Day Three Cheltenham Festival 2023 Preview

The first selection on the penultimate day of the festival comes in the Grade One Turners' Novices' Chase and Mighty Potter is the banker of the festival for many.

A superstar for connections and trainer Gordon Elliott, being a smart novice hurdler last season when landing the Grade One Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse and although running no race when pulled up in the Supreme he got back to form in a big way at the Punchestown festival when landing a second Grade One the Champion Novice Hurdle.

Sent chasing this season and he has turned into an even better animal, maturing for being a year older and has brushed aside his rivals on all three of his runs.

Making his chase debut at Down Royal in November he made a few mistakes which would have taught him a lot but he still won well.

Sent to Fairyhouse in the Grade One Drinmore Novice Chase he jumped better still making a few errors but dominated at the finish revelling in the distance and soft ground.

Making it 3/3 over fences when last seen at the DRF putting up one of the performances of the week he bounded clear of Adamantly Chosen to win by close to nine lengths.

He is the best horse in this division and with the ground on the soft side he should go close again.

The first handicap event of the afternoon on Thursday is the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final and we have picked out two horses that should go close.

The first is the Gordon Elliott trained Maxxum who has been dealt a harsh blow by the handicapper but could still have the class to feature.

Changing to Elliott in October he made his debut for the yard a week later where he finished a good second at Punchestown in a Handicap Hurdle over shorter than he would like.

Moved up in trip at Navan in November off a mark of 103 he went on to bolt up by nine lengths over 2m6f, showing he was way ahead of his mark.

Sent up further in trip to three miles now off 120, he again made a mockery of his mark to land a Petemps qualifier by 16 lengths.

Running no race at the DRF last time out when never being in the race, that run can be excused and although off 145, connections are talking about this horse as Stayers Hurdle horse in the future.

One at a bigger price in the race is the Jonjo O'Neill trained An Tailliur who has some serious form with the ante-post favourite Shoot First who is now a NR.

A brilliant Handicap Hurdle horse for the yard landing five races in a row in 2021 and off the back of breaking that run when unseating his rider, he then went on to win twice more and finish second in another two races.

Climbing up the handicap for his superb form, he made his seasonal appearance this term at Cheltenham's Showcase meeting and finished a very good staying on third behind Shoot First giving bundles of weight away to the winner.

Saved for this event since then racing off a 3lb higher mark of 139, he is proven on both good and soft ground and has a big chance to hit the frame in this one.

The second Grade One of the afternoon is the Ryanair Chase and this is all about Shishkin having returned to form last time out in the Grade One Ascot Chase.

His win in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the 2020 Cheltenham festival was one of his most noticeable victories as a novice hurdler, finding plenty up the hill to narrowly see off Abacadabras.

On his first start over fences in November 2021 he showed the racing world just how good he is by pinging every fence and showing a startling turn of foot.

On his second start over fences he kept his outstanding unbeaten run going with another faultless round of jumping in the Grade Two Wayward Lad Novices' Chase at Kempton over Christmas, seeing off Tamaroc Du Mathan by 13 lengths.

Henderson's superstar next time out took his unbeaten record to three races over fences at Doncaster landing the Grade Two Lightning Novices' Chase.

He was then sent to the Cheltenham festival where he landed the Grade One Arkle Challenge Trophy with ease and to round the season off he went to Aintree where he again landed a Grade One contest in workmanlike fashion.

Having not been right for his seasonal debut in the Tingle Creek, he was rerouted to the Grade Two Desert Orchid Chase over Christmas and on his first start in open company he saw off the Tingle Creek winner by 10 lengths.

Shishkin was then seen against rival Energumene in the Grade One Clarence House Chase in what was the race of the season.

Losing his unbeaten record when next seen in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham festival being pulled up, it was first said to be down to the ground.

However, after certain scans it has been revealed that he has a rare bone condition and although "mendable" he missed the rest of the season.

Back this term and making his debut in the Tingle Creek he did not look right again, jumping purely and never really travelling, but he did stay on well into third behind Edwardstone and Greaneteen.

Another problem was found where they believe he flipped his palate and they now believe to have him back to where he should be.

Henderson has been adamant about him needing the step up in trip and he got that At Ascot when bolting up by 16 lengths from Pic D'Orhy.

He looked backed to his best and with this looking a weak renewal of the Ryanair, he should go close.

From an each way angle in the race, Janidil for owner JP McManus and trainer Willie Mullins has a big chance to pick up some place money.

A Grade One winning chaser in 2021 at Fairyhouse in the Fairyhouse Gold Cup, he is a horse that runs his race the majority of the time also placing at the DRF last term and this event last year behind Allaho.

Having his first run of this season at Gowran park on soft to heavy ground in the Grade Two Red Mills Chase, although being first off the bridle he battled back to win nicely from a much fitter stablemate in Haut En Couleurs.

He should improve for that first run of the season and having previous form at this course and distance in this race he should run another cracker.

The third Championship race of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival is the Stayers' Hurdle where we are playing two against the field.

A surprise package in the Stayers Hurdle division this season has been the Joseph O'Brien trained Home By The Lee who has been massively progressive and currently sees himself unbeaten for the season when finishing his races.

