Cheltenham Festival 2021 - Day 3


We went painfully close with Entoucas yesterday and were very close to a 100/1 place, hoping things go our way on Thursday. This is a day where a few of my ante-post bets run so in terms of bets on the day - they will mainly be limited to the handicaps for me. 


13:20 - Marsh Novices’ Chase 2m4f

Kicking off the day with another no bet race for me but Envoi Allen is one of the most exciting horses in training, I have him in a couple of ante-post multiples so will be hoping he can put on a show and win comfortably.


13:55 - Pertemps Handicap Hurdle 3m

Another race where it is worth making the most of the extra places each-way. COME ON TEDDY finished behind the favourite Imperial Alcazar last time out but he didn’t get the best of rides that day and I think they could finish closer than the prices suggest with a pull in the weights today. He won over course and distance back in December and that race has worked out well since, he’s worth backing each-way.

MRS MILNER is another with some Cheltenham form in the book when narrowly beaten in a listed handicap event here in November, she is 1lb lower today and if her fall last time out hasn’t left a mark then she is another with a live chance at a double figure price. Finally, I’ll be having a few pennies on SPIRITOFTHEGAMES who has a cracking record over fences here but showed enough last time out over hurdles to think this mark of 141 is workable.

COME ON TEDDY 10/1

MRS MILNER 14/1

SPIRITOFTHEGAMES 20/1


14:30 - Ryanair Chase 2m4f

One of my NRNB picks has been pulled out at 8pm Wednesday evening so I’ve had a fresh look at the race. I can see why FAKIR D'OUDAIRIES is proving popular, this mid range trip could be just what he needs after he wasn’t disgraced over a trip too short at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out. His second to Put The Kettle On in the Arkle at the festival years also reads very well now so he could be worth an each-way play with extra places available. I have an ante-post slip for Allaho so I’d be happy to see him run well here too, while Mister Fisher is another who will like the better ground and could improve again.

FAKIR D’DOUDAIRIES 6/1



15:05 - Stayers Hurdle 3m

Paisley Park is a short price here and if he can run to his best he will be tough to beat, but he did disappoint in this contest last year so I will look at bigger prices. THE STORYTELLER has plenty of Cheltenham form in the book and will likely be ridden chilly out the back which could see him run on late to pick up some pieces. He is rated 165 over fences after an excellent sequence of runs ion graded company and if he is able to translate that level of form back to hurdles it would put him right in the mix here. Paddy Power are paying 5 places each-way so whoever you fancy make the most of the extra places.

THE STORYTELLER 10/1


15:40 - Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase 2m4f

The Shunter has had an excellent season and will land a £100,000 bonus if he wins here today. He has strong claims but it looked like he had a hard enough race at Kelso and that was only 12 days ago so I’m going to have a couple each-way with many firms offering 6 places. We saw that those with festival form in the book can often bounce back to form when returning to cheltenham when Vintage Clouds won earlier in the week, HAPPY DIVA may be able to do the same. She was second in this off 4lb higher last year and although she comes here off the back of an uncharacteristic bad run, that has been factored into the price and I’ll have her onside each-way.

SULLY D’OC AA stumbled badly at the last at Newbury last time which probably cost him the race so he did well to still finish third, the winner of that has raced three times since in graded handicaps placing twice and winning off a 3lb higher mark. The run at Ascot prior to that posted a very decent Speedfigure and the form could hardly have worked out any better so I think he’s worth a go at a double figure price.

HAPPY DIVA 20/1

SULLY D’OC AA 12/1


16:15 - Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle 2m1f

This will be very small stakes for me because, although ROSEYS HOLLOW has impressed me recently, all her winning has been done on deep ground so todays surface is an unknown. She posted a decent Speedfigures in beating Royal Kahala last time out and would probably be a shorter price if she was trained by a more fashionable trainer. Telmeshomethinggirl had a timely form boost in the Coral Cup yesterday but her price has collapsed subsequently.

ROSEYS HOLLOW 13/2


16:50 - Kim Muir Handicap Chase 3m2f

This looks a minefield so we’ll stick with the theme of festival form, the old boy SHANTOU FLYER could be worth siding with. He has placed at the last three festivals and is now 12lb lower than when a neck 2nd in the Ultima a couple of years ago. Paul Nicholls now trains him and I think he could bounce back to form here, back him each-way with the extra places available. GO ANOTHER ONE could receive a form boost from The Bosses Oscar in the pertemps earlier on the card and goes very well fresh so his 147 absence is actually a positive. He’s well treated on some of his novice hurdle form and Simon Torrens takes off a useful 3lbs so he’ll be another


SHANTOU FLYER 10/1

GO ANOTHER ONE 20/1






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