Cheltenham results LIVE: Day 3 tips and updates as Springwell Bay sadly dies
Connections would have been pleased going into the last, given that they own both Teahupoo and Bob Olinger. The Wallpark ran a good race in third and justified the decision to head here, though he was on match for the front two.
Winner: Bob Olinger 8/1
2nd Teahupoo 7/4
3rd The Wallpark 7/1
4th Rocky’s Diamond 28/1
Connections have not shied away from talking up Bob Olinger’s chances over the past 24hours, including Rachael Blackmore. The good to soft ground put the emphasis on speed late on, and Bob Olinger certainly was not short of it.
Bob Olinger makes it three wins from three at the Cheltenham Festival in style. Under a cool ride from Rachael Blackmore, the gelding travelled sweetly in rear before weaving his way through the pack and bursting clear in the final furlong.
Teahupoo has ran well in second, with Home By The Lee being brought down by the faller, Crambo, earlier in the race.
The feature race is upon us: the Stayers' Hurdle. Teahupoo cruised to victory here last year and has been kept fresh in the hope of retaining his crown. The Wallpark and Lucky Place have been popular this morning though.
Here’s how the market looks, with odds courtesy of William Hill…
Teahupoo 7/4
The Wallpark 5/1
Lucky Place 5/1
Home By The Lee 15/2
Bob Olinger 9/1
Mystical Power 16/1
Nemean Lion 20/1
Crambo 33/1
Gowel Road 33/1
Rocky’s Diamond 33/1
Buddy One 66/1
Ga Law 80/1
Franciscan Rock 100/1
Fact To File backers had nothing to worry about from start to finish in the Ryanair Chase, with Heart Wood running a great race in second for Henry de Bromhead.
Winner: Fact To File 6/4
2nd Heart Wood 18/1
3rd Envoi Allen 12/1
Fact To File has absolutely laughed at his rivals there with a monstrous performance. The eight-year-old has travelled with ease before pulling clear in style.
As some predicted, Il Est Francais did not seem to handle the Cheltenham hill and dropped away tamely late on.
Fact To File has absolutely bolted up in the Ryanair Chase to provide punters with some respite. Jockey Mark Walsh has tracked Il Est Francais brilliantly before kicking clear on the bend, putting the race to bed in a matter of strides.
He has jumped brilliantly and relished the step up in trip. Just how good is Galopin Des Champs?
The Ryanair Chase is up next and Fact To File heads the market after connections opted against sending him to the Gold Cup. Il Est Francais will make sure it’s a true test though with his bold frontrunning tactics, though it remains to be seen how he copes with the track.
Here’s how the market looks, with odds courtesy of William Hill…
Fact To File 11/8
Il Est Francais 4/1
Protektorat 11/2
Djelo 6/1
Envoi Allen 12/1
Jungle Boogie 14/1
Heart Wood 16/1
Master Chewy 40/1
Hang In There 80/1
The placings have now been confirmed for the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle, with plenty of bookies paying extra places etc.
Winner: Doddiethegreat 25/1
2nd Jeriko Du Reponet 11/2
3rd Catch Him Derry 14/1
4th Feet Of A Dancer 15/2
5th One Big Bang 14/1
6th Will The Wise 8/1
7th Karl Des Tourelles 20/1
8th D Art D Art
Sadly it has been announced that Springwell Bay has passed away at the Cheltenham Festival.
The eight-year-old sustained a fatal injury after a nasty fall in the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.
A statement released by Cheltenham read: "In our second race of the day, Springwell Bay was immediately attended to by our veterinary professionals, but sadly sustained a fatal injury. Our heartfelt condolences are with his connections."
After hitting the front a touch too soon, Doddiethegreat has found just enough for jockey Brian Hughes to land the spoils.
Named after the late Doddie Weir, it is another emotional winner here at Cheltenham. Connections donate all of their winnings to his foundation.
It’s a one-two for Nicky Henderson in the Pertemps, with Doddiethegreat beating stable mate Jeriko Du Reponet into second.
The nine-year-old has travelled brilliantly for jockey Brian Hughes and, despite looking around quite a lot when hitting the front, has done enough to keep Jeriko Du Reponet at bay.
The Pertemps Network Final is up next, with 24 runners set to go to post. Plenty of these will have been aimed at this race all season so it remains to be seen who is backed late on.
Here’s how the market looks, with odds courtesy of William Hill…
Jeriko Du Reponet 5/1
D Art D Art 6/1
Feet Of A Dancer 7/1
Win Some Lose Some 15/2
Will The Wise 17/2
One Big Bang 12/1
Catch Him Derry 14/1
Henri The Second 16/1
Patter Merchant 16/1
Karl Des Tourelles 18/1
Zain Nights 20/1
BAR 22/1
Caldwell Potter was gambled like defeat was out of the question this morning, and you can see why after that performance.