Seen in November at Navan in the Grade Two Lismullen Hurdle he took on the likes of Flooring Porter, Bob Olinger and Ashdale Bob and went on to see off the field well in the final stages at big odds.

Still not taken seriously in the Stayers Hurdle betting market, he put that right over Christmas at Leopardstown when taking on similar horses again, this time at three miles in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle and he was even more impressive than before when winning well by three lengths.

He will want the ground to dry out slightly but from his progression this season he sees himself in the mix, having also ran an eye-catching race in the event last term.

Another big runner against the field is the dual winner Flooring Porter and if Gavin Cromwell has got this gelding in peak condition he is worth a chance at the odds.

A very progressive horse over the last few years winning the Stayers' Hurdle for the last two years whilst also picking another Grade One on the way to the festival when landing the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown in 2020.

Having finished off last season when second to Sire Du Berlais in the Grade One Aintree Hurdle, this term he has been seen twice when finishing fourth in both his events in the Grade Two Lismullen Hurdle and Grade One Christmas Hurdle.

His season has been about being wound up for this event and although picking up setbacks, he is a spring horse that comes into his own at this track.

The next handicap event of the afternoon is the Plate Handicap Chase over 2m 4 1/2f and we have picked out two that could go close.

The first is the potentially well handicapped So Scottish who looks a bit of a plot job for this race being bought by JP McManus and having his first run in the green and gold silks in this race.

A horse that struggled over hurdles and has really turned a corner since going over fences, making his chase debut in October at Tipperary when getting off the mark of 2m3 1/2f.

He saw off the talented Railway Hurricane by seven lengths who has since franked the form for Gavin Crowell when a 3/4 length second to the well backed Unanswered Prayers at Cheltenham last weekend giving weight away.

So Scottish was next seen also giving the form a boost at Carlisle at the end of October when taking a Novices' Chase under a penalty and making his handicap debut over fences off 135 he could be incredibly well in.

Sent to Ascot for his last start in November, he stayed on well to chase home Grade Two winner Boothill and having been crying out for a step up in trip he gets it in this race and off 8lb higher could still not be under the handicappers thumb.

At a bigger price for trainer John McConnell this horse has had an odd career but since switching to this handler he has come to life.

Moving from Harry Whittington to McConnell in August 2022, he was given a run six days later at Cartmel in a Handicap Chase over 2m5f when a 12 lengths second.

Dropped to two miles next time out he was third in an average Handicap Hurdle, but since then has been rejuvenated winning back to back races, taking a Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f at Navan over 129 and then back over fences up to 2m5f he was a cracking winner at Leopardstown over Christmas, bolting up by 13 lengths.

Given a whack by the handicapper to a mark of 143 for this race, he is chasing a hat-trick and looks to be improving under this new trainer.

Next up is the Grade Two Mares' Novices' Hurdle and with 20 runners going to post and we have a win and each way selection.

A winner at Warwick over 2m on soft in January beating smart performer Blow Your Wad, she then went to Sandown in March and improved again to bolt up by 17 lengths beating some extremely smart horses including a Willie Mullins runner.

Having been a non-runner on a few occasions this season ahead of her hurdles debut the mare was seen for the first time over timber at Newbury on Saturday when bolting up in a Listed Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

The Seven Barrows trainer was looking for this horse to go into the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle but she scoped dirty and instead was rerouted to Exeter in February where landed a Listed event with ease.

She is a horse going places and having proved it on good ground this year and showing previously she loves soft ground, she will take all the beating.

With 20 runners in the event we are looking for an each way angle and that looks to come from the Henry De Bromhead trained Magical Zoe.

Unbeaten on all three of her runs to date making her debut in a Mares bumper at Cork in March last year when bolting up, she then stepped over hurdles for the first time and made it 2/2 when winning nicely at Wexford.

In November at Down Royal on soft ground she bought up a hat-trick of wins in a hot Grade Three Mares' Hurdle and having been saved since then for this event she could run a big race.

This would be an emotional win for the trainer with the race being named after his late son Jack De Bromhead.

The final event of the afternoon on Day Three of the Cheltenham Festival is the Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase and again with a big field we have played two.

The first is the Gavin Cromwell changed Stumptown who creeps into this race off a fairly low weight of 135 and the way he jumps is what makes this horse special.

Running over shorter trips for the most part of his career and always looking to need further, in January at Thurles he won a Handicap Chase by 12 lengths off 112.

Moved up to 125 he went up in trip to three miles at Sandown and took a decent Handicap Chase, jumping his rivals into submission to win by seven lengths.

The second has since come out and franked the form and off 135 can go well again.

At a bigger price and another one in the field near the bottom of the weights is the talented Angels Dawn who could run a blinder off 131.

Really kicking her form into gear this season when a short head second at Punchestown on New Year's Day in a Handicap Chase.

She then went to Down Royal in January and got back to winning ways on soft ground over three miles off a mark of 122.

Upped 6lb for her next run at Punchestown she was running a superb race in the Grand National Trial over 3m4f and when challenging she unseated her rider.

Only on a mark of 131 for this event, if cutting the mistakes out she can go close.