Cheltenham. It’s the biggest Festival of the year, where punters on both sides of the Irish Sea make the pilgrimage to the heart of the Cotswolds, in the shadow of Cleeve Hill, for four days of unrivalled racing pleasure. Day Three was another day for the bookies and now it’s the turn of possibly the trickiest day of the week, with no less than four handicaps and a tricky Grade Two novice hurdle.
Big Race View
The feature race on the card should have an odds-on favourite but weirdly has probably the longest price of the fancied runners this week. Teahupoo is a two-time Cheltenham Festival Stayers’ Hurdle winner and looks to take advantage of a weak division yet again. He hasn’t been seen since the Hatton’s Grace but the three-mile hurdles since haven’t thrown up any potential dangers. Plus, the from has been franked by Lossiemouth winning on Tuesday. He’ll be hard to pass and has been prepared in the right way again.
Big Race Bet: Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade One) – Teahupoo @ 13/8 (William Hill)
Excellent at Each-way
I’m a little dumbfounded as to why G2 winner Hollygrove Cha Cha is the price she is. She’s won five of her six starts, only beaten by the reopposing Jubilee Alpha at Taunton. She hung on by a short-head to win the Jane Seymour which came on unsuitable ground, and good-to-soft will be better for her, plus the new course at Cheltenham may suit her running style. Jamie Snowden is a dual Cheltenham Festival winner and won this race with You Wear It Well and is currently operating at a 50% strike rate. It should only be a matter of time before he returns to the winners enclosure, when this mare gets a top-four finish.
Excellent Each-way bet: Mares Novice’s Hurdle (Grade Two) – Hollygrove Cha Cha e/w @ 28/1 (William Hill, BetVictor)
Handy Handicap Guide
The Pertemps can often throw up an upset, but the market should be well-watched for any potential movers late on.
Win Some Lose Some won a qualifier over Christmas at Leopardstown by 0.75L and has been left alone since then. Against Jeriko du Reponet, in the same ownership, he has more form over this trip and is the ride of Mark Wlash, which is eye-catching. He’ll look to relish this trip once more and will not mind the ground one bit. A bit of luck in running will see him bang there. JP McManus is already having a wonderful Cheltenham, again.
Bugise Seagull started the year off chasing and didn’t look too bad. But eventually reverted to hurdles where he placed twice including in a qualifier at Musselburgh. If you further back to his nvoice form he finished third in a Grade One behind at certain Brighterdaysahead at Aintree, nosing off Coral Cup winner Jimmy Du Seuil both who have fanked the form brilliantly. Dismiss at your peril.
Top weight Thomas Mor is right down in the market but holds a decent chance. He finished fifth in the 2023 Albert Bartlett before returning with a bang to win a qualifier at Wincanton on Boxing Day. He then disappointed on first chasing start, but second that day at Doncaster was Rock My Way, who finished second in the National Hunt Chase. Another one who should get back in.
Handy Handicap Bets: Pertemps Final (Premier Handicap) – Win Some Lose Some @ 15/2 (William Hill, Unibet), Bugise Seagull e/w @ 33/1 (William Hill, BetVictor), Thomas Mor e/w @ 50/1 (William Hill, BetVictor, Unibet)
Selections:
13:20 – Mares Novices’ Hurdle (Grade Two) – Jubilee Alpha @ 11/1 (William Hill), HOLLYGROVE CHA CHA E/W @ 28/1 (William Hill, BetVictor)
14:00 – Jack Richards Novice’s Chase (Grade Two) – Asian Master @ 8/1 (William Hill), Pic Roc e/w @ 11/1 (Betfred)
14:40 – Pertemps Final (Premier Handicap) – WIN SOME LOSE SOME @ 15/2 (William Hill, Unibet), Bugise Seagull e/w @ 33/1 (William Hill, BetVictor), Thomas Mor e/w @ 50/1 (William Hill, BetVictor, Unibet)
15:20 – Ryanair Chase (Grade One) – Fact To File @ 5/4 (General)
16:00 – Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade One) – TEAHUPOO @ 13/8 (William Hill)
16:40 – Plate Handicap Chase (Premier H’cap) – Masaccio @ 8/1 (General), Gemirande e/w @ 12/1 (William Hill, Unibet, Betfred), La Malmason e/w @ 25/1 (William Hill)
17:20 – Kim Muir Handicap Chase – Johnnywho @ 6/1 (William Hill), Sa Majeste e/w @ 9/1 (William Hill), Git Maker e/w @ 14/1 (William Hill, Betfred, Boylesports)
Best of Luck!
