Cheltenham Festival Day 3: Heavy favorites in two features

Day three of the four-day Cheltenham Festival features two major open races: the Stayers Hurdle, over three miles, and the Ryanair Chase, over 2 1/2 miles. Both have heavy favorites: Teahupoo and Fact To File, respectively.

Let’s have a look at the best way to success, given their market dominance, along with three other features for the day.

Race 1, 9:20 a.m. ET: Mares’ Novice Hurdle  (G2), 2 1/8 miles, novice hurdlers, $141,000

• $10 win/$30 show: #15 Oldschool Outlaw ($40)
• $2 trifecta: 3 with 5, 15 with 5, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22 ($20)
• $1 trifecta: 15 with 3, 5 with 3, 5, 8, 13, 20, 22 ($10)

#3 Bambino Fever was here 12 months ago to win the Champion Bumper (G1), the National Hunt Flat race. Since then, she had a surprise defeat on her hurdling debut but came back to win Jan. 14 by 12 lengths. She’ll be all the rage for this, but is she an even money chance, as the morning line suggests?

The only other mare in the market is the one that beat Bambino Fever on debut: #15 Oldschool Outlaw. She then followed up with a nine-length Grade 3 victory. Going on that, you’d have to think there’s a decent chance she could win. So if she starts at anything like the 5-1 morning-line price, I’d take her.

#5 Carrigmoornaspruce is the most likely to upset the top two, while for exotics, I’d include #8 Echoing Silence, #13 La Conquiere, #20 Charme De Faust, and #22 Mille Et Une Vies.

Race 2, 10:00 a.m. ET: Golden Miller Handicap Steeplechase (G2), 2 9/16 miles, novice steeplechasers, $168,000

• $10 win/$20 show: #10 Jordans Cross ($30)
• $1 trifecta: 4, 10 with 4, 7, 10 with 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 13, 16 ($24)

A full field of 20 faces the starter, and it’s as even as you might expect for a Cheltenham handicap. My preference in these races is always for young horses on the way up, and for that reason, I’m going with #10 Jordans Cross. He’s won all the steeplechases he’s completed (he did fall once), and at his last start just beat Quebecois, who went close to winning on day one, on this track.

#4 Regent’s Stroll and #11 Meetmebythesea are likely to dispute favoritism, and both bring good form into this; Regent’s Stroll looks slightly better, but he does carry more weight. Another one to watch might be #7 Wingmen; he was beaten by subsequent Grade 1 winner Kaid d’Authie at his last start, and trainer Gordon Elliott has a very good record in handicaps.

Others for exotics include #2 Sixmilebridge, #3 Slade Steel, #13 Stencil, and #16 The Bluesman.

Race 3, 10:40 a.m. ET: Mares’ Hurdle (G1), 2 9/16 miles, female hurdlers, $168,000

• $3 trifecta: 7 with 3 with 2, 4, 6 ($9)

With Lossiemouth taken out of this in favor of her successful raid on the Champion Hurdle, the way is open for last year’s runner-up #3 Jade De Grugy. However, she has a younger rival to deal with in the form of #7 Wodhooh, winner of nine hurdle outings from 10 starts. On her most recent outing, she gave weight and a beating to a Grade 3 field in Ireland, and the race looks at her mercy.

Given there are only seven runners and a dominant favorite, betting options are a little limited. I’d suggest banking on Wodhooh and Jade De Grugy to run 1-2 and look for others to fill in the third slot.

Race 4, 11:20 a.m. ET: Stayers’ Hurdle (G1), 3 miles, open hurdlers, $437,000

• $20 win/$30 show: #11 Teahupoo ($50)
• $2 trifecta: 10, 11 with 2, 10, 11 with 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 ($32)

Of the big open races at Cheltenham, the Stayers’ Hurdle is the one where there are repeat winners most often. Two are seeking to achieve that here: #11 Teahupoo, winner of this in 2024, and #2 Bob Olinger, who beat Teahupoo to win this last year. Since the 2025 running, the pair have met once, with Teahupoo beating Bob Olinger easily; Teahupoo is younger by two years, and probably has an advantage.

There are some up-and-comers who could spoil the party. #7 Honesty Policy is a horse on the way up, while #9 Kabral Du Mathan has won both his races this season. #8 Impose Toi starts for Nicky Henderson, who always has to be respected, while #10 Ma Shantou has won three races at Cheltenham this term.

I’m still in the Teahupoo camp. The morning line has him at 2-1, and if he’s at those odds, I think it’s good value.

Race 5, 12:00 p.m. ET: Ryanair Chase (G1), 2 9/16 miles, open steeplechasers, $504,000

• $5 trifecta: 3 with 6 with 1, 4, 5 ($15)

There was a fair bit of clamouring for #3 Fact to File to contest Friday’s Cheltenham Gold Cup instead of this race after he won the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown Feb. 1. But it appears Willie Mullins and JP McManus have decided he’s not certain to stay 3 1/4 miles up the gruelling Cheltenham finishing hill, so once again he’s going for the Ryanair, which he won last year.

There are some very good horses in this field, such as #1 Banbridge, #4 Heart Wood, #5 Impaire Et Passe, and #6 Jonbon. But are any up to beating Fact To File? Probably not.

I’m going to take a punt on Jonbon finishing second, and put the rest in for third as a way to try to make something from this race.