The action on day three of the Festival switches to the stiffer New Course, where the ground
looks to be slightly softer. The official description is good to soft, soft in places.
MARES NOVICES’ HURDLE
Today's action gets underway with the Mares Novices' Hurdle at 1.20pm and with a huge field going to post it is worth looking for bookies playing extra places.
After an eye-catching second being Hello Neighbour at Leopardstown last time out we really fancied GALLIEO DAME for the Triumph, so it is hard to desert her now she has been switched to this potentially slightly easier assignment.
As a four year old she is receipt of a handy weight allowance and was a very classy performer on the flat.
There is a decent chance of a home winner and our best two options look to be JUBILEE ALPHA and DIVA LUNA.
The former is a powerful traveller who should be suited by the big field and decent ground, whereas the latter is a strong stayer over the trip and should be doing her best work in the closing stages up the hill.
Bluey and Just A Rose are outsiders to consider, whilst Sixandahalf warrants plenty of respect.
JACK RICHARDS NOVICES’ CHASE
The re-introduced (and newly named) Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase is up next and it looks a really strong race where any number of horses can be fancied.
Springwell Bay brings the course form and was so impressive last time out, but has to cope with a major rise in the weights as a result. Firefox is hard to fancy with a cloud over the Gordon Elliott runners, so of those near the top of the weights the two to concentrate on are Answer To Kayf and Asian Master.
We tipped the former at last year’s Festival when he was second in the Martin Pipe, so we know he acts at the track.
ASIAN MASTER also ran well here last season when fourth in the Supreme. He has been campaigned at 2 miles throughout his career so far, but has been crying out for this step up in trip. As a result, he could prove to be ahead of the handicapper.
Ben Pauling has two claims in the shape of PIC ROC and Densworth. We have always been a fan of the former and his front running style could suit the race. Densworth looks dangerous of off the back of a wind operation and with cheekpieces on for the first time.
Another course winner, Moon D’Orange was also on the shortlist, whilst of those at monster prices O’MOORE PARK could be a threat if his jumping holds up.
PERTEMPS NETWORK FINAL
The Pertemps Final at 2.40 is always one of the most competitive races of the week and it could pay to concentrate on the Nicky Henderson runners as he looks to have three strong claims here.
JERIKO DU REPONET caught the eye in a qualifier at Exeter last time out and is surely better than his current mark. With the cheekpieces on today he could easily get back to winning ways for a yard that is due a change of luck.
Stablemate DODDIETHEGREAT is also interesting. He has been fancied for big handicaps in the past and has largely been disappointing for the last couple of seasons, but there were clear signs of a rival last time out and jockey Brian Hughes seems to suit his run style. He also has the first time cheekpieces.
D Art D Art is respected for a yard that had a horse run well in the bumper here yesterday, but pick of the Irish could prove to be FEET OF A DANCER for Paul Nolan. She has a similar profile to Mrs Milner who won this for the yard in 2021.
Maxi Mac Gold, Will The Wise and Win Some Lose Some are other Irish runners to consider.
RYANAIR CHASE
The day’s first Grade 1 is the Ryanair Chase at 3.20 and provided the ground doesn’t dry out too much last year’s winner PROTEKTORAT could prove hard to beat again.
He looked as good as ever when winning at Windsor last time out and seems to love this intermediate trip.
The biggest danger could be JUNGLE BOOGIE, who travelled so well for such a long way in last year’s Gold Cup. That effort suggested a drop in trip would suit and he won well over 2m 5f at Ascot on his only start so far this season. He is fragile, but very talented.
STAYERS’ HURDLE
Gordon Elliott’s runners have yet to fire at the Festival so far and so warm favourite Teahupoo looks worth taking on in the Stayers' Hurdle.
Stablemate The Wallpark was a strong fancy in the lead up to the race, but he is from the same yard as the favourite so we are instead going to go for a couple at bigger prices in a race that looks ripe for an upset.
NEMEAN LION has been in the form of his life this season after finishing sixth in last season’s Champion Hurdle. The step up to 2½ miles on his last three starts have seen him rack up a hat-trick of wins and if he can stay the extra half a mile here he could spring a surprise.
GA LAW is a bit of a left field selection, but we just have a suspicion that a return to the smaller obstacles could suit him. He was clearly a high class chaser at his best, but he seems to have lost his way in recent starts and is definitely ready for this step up in trip.
FESTIVAL PLATE
The Festival Plate looks a tough as ever but as so often with Festival Handicaps it’s the progressive types who look likely to have the most impact.
Top of our list is PERSONAL AMBITION, a Grade Two winning hurdler who had the speed to beat Tuesday’s Arkle winner Jango Baie over the smaller obstacles.
Ben Pauling’s charge has taken really well to chasing this season, and looks to have been crying out for a return to a decent surface, having spent the season mixing it with some of the top novices in Britain. He looks well weighted here on his second in a Grade Two at Ascot in December.
Another improver looks to be the Irish trained PATH D’OROUX, whose victory over Jazzy Matty at this track in December looks even better after that horse’s win in the Grand Annual yesterday.
He’s got some nice Festival form having finished a close third in that same race last season and his third in a Grade Three Handicap in Ireland last time is a strong piece of form.
It also looks significant that connections have waited until today to step him up to two and a half. He looks a solid play here with improvement likely over this longer trip.
A longer priced runner who looks worth including is the veteran SEDDON. He won this race two seasons ago of a two-pound higher mark than today and he’s looked like a horse who’s still retained plenty of ability in two runs at Cheltenham this season.
He already knows the drill in a competitive big field race like this one, and with proven Festival form he looks worth a bet at a big price with the each way terms in punters’ favour here.
FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR CHALLENGE CUP
The Kim Muir Chase for amateur riders over an extended trip is very often like climbing a smoke ladder for getting out stakes punters, as there’s so much potential for disaster, but one horse we think looks perfectly suited to this test is Barry Connell’s NINE GRACES.
A runaway winner of an amateur national at Punchestown in January, connections immediately put her away for this, a move which suggests they think she’s ahead of this mark. A notably slick jumper, with a capable amateur jockey, who looks likely to improve for this longer distance, she’s ticking a lot of boxes here for a stable that will be on a high after Marine National’s Queen Mother victory yesterday.
An interesting long shot could be Nicky Henderson’s WISEGUY. A strapping chasing type who has shown some progressive form this season, he’s a horse who we have thought would appreciate an extended trip for a long time now, and with the ground likely to be perfect, he looks a horse ready to outrun his odds today.
Another big priced runner worth an interest is GROZNI. He ran well to finish sixth in this race last season, but he's a much better horse on decent ground and with his stable flying currently he looks a sporting bet to improve on that effort on this much faster surface.