Who To Follow On Day Three Of The Festival?

Our best bet of the day on Thursday is the Henry De Bromhead trained A Plus Tard who will be very tough to beat if running to his best.

He scored at the Cheltenham festival last season in the Novices Handicap looking like a Graded horse when bolting up.

He started this season at Navan in a Grade Two and he was narrowly beat by Ballyoisin who ran to a great standard that day and it was a nice race for A Plus Tard to reappear in.

He then used that run to land his first Grade One over fences at Leopardstown over Christmas, outstaying the highly talented Chacun Pour Soi.

That sets the form standard in this contest and if being fresh after not running since that win then he has to be respected.

Harry Whittington has just two runners on the card at Cheltenham tomorrow and we really think he is worth following especially with one of them.

He fields Simply The Betts who has been one of the big market movers of the week having had a massive form boost when Imperial Aura landed the Northern Trust Novices Handicap on the first day of the festival and his horse beat that over course and distance last time out.

That sets the form standard in this contest and with him not being outside the top two all season aswell he has everything going in his favour.

He won his first two races this season, only finishing second on his third start where he managed to stay on from nowhere to grab the place.Looks tough to beat.

Derek O'Connor is one of the best amateur jockeys in the sport and he has just the one ride tomorrow in the final contest of the day the Kim Muir Handicap Chase.

The six year old for Nicky Henderson who is in frightening form already having four winners at the festival across the two days.

This gelding was very eye-catching last time out when finishing a staying on third in the Grade One Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown and that is the form to beat with him dropping back to a handicap.