CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL | DAY 3 TIPS and PREVIEW (3 GRADE 1’S)

1.20 MARCH NOVICES CHASE 

Our Cheltenham Day 3 tips kick off with the horse we’ve all been waiting to see, Envoi Allen, as he puts his unbeaten record on the line when he lines up in the opener. He is a very short price to get the job done and will take some stopping here. He oozes class and nothing has managed to give him a race to date. The recent news of a stable change can’t be a positive move with new feed, new scenery, however he should have enough class to get the job done, and will more than likely be making it 3 out of 3 here.

The market remains wide open for the each way players and I am most interested in Chatham Street Lad who would not be without hope if he was able to reproduce the run he had here back in december when winning a valuable handicap. Fusil Raffles has decent course form and looks best of the rest at the prices for our Cheltenham Day 3 tips.

WIN:- ENVOI ALLEN

E/W:- Chatham Street Lad

2.30 RYANAIR CHASE 

Min steps up to try and retain his Ryanair crown in what looks a very competitive renewal for our Cheltenham Day 3 tips. He finally got the day he deserved when he managed to win the 2020 event, and I believe he holds all the aces again this time around. This season he managed to win his third John Durkan and was ridden by a different jockey each time, which is a remarkable feat in itself.

Second to Altior twice at the Cheltenham Festival and will be a tough one to pass. He pulled up in the Dublin Chase after making a very uncharacteristic jump early on, but this would have done him no harm and actually means he comes into the race quite fresh. I think he will take a lot of stopping.

We have some interesting up and coming horses in the field, but none of them have actually done anything to suggest they will beat Min here. However, there are a few still open to some improvement - with Imperial Aura being one of them, as he has been on the up since winning at last years Festival. He is probably the best of the British but still has a lot to find with our selection Min.

The each way value for our Cheltenham Day 3 tips here has to be with Melon, who has finished second at Cheltenham four times now and is due some sort of compensation. He is extremely versatile and is guaranteed to give his running, but likely to find one too good.

WIN:- MIN

E/W:- Melon

3.05 PADDY POWER STAYERS HURDLE

Paisley Park leads the home charge and tries to regain his stayers crown when he lines up in the championship race on day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival. This race has lost a bit of its fizz since the injury struck Thyme Hill was sidelined earlier last week.

However the race looks wide open now, and I feel that The Storyteller could be the one that now holds all of the aces. He has been highly tried in Ireland over fences this year and already has a Cheltenham Festival win to his name. Chase form generally stands up better than hurdle form so he must come here with a massive chance, and with an official chase rating of 162. He ran down Willie Mullins’ Kemboy to within two lengths last time out and looks great value in this contest.

Fury Road may be best of the rest after a quiet campaign leading up to this event. Another with solid Cheltenham form, finishing in the cluster finish in last year’s Albert Bartlett, amongst today’s Brown Advisory Chase winner Monkfish and my original Nap of the Festival Thyme Hill. This form looks solid - if he has had enough time to get fully fit for the event following a slow season.

WIN:- THE STORYTELLER

E/W:- Fury Road

That’s it for Ginger Joe’s Cheltenham Day 3 tips, best of luck tomorrow - stay tuned for our Day 3 winners summary and our Day 4 tips!