Day Three of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival is here! Did you all get your winners? Fancy some today?
One of the best in the business, Matt Chapman, is here to give us his tips on Day Three.
You can check out Paddy’s complete list of options across all markets on Cheltenham betting as we continue with the racing action.
Matt Chapman’s Cheltenham Day Three tips
13:20 Sixandahalf
14:00 Caldwell Potter
14:40 One Big Bang (Each-Way)
15:20 Protektorat (Each-Way)
16:00 Lucky Place (Each-Way)
16:40 Jagwar
17:20 Midnight Our Fred (Each-Way)
13:20 Sixandahalf
Day 3 of Cheltenham 2025 gets underway with the Grade 2 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle over 2m1f and SIXANDAHALF should take some beating for Gavin Cromwell. A decent handicapper on the Flat with experience – she was third in the Irish Cesarewitch off a mark of 88 – and is unbeaten over hurdles with a staying on success at Fairyhouse. While she lacks a load of hurdling runs, she could just be far too good for the field, with Keith Donoghue on top.
14:00 – Caldwell Potter
Now another new race in the Grade 2 Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase over an extended 2m4f. CALDWELL POTTER has been mocked by many this season having cost €740,000 and beaten at both Cheltenham and Windsor. It might also be that he needs heavy ground. That all said, he’s got a tasty handicap mark of 146 for a Grade 1 winning hurdler, and he had no problem with yielding ground in his bumper days. He jumps for fun and might surprise a few at a decnt price for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden.
14:40 – One Big Bang (Each-Way)
A big betting race in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle over 3m. ONE BIG BANG may well be too high in the handicap, having gone up 7lb for a victory at Haydock when last seen. However, he stays strongly and will enjoy running at a furious pace. He’s got an eachway chance for rising star James Owen and Jamie Brace, who takes off a tasty 5lb.
15:20 – Protektorat (Each-Way)
The Grade 1 Ryanair Chase over an extended 2m4f is a terrific renewal. PROTEKTORAT did this column a great favour last year and I’m on him again at eachway for trainer Dan and jockey Harry Skelton. Once placed in a Gold Cup, he jumped for fun when scoring at Windsor last time, and is only 4lb off his highest ever mark. Last year he was brilliant, and while he might prefer a bit more juice in the ground, that Gold Cup effort came on good to soft.
16:00 – Lucky Place (Each-Way)
This is huge! The Grade 1 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle over 3m. In a light career, LUCKY PLACE, who goes for Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville, has only run eight times and three of those efforts have come at Cheltenham, including a fourth in a big field Handicap Hurdle last year.
Remember that was when Henderson’s horses were in bits, so his performance was exceptional.
This season’s Ascot and Cheltenham winner has never gone this far before, but if he gets the trip, he could easily have bundles of improvement to show us all. A horse with place claims at least.
16:40 – Jagwar
Now the Trustatrader Plate Handicap Chase over an extended 2m4f. JAGWAR is edging up the weights, but has obvious claims here as an improver for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero. This trip is ideal, and he kept on well to score at the track last time, for which he’s up 7lb. He looks a good jumper and scored in a big field at Bangor back in November so should be able to cope with the hustle and bustle.
17:20 Midnight Our Fred (Each-Way)
Day 3 closes with the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup over 3m2f. MIDNIGHT OUR FRED stays well and is improving at the age of eight so could be in the mix for Johnny Flavin’s yard and jockey Noel McParlan. He was second in a big field at Leopardstown and was a decent runner-up here in April. A mark of 132 is tough but he’s got eachway credentials.
So best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me Paddy?
Matt Chapman’s Cheltenham Day Three tips
13:20 Sixandahalf
14:00 Caldwell Potter
14:40 One Big Bang (Each-Way)
15:20 Protektorat (Each-Way)
16:00 Lucky Place (Each-Way)
16:40 Jagwar
17:20 Midnight Our Fred (Each-Way)
Read More
- Paddy’s Eliminator! Our new free-to-play horse-racing game ahead of the Cheltenham Festival
- Cheltenham Tips: Paddy Power’s Epic Thursday Cheat Sheet for day 3 of the 2025 Festival
- Cheltenham Tips: Harry Cobden’s best Thursday picks for day 3 featuring a 4/1 NAP
- Cheltenham Tips: Ruby Walsh’s Thursday cheat sheet for day 3 of the 2025 Festival
- Cheltenham Tips: Patrick Mullins’ best Thursday picks on day 3 include an 8/1 shout
- Cheltenham Tips: Mick Fitzgerald’s best Thursday bets for Day 3 of the 2025 Festival
- Cheltenham Festival race times and schedule for 2025 meeting
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