Anyway has ran a stormer in second too for the Ken Budds yard at a huge price.
Winner: Caldwell Potter 7/1
2nd Anyway 125/1
3rd O’moore Park 66/1
4th Nurburgring 9/1
5th Es Perfecto 33/1
6th Firefox 4/1
So many questions have been raised about Caldwell Potter following his world-record purchase for £632,000, but that win will be priceless for connections.
Harry Cobden has got his fractions spot on there, taking lengths out of the field at every fence.
Caldwell Potter has absolutely bolted up in the Jack Richards Handicap Chase. The expensive purchase led them the whole way to give trainer Paul Nicholls his 50th Cheltenham Festival winner.
He jumped brilliantly from the front, pulling nicely clear of the field in the colours of John Hales, who passed away in January.
The Jack Richards Handicap Chase is up next, and there has been plenty of money for a few in the market.
Here’s how the market looks, with odds courtesy of William Hill…
Firefox 4/1
Springwell Bay 6/1
Asian Master 7/1
Caldwell Potter 15/2
Moon D’Orange 8/1
Pic Roc 17/2
Nurburgring 9/1
Lord Of Thunder 12/1
Answer To Kayf 14/1
What’s Up Darling 20/1
BAR 25/1
Maughreen was very popular in the ante-post market for the Mares Novice Hurdle, but her race was over from the off - much to the frustration of her backers.
After an initial false start, the starter ruled that we would have a standing start. Maughreen then whipped away from the tape just a second before the race began, meaning she was essentially stood backwards when the rest of the field started.
There was plenty of money before Sixandahalf and favourite backers have had their fingers burnt once again. Punters would have been counting their winnings coming over the last but Air Of Entitlement has flown home in the final 100 yards.
Winner: Air Of Entitlement 16/1
2nd Sixandahalf 85/40
3rd Diva Luna 12/1
4th Karoline Banbou 10/1
Air Of Entitlement has picked up brilliantly for Rachael Blackmore to beat Sixandahalf into second.
Diva Luna ran a great race in third, leading the field for the majority of the race before fading late on.
Rachael Blackmore has got a sensational tune out of Air Of Entitlement and she has got up on in the final furlong to land the Mares Novice Hurdle.
Sixandahalf travelled like the winner the whole way through the race but didn’t pick up when asked by Keith Donoghue, with Air Of Entitlement already finding her stride to fly past.
The Mares Novice Hurdle is fast-approaching and Gavin Cromwell’s Sixandahalf heads the market in what is the biggest field to ever line up in this race.
Here are the odds for the opener, courtesy of William Hill…
Sixandahalf 11/4
Galileo Dame 4/1
Jubilee Alpha 15/2
Aurora Vega 8/1
Karoline Banbou 10/1
Maughreen 12/1
Diva Luna 16/1
Bluey 16/1
Air Of Entitlement 25/1
Just A Rose 28/1
Hollygrove Cha Cha 33/1
Venusienne 50/1
Jane Eire – 50/1
Kimi De Mai 66/1
Magic McColgan 80/1
Karamoja 80/1
Metkayina 80/1
Tour Ovalie 100/1
Mystical Goddess 100/1
Disco Dancer 125/1
Lagertha 200/1
Brendas Asking 200/1
Kitty Foyle – 250/1
Queenie St Clair 250/1
There’s been a few gambles already today, and there is sure to be plenty more as we approach the handicaps later on.
Caldwell Potter has been very well-supported for the Jack Richards Novices’ Chase and has recently cut into 7/1. D Art D Art is now a clear favourite for the Pertemps too and is widely available at 6/1.
Mint Boy is the biggest mover in the last, with Johnnywho and Git Maker also being supported. The seven-year-old is priced up around 8/1 now after being widely 12/1 earlier.
Sir Alex Ferguson has had two runners at the Cheltenham Festival so far, and both have finished down the field. L’eau Du Sud struggled in the Arkle on Tuesday, before Potters Charm had to settle for fifth in the Turners.
The ex-Manchester United boss will be hoping for more success today with his runners: Caldwell Potter, Protektorat and Il Ridoto. Monmiral was set to line up in the Stayers as well but is a non-runner.
Caldwell Potter has plenty to prove but has been very well-backed for the Jack Richards Handicap Chase, where he is now a 7/1 shot after being available all week for around 20/1.
Protektorat will then be bidding to retain his Ryanair Chase crown following a dominant display at Windsor before Il Ridoto lines up in the TrustATrader Plate.
