WE are approaching the halfway mark at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, but it feels like we have only begun.
The Stayers Hurdle is the highlight of day three, and Teahupoo will look to add his name to the list of back-to-back winners.
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Best bets for day three of Cheltenham Festival
- AURORA VEGA – Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – 10/1 each way with Spreadex
- FIREFOX – Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – 8/1 each way with SBK
- WIN SOME LOSE SOME – Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle – 8/1 each way with BetVictor
- PROTEKTORAT – Ryanair Chase – 11/2 with talkSPORT BET
- HOME BY THE LEE – Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle – 6/1 each way with bet365
- JAGWAR – TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase – 5/1 with BoyleSports
- MIDNIGHT OUR FRED – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase – 9/1 each way with TonyBet
Cheltenham 1:20 Grade 2 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – 2m1f (4yo+) (New Course)
- Selection: Aurora Vega 10/1 (e/w)
- Danger: Sixandahalf 3/1
The mares kick off day three of the Cheltenham Festival for the first time, and this year’s renewal looks wide open.
Sixandalhalf was impressive when winning on her hurdles debut and has been the go-to mare for many ante-post punters. She has her chance but has not been missed in the market.
Surprisingly, Paul Townend chose to ride AURORA VEGA over Maughreen, even though the betting would suggest that the relation to former Champion Hurdler Faugheen would have a more obvious chance. But Aurora Vega is coming here as one of the few overlooked Willie Mullins runners.
She bounced back from a 1/10 defeat at Wexford to win back-to-back races, including an impressive Grade 3 win at Fairyhouse last time out. This daughter of superstar mare Quevega and sister to Facile Vega can add to her family’s winning run at the Cheltenham Festival.
Diva Luna has promised to be much better than she has shown so far and could be a horse to side with from an each-way standpoint.
Cheltenham 2:00 Grade 2 Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – 2m4½f (5yo+) (New Course)
- Selection: Firefox 8/1 (e/w)
- Danger: Pic Roc 14/1 (e/w)
Nurburgring has been the talking horse ever since he looked as if he had been laid out for this race, but his latest run, when he was sent off 10/3 for a beginner chance, would not fill you with much confidence. He was beaten over 17 lengths that day, but there will always be a sneaky suspicion that this Galway Hurdle winner will be a different proposition today, but he will need to brush up on his jumping.
That may be the case with Nurburgring, but I want to side with the classy FIREFOX here.
Last season’s three-time Grade 1 novice hurdle-placed gelding had a good start to his chasing career when seeing off Mossy Fen Park. He followed that with a 1/2-length third to Corke Park in the Grade 1 Drinmore Novices’ Chase but hasn’t been at his best the last twice behind Ile Atlantique and Majborough.
The step back up in trip today is sure to suit, and off 150, there should be room for improvement with Firefox.
Others to consider are the Ben Pauling-trained Pic Roc, last season’s Martin Pipe 4th Answer To Kayf, and course and distance winner Moon D’Orange.
Cheltenham 2:40 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle – 3m (5yo+) (New Course)
- Selection: Win Some Lose Some 8/1 (e/w)
- Danger: Lucky Lyreen 20/1 (e/w)
The puzzle that is the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle is up next, and JP McManus seems to have a strong hand in the race with Jeriko Du Reponet, and the Padraig Roche trained WIN SOME LOSE SOME, and it’s the former who should have a lot more to come off a mark of 138.
This 6-year-old gelding has raced nine times in his career, already winning four, including the Pertemps qualifier at Leopardstown when tacklings 3m for the first time. Having jumped the last and landed in the lead, Win Some Lose Some shot cleat only to idle in front, but winning more convincingly than the winning margin would suggest.
He has a standout chance for connections and will be worth siding with here.
D Art D Art, One Big Bang, and Lucky Lyreen, who was an eye-catcher last time out, are also worth considering.
Cheltenham 3:20 Grade 1 Ryanair Chase – 2m4½f (5yo+) (New Course)
- Selection: Protektorat 11/2
- Danger: Fact To File 6/4
If Fact To File matches his John Durkan win that saw him get the better of Spillane’s Tower and Galopin Des Champs, he should take all the beating here. But, he did look like a horse that has been the victim of two heartache defeats behind Galopin Des Champs over 3m in the Grade 1 Savills Chase and the Irish Gold Cup, where he could only manage a 3rd place finish, and at his current price, he is there to be taken on.
Il Est Francais, the King George VI Chase runner-up, is an interesting contender, especially if he can replicate his excellent front-running tactics around Cheltenham. But the one who has been overlooked here is last year’s winner, PROTEKTORAT.
