Cheltenham Festival - Day Three – Copybet
Day three of the Cheltenham Festival takes place on Thursday and will be highlighted by three Grade One races.
The first of those will be the Mares Hurdle, which was won last year by Champion Hurdle scorer Lossiemouth, followed by the Stayers Hurdle and Ryanair, with Bob Olinger and Fact To File both returning to defend their crowns.
On top of that there are two Grade two races and a pair of handicaps to look forward to on what promises to be another enthralling day at Prestbury Park.
Fact To File - Cheltenham
Two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Fact To File looks primed to land the Ryanair Chase once again.
The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old produced a spectacular display to win this race last year and arrives in even stronger form after landing the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown, where he beat both Gaelic Warrior and Galopin Des Champs in convincing style.
That performance confirmed his class at the very highest level and underlined his versatility regarding trip and conditions.
The intermediate distance at Cheltenham appears tailor-made for him, allowing him to use his blend of stamina and speed to full effect.
If Fact To File can reproduce the level of his performance from last year then he will take some stopping and looks primed to land a second success in the Ryanair Chase.
Regent’s Stroll - Cheltenham
Paul Nicholls won this race 12 months ago with Caldwell Potter and he looks to have another strong contender in Regent’s Stroll this year.
The seven-year-old showed plenty of class over hurdles, finishing second in a Grade One before switching to fences this season.
He made a promising chasing debut when third in a Grade Two novice chase, shaping as though the experience would bring him on.
He then got off the mark over fences in a two-runner contest at Wincanton, beating Jeriko Du Reponet comfortably.
Last time out he gained valuable experience around Cheltenham when finishing second to Miami Magic over this course and distance.
That run suggested he is progressing with each start over fences and learning his trade. With his strong hurdle form and improving chase profile, he looks one of the classier types in this field and should go well.
Classic King - Cheltenham
The Pertemps Network Final often throws up a big-priced winner and Classic King could be one to offer a bit of value at rewarding odds.
The Emma Lavelle-trained eight-year-old qualified for this when finishing fourth at Wincanton on Boxing Day, and he has not been seen since, suggesting this has very much been the target.
While his last two runs over 3m did not scream stamina at first glance, there were still signs that this longer trip could suit better in a strongly run handicap, particularly the way he kept on at Wincanton after being outpaced.
Earlier in the season he had looked progressive around 2m3f-2m5f, winning impressively at Doncaster before running well in stronger handicaps.
He now heads to Cheltenham fresh, with a nice weight, and looks the type his yard could have laid out specifically for a race like this.
In a contest where bigger prices often go well, he makes some each-way appeal and he will have jockey Ben Jones in the saddle for the big occasion.