The third day of Cheltenham Festival is forming up to be a belter on St Patrick's Thursday.
Here, Daily Mail Sport brings you our professional racing suggestions, including a selection, main threat and live outsider for each race ...
Teahupoo will be objecting to the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle for the fourth straight year
RYANAIR MARES' NOVICES' HURDLE
1.20: GRADE TWO - 2 MILES, 1 FURLONG
Last season's Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever holds strong claims now dropping in grade.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old lost her unbeaten record when completing 2nd to the reopposing Oldschool Outlaw on her hurdling debut in December.
That day her competitor had the benefit of race fitness after winning a bumper a month earlier. A 12-length winner at Fairyhouse in January, Bambino Fever looks capable of providing Mullins with a record sixth win in the race.
Carrigmoornaspruce appears the primary danger to the choice. She was beaten simply 5 lengths by Skylight Hustle in the Grade One Future Champions Novice Hurdle when dealing with the geldings.
Owner Kenny Alexander has an exceptional record with his mares at this Festival and he runs Echoing Silence.
SELECTION: BAMBINO FEVER ... 6-5
MAIN DANGER: CARRIGMOORNASPRUCE ... 12-1
LIVE OUTSIDER: ECHOING SILENCE ... 16-1
JACK RICHARDS NOVICES' CHASE
2.00: HANDICAP - 2 MILES 4 1/2 FURLONGS
The form of the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase from Trials Day was given an increase when Quebecois was 3rd in the Ultima on Tuesday.
As an outcome, his conqueror that day, Jordans Cross, appears well dealt with from a mark just 6lb higher. He is unfortunate not to be unbeaten in four starts over fences, having actually fallen when travelling well over this course and range at the November meeting behind stablemate Kdeux Saint Fray. Both are trained by Anthony Honeyball, with the latter sneaking into the race at the foot of the weights.
Regent's Stroll represents the very same connections as Caldwell Potter, who won this race last season. His runner-up effort here on Trials Day has actually been enhanced by both the winner and third since, and he looks to hold strong claims.
SELECTION: JORDANS CROSS ... 6-1
MAIN DANGER: REGENT'S STROLL ... 9-2
LIVE OUTSIDER: KDEUX SAINT FRAY ... 18-1
CLOSE BROTHERS MARES' HURDLE
2.40: GRADE ONE - 2 MILES, 4 1/2 FURLONGS
Gordon Elliott had to wait till the final race of last year's Festival to get on the scoresheet with Wodhooh - and she wants to hold impressive claims of getting a first Grade One success in this contest.
The six-year-old has won 9 of her 10 starts over obstacles, 2 of which came by this course and range last season.
A rating of 154 leaves her 4lb clear of Jade De Grugy, who completed runner-up in this race in 2015 behind Champion Hurdle heroine Lossiemouth. She reverts back from beginner chasing to run here.
Trainer Paul Nolan has actually brought his most significant team yet to the Festival this year and among his leading hopes is Feet Of A Dancer, who has won 2 of her 3 starts this season and completed runner-up to Wodhooh on her other outing.
SELECTION: WODHOOH ... 4-5
MAIN DANGER: JADE DE GRUGY ... 5-2
LIVE OUTSIDER: FEET OF A DANCER ... 10-1
PADDY POWER STAYERS' HURDLE
3.20: GRADE ONE - 3 MILES
The last 2 winners of this race restore their competition, with the 2024 scorer Teahupoo more highly fancied than Bob Olinger.
This will be the 4th straight year that Teahupoo has actually objected to the race. Gordon Elliott's nine-year-old has ended up in the first 2 on all eight of his starts given that December 2023 and produced a career-best performance on rankings when beating Bob Olinger by seven lengths in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Emma Lavelle trained Paisley Park to win this in 2019 and Ma Shantou has followed a comparable path to that star. A seven-length success over the reopposing Impose Toi in the Cleeve Hurdle made him a score of 154, but advocates of the runner-up will be hoping a swing in the weights can assist him close the gap - and even reverse the kind.
SELECTION: TEAHUPOO ... 7-2
MAIN DANGER: MA SHANTOU ... 13-2
LIVE OUTSIDER: IMPOSE TOI ... 11-1
PERTEMPS NETWORK FINAL HURDLE
4.40: HANDICAP - 3 MILES
Electric Mason may have seen the kind of his reappearance runner-up effort enhanced previously in the day, when Ma Shantou runs in the Stayers' Hurdle.
He was beaten simply under three lengths by that competitor at Cheltenham in October, with the reopposing Supremely West in third.
Electric Mason went on to land the Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle at Haydock on his next start off 132 and looks deserving of the 7lb increase he received. With Ma Shantou now rated 25lb greater than he was here in October, both Electric Mason and Supremely West, now rated 2lb lower, appear to hold claims.
Staffordshire Knot represents Gordon Elliott, who won this race 3 years in succession between 2018 and 2020. He gets here on the back of a career-best display screen when taking the Boyne Hurdle.
SELECTION: ELECTRIC MASON ... 11-1
MAIN DANGER: SUPREMELY WEST ... 7-2
LIVE OUTSIDER: STAFFORDSHIRE KNOT ... 20-1
FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR CHASE
5.20: HANDICAP - 3 MILES, 2 1/2 FURLONGS
Six-time Cheltenham Festival-winning rider Derek O'Connor has two times won this race on horses at the head of the weights. Jeriko Du Reponet's connections will be hoping he can do the very same on their charge.
The selection was runner-up in the Pertemps at last year's Festival last season when fitted with novice cheekpieces, while all 4 of his 4 chase starts have actually come without headgear. The cheekpieces are reapplied here. Herakles Westwood could prove the most significant threat.
Finny Maguire, who partnered him when finishing 2nd at the November meeting at this course, is back on board. Daily Present beat Johnnywho when winning this race in 2015 which competing won the Ultima on Tuesday. His 2 starts this season have actually come over obstacles and he could outrun his chances.
SELECTION: JERIKO DU REPONET ... 10-3
MAIN DANGER: HERAKLES WESTWOOD ... 9-1
LIVE OUTSIDER: DAILY PRESENT ... 6-1
THE WIZARD OF ODDS
By Chris Baker
STAYERS' HURDLE
- Rating: 16 of the last 17 winners have actually been rated 152+.
- Last time out: 11 of the last 12 winners finished in the top four last time out. Of those, 5 won their last race.
- Betting: 15 of the last 17 winners had a starting rate of 14-1 or much shorter. There have been 6 winning favourites because time.
- Age: 10 of the last 12 winners were aged 6, 7 or eight years old.
- Trainer: Two of the last 3 renewals have actually been won by Gordon Elliott-trained horses.
VERDICT: Teahupoo is tough to oppose offered his Cheltenham record and current form, but small choice on patterns is for the lightly raced.
HONESTY POLICY Gordon Elliott's six-year-old landed the Grade One Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree in April before being narrowly denied when stepped up in journey at Punchestown later in the same month. He ran well in his only start this season, ending up a close third in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
He concerns Cheltenham fresh, open up to plenty more improvement and might be the next star in the staying ranks.
4.00: RYANAIR CHASE
- Rating: 16 of the last 17 winners have actually been ranked 161+.
- Age: 16 of the last 17 winners were aged 7, 8 or 9 years of ages.