The Dan Skelton-trained gelding comes in here after a demolition job over Djelo (who has won since) at Windsor in January, and even though he is a 10-year-old, he looked better than ever. Even though this year’s running looks stronger than last year, the Ryanair Chase is a race where previous winners run a huge race the following season, and not only can Protektorat continue that trend, but he has every chance of going back-to-back here.
At bigger odds, Envoi Allen, a former winner and last season’s second-place finisher, comes alive at the Cheltenham Festival and is one not to underestimate.
Cheltenham 4:00 Grade 1 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle – 3m (4yo+) (New Course)
- Selection: Jagwar 5/1
- Danger: Jordans 10/1 (e/w)
Teahupoo looks to add his name to the list of back-to-back winners of the Stayers Hurdle, but he has been weak in the market over the past few days. Now, he has his obvious chance, but at his price, there are plenty of alternatives.
HOME BY THE LEE tops that list. He has been rejuvenated by the application of blinkers this season and has recorded two wins over Bob Olinger. The first of those wins came over 2m4f, a trip well short of Home By The Lee’s best, but then backed that up with a powerful 6-length staying display in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.
In all truth, Home By The Lee should already be a Stayers’ Hurdle winner. He made a horrendous mistake in the 2023 running of this race when he finished an unlucky 3-length 5th behind Sir Du Berlais (Teahupoo 2 lengths ahead). This year, even at the age of 10, Home By The Lee looks better than ever. Given that he is at the top of his game, there is every reason to believe that even though the stats are against Home By The Lee, he can pick up his first Stayers Hurdle victory.
The youngster in the field and Galmoy Hurdle winner Rocky’s Diamond is an interesting winner, as is last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 2nd Mystical Power, who is stepping up to 3m for the first time.
Cheltenham 4:40 TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase – 3m (4yo+) (New Course)
- Selection: Jagwar 5/1
- Danger: Jordans 10/1 (e/w)
The novice JAGWAR has taken up his engagement here instead of the Jack Richards Novice Handicap Chase earlier on the card, and connection may be about to reap the rewards of that decision.
Jagwar is currently 3/4 over fences and arrives here on the back of a convincing course and distance win in January. You can forgive him for his defeat behind Jingko Blue, as the race’s setup did not suit him. He gets in here off a nice weight compared to what he would be running off if he were in the novice handicap chase and should be more than capable of putting up a strong showing.
Others to consider are Riaan, An Peann Dearg, who comes in here seeking a hat trick, and Jordans, who chased home Impaire Est Passe at Limerick in the Grade 1 Faugheen Novice Chase at Christmas.
Cheltenham 5:20 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase – 3m2f (5yo+ 0-145)
- Selection: Midnight Our Fred 9/1 (e/w)
- Danger: Git Maker 16/1 (e/w)
The amateurs get their time to shine at the Cheltenham Festival as a max field of 24 goes to post in search of victory in the prestigious Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.
Johnnywho could be the class horse here, and he gets the services of Derek O’Connor. But there has always been a suspicion that he is never the most willing to put it all together when it matters.
Sa Majeste was all the rage for the Coral Cup last season, and it looks like a case of Deja Vu as his supporters have been out in force again for him, but this time in the Kim Muir.
John Flavin has an interesting runner in MIDNIGHT OUR FRED.
Midnight Our Fred has been to Cheltenham twice and has filled the runner-up position on both occasions. He made a taking return this season with a facile 14-length win over Charlie Luciano at Gowran Park. That win was followed by a 2nd to a rejuvenated Percival Legallois (Galway Plate winner Pinkerton 3rd, Thyestes Chase winner 4th, National Hunt Chase 3rd in 4th) at Leopardstown in the Paddy Power Chase.
That second was off a mark of 128, and now, off just a 4 lb higher mark, this improving chaser can have a big say in today’s finish.
Git Maker, who finished 2nd in this last season to the handicap blot that was Inothewayurthinking, is not out of this off just 1 lb higher and will have been laid out in the hope of going one place better than last season.
Best bookies for Cheltenham Festival 2025 betting
About the author
James Anderson
James Anderson is a Betting & Gaming Writer at The Sun. He is an expert in sports betting and online casinos, and joined the company in November 2020 to work closely with leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to curate content in all areas of sports betting. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter and Head of Live Blogs/Events at the Daily Express and Daily Star, covering football, cricket, snooker, F1 and horse racing.
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