Cheltenham Tips: Paddy Pundits’ Epic Thursday Cheat Sheet for day three of the Festival

There are three Grade 1 showdowns to get stuck into at Prestbury Park on Thursday but who are our experts backing?

We’re hoping that there’ll be no early drama for today’s seven-race card – at least until the racing starts – after Wednesday’s mishap.

The Paddy Power Stayer’s Hurdle is the headline act at 15:30 where Teahupoo is hoping to go a couple of places better than last season when denied by stablemate Sire Du Berlais who also lines up again.

And while this heavyweight bout splits the action, there’s still plenty of questions to be answered on the undercard as we enter the final two days of the four-day fiesta.

Will Facile Vega (1.30pm) finally show the world what he’s capable of? Will the month long gamble on Crebilly (4.10pm) be realised. And will Nicky Henderson’s runners bounce back to form?

 

These and other pressing questions will be answered by our top pundits, punters and all-round best guessers Mick FitzgeraldMatt Chapman, Ruby Walsh, who are joined racing legends by Nina Carberry & Paddy Mullins to guide you through the action.

You’ve literally got the best seats in the house so scroll down for their picks in our interactive day three Cheat Sheet. Or, if you’re a bit more old school and prefer to have a printout in your hand, we respect that. Just click HERE to download.

Mick Fitzgerald

Matt Chapman

Paddy Mullins

Ruby Walsh

Nina Carberry

Mick Fitzgerald

I fancy a British winner in this as we swap to the New Course for the next two days. Grey Dawning has solid form.

Matt Chapman

Now the mud has come I’m all over GREY DAWNING for the team of jockey Harry and trainer Dan Skelton. This grey has always had plenty of talent.

Paddy Mullins

Facile Vega should appreciate the step up in trip and soft ground will help him show his true ability.

Ruby Walsh

I’m not going to desert Facile Vega. The way Willie Mullins turned around Gaelic Warrior shows you can’t go against his runners.

Nina Carberry

I fancy Facile Vega. He’s crying out to go up in trip.

Mick Fitzgerald

Icare Allen is very interesting, there’s more to come from him. Mill Green is consistent and has an each-way chance.

Matt Chapman

Could LE MILOS be well handicapped? He’s on 142 here and was second at Kelso in a chase in March last year off 152. Will act on the ground.

Paddy Mullins

Gaoth Chuil has been hugely consistent this season and has a lovely light weight.

Ruby Walsh

I’m hoping my dad’s Gaoth Chuil (each-way) can deliver a third Festival winner for him. She will definitely stay and she can run into the money.

Nina Carberry

I’m going with Gaoth Chuil. She’s been on form all season.

Mick Fitzgerald

I am wary of the ground conditions for
Banbridge so if he doesn’t run then Envoi Allen is probably the one to beat.

Matt Chapman

PROTEKTORAT has a cracking each-way chance for trainer Dan and jockey Harry Skelton. Rated 165 he’s bang in the mix and he’s not been disgraced behind Shishkin and L’Homme Presse this term.

Paddy Mullins

Capodanno will handle soft ground which will help negate the drop in trip to 2m 5f. There are question marks over plenty of others.

Ruby Walsh

In my opinion, Envoi Allen will win at Cheltenham for a fourth time and Henry de Bromhead’s horses have done brilliantly this week.

Nina Carberry

Banbridge has got a massive chance, hopefully the ground won’t spoil his chances of running if it gets too soft.

Mick Fitzgerald

Teahupoo is my fancy. He’s still only a seven-year-old and there is definitely more to come. The key to him performing at his best is that he runs well fresh and he hasn’t run since December.

Matt Chapman

I like the improving CRAMBO (each-way). He has defeated Paisley Park at Ascot but, most importantly, is back on watery ground which he hasn’t had since loving heavy at Sandown in March last year. A cracking chance to get in the frame at the very least.

Paddy Mullins

Teahupoo was beaten as a six-year-old last year but is in his prime now and holds the best current form, from the Hattons Grace Hurdle.

Ruby Walsh

Noble Yeats
has a huge chance (each-way) now fitted with headgear. I can’t see him out of the places.

Nina Carberry

Teahupoo was placed last season and can go a couple of places better now.

Mick Fitzgerald

Crebilly is ticking a lot of boxes for me as he’s been progressive all season.

Matt Chapman

SHAKEM UP’ARRY loves soft ground and won really well at the track last time. He’s up 3lb for that but in these conditions that might not stop him.

Paddy Mullins

Irish raider Glengouly could still be unexposed and the drop back in trip will help him.

Ruby Walsh

I like Riaan at a decent each-way price. I was really impressed with his run at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Nina Carberry

Crebilly has made steady progress all season and could be well handicapped on some of his form.

Mick Fitzgerald

Brighterdaysahead is a major player, the quality is there for all to see and she’s unbeaten.

Matt Chapman

BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD has been a talking horse and all we have to hope is that she’s not another Samcro! The mare is the apple of trainer Gordon Elliott’s eye.

Paddy Mullins

Dysart Enos (NOW A NON RUNNER)  could be hard to beat getting weight from Jade De Grugy and Brigherdaysahead who both carry a penalty.

Ruby Walsh

The way Gordon Elliott talks about Brighterdaysahead is infectious. I can’t walk away from Willie Mullins’ Jade De Grugy but maybe I should listen to Gordon!

Nina Carberry

Jade De Grugy looks more the finished article than market rival Brighterdaysahead.

Mick Fitzgerald

A tricky amateur jockey’s handicap over 3m 2f to end the card. Henry de Bromhead’s Amirite seems fairly handicapped.

Matt Chapman

AMIRITE is okay in soft ground and has an each-way chance so the pin falls on him for Henry de Bromhead and 3lb conditional Noel McParlan.  Hasn’t won for a little while but last time was fifth in the Paddy Power Chase when running on well.

Paddy Mullins

Amirite has been around the course and ran well in the Paddy Power Chase at Christmas at Leopardstown. This is a drop in class for him.

Ruby Walsh

Inothewayurthinkin is at the top of the market but I have my doubts over the 3m2f distance and his pedigree. Instead, I’ll have two picks and side with Amirite and Where It All Began as each-way plays.

Nina Carberry

Inothewayurthinkin has been lined up for this race all season and can deliver now.

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