Thursday 12th March 2026
“Welcome aboard to our Thursday blog for Day 3 of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. Looking back at Day 2 on Wednesday, it was a very poor start to the day for us, with No Drama This End bombing out, and our each-way pick Lauret’s d’Estruval not featuring. It was much better in the Brown Advisory, as Final Demand, who we put up each-way at 6/1, finished a close-up second, and looked the winner for large parts of the race. We then got on the scoresheet in style in the Bet MGM Cup, with Jingko Blue going in, who we put up at 11/1; our other pick, Storm Heart, who was our NAP, also finished third, confirming a great result in the race for us, as well as profit for the day. We were unfortunately unable to add anything else to the tally following that, with a few disappointments; however, we’ll absolutely take another profitable day at the festival.” – Jordan.
Kicking things off on Thursday will be the Ryanair Mares’ Novice Hurdle at 1.20, a Grade 2 affair over two miles and a furlong. Willie Mullins has a very strong hand here, as he so often does in these mares’ contests, and I think that he can take this year’s renewal with BAMBINO FEVER, who’s the choice of Paul Townend. She already has some excellent course form to her name, having won the Champion Bumper at last year’s festival, and she opened her account over hurdles last time out with a twelve-length romp at Fairyhouse in January. She’ll be the banker for most, and a big performance is highly likely.
I’m also taking a chance on one at a big price here with four places on offer, and that’s CHARME DE FAUST for Willie & Danny Mullins, who’s currently trading at a best price of 16/1. She’s a French recruit, and I was very impressed with her performance on her racecourse debut for Closutton, winning a twelve-runner affair by nine lengths at Thurles. It remains to be seen the strength of that form, but she should take another big step forward, and the Riccis aren’t strangers to success in mares’ races at the festival. I think that she can outrun her current price here.
Gordon’s mare Oldschool Outlaw is a big threat, as she was impressive when winning a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse last month by nine lengths.
Bambino Fever (11/10) (Win) (NAP) & Charme De Faust (16/1) (Each-Way) (4 places) – 1.20 Cheltenham.
Next up it’s the 2.00, and this is the Jack Richards Novice’s Handicap Chase, a Grade 2 affair which is contested over two miles and four and a half furlongs. Paul Nicholls won this last year with Caldwell Potter, and I think he can go close again this time around with REGENT’S STROLL, who’s the mount of Harry Cobden. He fits a similar profile to last year’s winner and is still very much unexposed as a chaser. He was also a smart hurdler, finishing half of a length second of nine in the Grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree last year. He beat the smart Jeriko Du Reponet by over four lengths in a match-race at Wincanton on his penultimate start, before finishing second behind the also talented Miami Magic here on New Year’s Day. I think he can have a big say in this, as he should be very competitive at this level.
Meetmebythesea is a big danger for Ben Pauling, and is also open to considerable improvement. Another to note is Slade Steel for Henry De Bromhead; he won the Supreme a couple of years ago, and there should be more to come from him over the larger obstacles.
Regent’s Stroll – (5/1) (Each-Way) (NB) (5 places) – 2.00 Cheltenham.
The third race of the day on Thursday comes up at 2.40, and this is the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle, which is contested over two miles and four and a half furlongs. With no Lossiemouth in this year’s renewal, this looks like a golden opportunity for Gordon Elliott’s WODHOOH, who’s the mount of Jack Kennedy. She’s a very talented mare and won the Martin Pipe at last year’s festival, giving Elliott his only winner of the week. She followed that run up with an excellent second to Lossiemouth in Grade 1 company at Aintree, and has since won the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle, and a Grade 3 at Leopardstown most recently. She should get the job done here and add Grade 1 honours to her CV.
Her main danger looks to come in the form of Willie Mullins’ Jade De Grugy, who was second in the race last year to Lossiemouth. She reverts back to hurdles here, having been chasing this term; however, she won a Grade 2 chase by eighteen lengths last time out. Feet Of A Dancer is also well worth a mention for Paul Nolan, she won the Grade 2 Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster last time out, and would be a solid each-way play if there were eight or more runners.
Wodhooh (4/5) (Win) – 2.40 Cheltenham.
