galileo Dame, who was fancied to run in the Triumph Hurdle on Friday, but has taken her place in this instead. She will prove popular in the betting, with her second to Hello Neighbour being the clear form pick of the race.
The Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase is the second race of the day, formerly the Turners Novices' Chase, with this contest being made a handicap for this year. Springwell Bay heads the weights, following his comfortable success in a course and distance handicap last time out. This followed a runner-up effort in a novices' chase behind Arkle winner Jango Baie. He has been highly progressive in his first season over fences, and deservedly carries top weight. A rise of 9lbs may not be enough to stop him, following his success on New Year's Day. Expensive purchase Caldwell Potter looks to be on an attractive mark on his handicap debut, and he'll be looking to replicate his Grade 1 winning hurdles performance over fences. The Irish challenge is led by Nurburgring, the Galway Hurdle winner who runs for Joseph O'Brien. His hurdles mark is in excess of his chase mark, and he could be very unexposed in this.
It's hard to believe that Jeriko Du Reponet would be contesting a handicap hurdle just 12 months on from heading into the Supreme Novices' Hurdle unbeaten. He'll be looking to give J P McManus a success in the race, following on from his wins on Sire Du Berlais in 2019 and 2020. I was drawn to the chances of FEET OF A DANCER, who comes into this off the back of three consecutive third placed finishes - two listed races, and a handicap. He has is 7lbs better off at the weights than Win Some Lose Some who beat him at Leopardstown over Christmas. Paul Nolan's runner will likely be popular with punters, with the yard having landed this contest in 2021 with Mrs Milner.
FEET OF A DANCER - 14:40 (PERTEMPS NETWORK FINAL HANDICAP HURDLE) - 9/1 (GENERAL) - 0.25PTS E/W
The first of two Grade 1s is next up, with the Ryanair Chase. Fact To File, a winner at the Festival last season in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, looks set to go off favourite, having opted to avoid stablemate Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup on Friday. He'll face a challenge from King George runner-up Il Est Francais, there is nothing to separate the pair on ratings. However, it is likely that the French horse will set the race up for the closers, given his likely running style. Last year's winner Protektorat bids to regain his crown, with him having landed Grade 2 honours last time out in the Fleur De Lys Chase at Windsor. I am happy to have a small play on the runner-up from that race, DJELO at 12/1. It was a disappointing run behind Protektorat in the Fleur De Lys, however, he bounced back to record his second Grade 2 success of the season, when winning the Denman Chase at Newbury. This was Djelo's second Grade 2 win of the season, and at 12/1, I am happy to get Venetia Williams' charge on side with him offering up each-way value.
DJELO - 15:20 (RYANAIR CHASE) - 12/1 (GENERAL) - 0.25PTS E/W (3 PLACES)
The feature race of the day is the Grade 1 Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle, where Teahupoo is bidding to record back-to-back successes in the race, having won it just 12 months ago. There has been a drift on Gordon Elliott's inmate in recent days, with question marks surrounding whether the ground conditions are suitable, and the lack of a recent run we have seen from Teahupoo this season. However, I cannot see these worries materialising, and I back him to record a consecutive success in the race. He was a selection in my 'Best Bets of 2025' article, where I outlined the lack of depth in the Staying division. There has only been one real challenger present themselves since that, Nicky Henderson's Lucky Place. He landed the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle on New Year's Day here at Cheltenham, and that form has worked out well with the runner-up Gowel Road winning the Cleeve Hurdle next time out. I feel that Teahupoo does his best work fresh, and comes into this on the back of a 102 day break.
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero have opted to run JAGWAR in the Festival Plate, as opposed to him taking his place in the Jack Richard's Novices' Handicap Chase - a race he had been favourite for since recording a course and distance success in January on Trials Day. He is up 7lbs for that comfortable victory, and that doesn't look enough to stop him being involved in this at the business end. The last six winners of this race had all run at Cheltenham in that season, with five of them also having won on their last run before this race. Jagwar fits the bill, and I feel he will be a popular favourite, and looks likely to provide some compensation for the punters on day three. Masaccio finished 3 3/4 lengths behind Jagwar in that aforementioned success on Trials Day, and he looks to be one of the main dangers to J P McManus' horse. The defending champion Shakem Up'arry takes his chance once again, while one of the main dangers from Ireland comes in the form of An Peann Dearg, who strolled to a comfortable success at the Dublin Racing Festival. However, he is up 12lbs for that.
JAGWAR - 16:40 (TRUSTATRADER PLATE HANDICAP CHASE) - 10/3 (GENERAL) - 0.5PTS E/W (5 PLACES)
The Kim Muir Challenge Cup brings the curtain down on day three of the festival, where Walking On Air has been subject to a large gamble, with Michael O'Sullivan's brother Alan having his first Cheltenham Festival ride. He looked set to challenge last time out at Doncaster. However, he fell at the last with the race at his mercy. Last year's winning owner and jockey team up once more, where Derek O'Connor has chosen to ride Johnnywho looks unexposed on his handicap debut. He has not clicked over fences yet, beating just four rivals in three races. However, those were all Grade 2s. Midnight Our Fred looks set to challenge Walking On Air for favouritism. He has recorded three second placed finishes in his three visits to Cheltenham, and should he replicate that form, he will go very close. He finished runner-up to Percival Legallois at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out, and has been nudged up 4lbs for that success.