It has been a tough first two days for punters at the Cheltenham Festival, but today could provide a great opportunity for racegoers to get back on track and end the week in profit.
There has been a few market movers already this morning, which we will cover later, but for now, The Scout’s tips are available here.
Seven jockeys at the Cheltenham Festival have been handed bans for the role they played in a series of false starts.
Keith Donoghue is among those to penalised following his ride on Stumptown in the Cross Country, as well as JJ Slevin, on Busselton, and Sean Flanagan, on Vanillier. The stewards reported that the three "had not approached the tape at a walk or jig-jog thereby causing a false start”.
Donoghue and Flanagan received one-day bans, whilst Slevin received a two-day ban as he had a previous offence in the last year. Jordan Gainford, Danny McMenamin, Conor Stone-Walsh, Darragh O'Keeffe and Derex Fox were ruled to have caused the false start in the Grand Annual too and received varying bans as well.
Two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Langer Dan has been declared a non-runner for the Stayers’ Hurdle in today’s feature race.
Dan Skelton’s stable star landed back-to-back Coral Cups previously and, after the handicapper opted not to reduce his mark significantly this season, was set to line up in the Stayers.
However, the trainer has revealed that a track wash – an airway test – uncovered some mucus and therefore he is not fit to race.
Rachael Blackmore enjoyed a few good rides on day two, with Captain Guinness ad Ballyadam both placing – ad Quilixious appearing set for a second-place finish behind Marine Nationale before falling at the last.
The jockey will be hoping that she can enjoy her first winer of this year’s meeting when she takes to the track with her three runners. Let’s take a look at their chances…
13.20 – Ryanair Mares’ Novices Hurdle, Air Of Entitlement
In a wide-open affair, Air Of Entitlement certainly has a chance in the opener. She has been kept fresh since her maiden hurdle victory at Down Royal, where she pulled nicely clear from Ballybow, who has won twice since.
15.20 – Ryanair Chase, Envoi Allen
Envoi Allen seems to find his best form at Cheltenham. He was last seen unseating Blackmore in the King George following a handful of shaky jumps.
16.00 – Stayers’ Hurdle, Bob Olinger
Another of Blackmore’s rides likes to save themselves for the big occasion: Bob Olinger. He’s won on all three of his races at Cheltenham but will need to improve if he is to extend that record further and land the Stayers’.
Yesterday was a cracker, and today looks set to be another brilliant day of racing. Here’s the schedule…
13.20 – Ryanair Mares’ Novices Hurdle
14.00 – Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
14.40 – Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle
15.20 – Ryanair Chase
16.00 – Stayers’ Hurdle
16.40 – TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase
17.20 – Kim Muir Challenge Cup
Before we dive into today’s action, let’s look back at one of the most poignant days in racing history…
Dan Skelton’s The New Lion kickstarted proceedings in style when winning the Turners, despite being friendless in the market all morning. The Yellow Clay was beaten into second, with favourite Final Demand back in fourth.
The first shock of the day then came inn the Brown Advisory when 4/7 favourite Ballyburn made countless errors to blow his chances, with Lecky Watson (20/1) running out a worthy winner after travelling sweetly into the race and picking up when asked.
Jimmy Du Seuil (16/1) then landed the Coral Cup, despite being last seen 313 days prior. Stumptown then defied top weight to win the Cross Country Chase, bolting up by seven lengths at odds of 5/2.
All the talk before the Champion Chase was about Jonbon, but that soon changed after Marine Nationale (5/1) cruised to an 18-length win. The success was the perfect tribute to the late Michael O’Sullivan, who rode the gelding to victory in 2023 in a ride which truly put both on the map.
Under an hour late, the tears flowed again when Jazzy Matty (15/2) – O’Sullivan’s only other Cheltenham winer – dug deep to see off the challenge of favourite Unexpected Party to land the Grannd Annual, and a remarkable quickfire double for O’Sullivan’s loved ones in a truly special moment.
Willie Mullins then recorded his 14th Champion Bumper success when Bambino Fever (4/1) strode clear in the finale, providing Jody Townend with her first Cheltenham win.
Racegoers will be pleased to know that there is no snow forecasted for Cheltenham today.
It looks set to be another dry day instead, with the official going description being good to soft after temperatures dropped to -2 overnight.
Teahupoo backers will certainly have hoped for some more rain over the past few days and whether last year's winner can perform on the surface is a question that the Stayers’ Hurdle favourite will answer at 16.00 in the feature race.
Good morning and welcome to day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
Yesterday will go down as one of the most poignant days racing in history and will be a hard act to follow, but today’s action looks to be another cracker.
JP McManus has several great chances today and he will be hoping it is a day to remember, as will Sir Alex Ferguson with his handful of runners.
Daily Express