We move on to the feature race of the day at 3.20, and this is the Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle, over three miles. I’m doing the exact same thing as I did in last year’s race, and playing both of the Robcour runners here, who finished first and second in the 2025 renewal. I’ll start with the shorter of the two, and that’s TEAHUPOO, who’s another for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy. He won the race in 2024 and was second in last year’s renewal. Notably, he’s been kept more active this term and has been better than ever, winning back-to-back Grade 1s in the autumn and winter, including a seven-length success in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown last time out. He looks rock-solid and looks sure to go well again.
There was no chance I was letting BOB OLINGER go unbacked after last year’s success in the race for us, after being put up at a monster price. He’s eleven now, but he still looks to retain bundles of ability. He has seven lengths to make up with Teahupoo from the Christmas Hurdle; however, he was given a quiet ride that day, and should improve plenty for that run. He has an outstanding record at Cheltenham, and it would be no surprise to see him go close again for De Bromhead and Darragh O’Keeffe.
There are a couple of new kids on the block in this year’s race, Kabral Du Mathan looks an exciting prospect for the Skeltons, following his five and a half length success here on New Year’s Day. He’s a player if he settles. Honesty Policy should also have plenty of improvement to come, he’s another for Gordon Elliott.
Teahupoo (9/2) (Each-Way) & Bob Olinger (7/1) (Each-Way) – 3.20 Cheltenham.
It’s more Grade 1 action at 4.00 with the Ryanair Chase taking centre-stage over two miles and four and a half furlongs. Fact To File is an extremely warm order at the top of the betting here, and justifiably so based on his win in the Irish Gold Cup last time out, as well as a scintillating performance in this race last year. He’s the most likely winner; however, he can throw in a poor performance, as he did in the King George at Christmas and in the Champion Chase at Punchestown last April. That would make me slightly hesitant to take the short price, even though he is the one to beat.
I’m taking a chance on another Willie Mullins runner here at the prices, and that’s IMPAIRE ET PASSE, who’s the mount of Paul Townend. He’s a cracking yardstick in his own right, a multiple Grade 1 winner over fences and hurdles, and he’s also got course form, having beaten Gaelic Warrior in the then Ballymore Novice Hurdle here a few years ago. He returned to the track with success in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park last month, and he should improve significantly following that run.
Impaire Et Passe (7/1) (Each-Way) – 4.00 Cheltenham.
We move back into handicap company at 4.40 with the Pertemps Network Final, which is a Premier Handicap over three miles. This is a lottery, and you can make a case for most of the sizeable field. I’ve come down on one at a decent-enough price here with the extra places on offer, and that’s BOLD ENDEAVOUR for Nicky Henderson and James Bowen. He’s returned to Seven Barrows this term, and this race has likely been the plan from connections. Notably, he was fourth in this race two years ago off a thirteen-pound higher mark, and a return to that form would surely give him a chance. He posted an eye-catching run behind Ace Of Spades last time out at Huntingdon, keeping on, and whilst he’s one of the more exposed, he does look well-handicapped.
There are a whole host of dangers. Supremely West looks to be a typically well-handicapped Skelton horse who has been laid out for the race; it would be no surprise to see him win. While C’Est Difference is the rapid improver in the race for Sam Thomas, having won his last four outings.
Bold Endeavour (9/1) (Each-Way) (6 places) – 4.40 Cheltenham.
Bringing the curtain down on Thursday’s action is the Kim Muir Challenge Cup for amateur jockeys at 5.20, a Class 2 handicap chase over three miles and two and a half furlongs. It could pay to be on the side of Joseph O’Brien’s six-year-old KIM ROQUE here, who’s the mount of John Gleeson. He’s a French recruit who has posted three solid efforts since joining O’Brien, all of which have come within competitive handicaps. The first two came here in November and December, where he finished second and fourth, the latter coming in the Grade 3 December Gold Cup, which is good form. Most recently, he finished fifth of twenty-three behind Backmersackme in an extremely competitive Grade 3 handicap at the Dublin Race Festival. There’s surely more to come from him upped in distance, and he’s got every chance of having a big say off a three-pound higher mark.
The McManus-owned pair at the top of the betting in Jeriko Du Reponet and Waterford Waters are both obvious dangers, and both will be popular in the betting with punters.
Kim Roque (8/1) (Each-Way) (5 places) – 5.20 Cheltenham.
