Who To Follow On Day Three Of The 2022 Cheltenham Festival

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing

Cheltenham - March 17 2022
Cheltenham 13:30
1
Rachael Blackmore

Bob Olinger

J: Rachael Blackmore
T: Henry De Bromhead
N/A
Age: 7
Weight: 11-4
OR: 161
Days: 60

The first race on the third day of the 2022 Cheltenham festival is the Grade One Turners Novices' Chase that sees only four runners heading to post.

We have sided with the Henry De Bromhead trained Bob Olinger who is a superstar already in his career and is now looking to put himself in the category of the greats.

Back in November 2019 the five year old won an Irish maiden at Turtulla by 15 lengths and was bought and given to De Bromhead off the back of it.

At Gowran Park in March 2020 he made his rules debut in a bumper and again showed clear talent to take the 2m2f event by 10 lengths, seeing off nice types for Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott.

He was sent back to Gowran Park for his hurdles debut when him and Champion Bumper winner Ferny Hollow breezed away from the rest of the pack and he narrowly finished runner up behind the Cheveley Park horse.

He was then stepped up in trip at Navan in a maiden hurdle over 2m4f and he was an emphatic winner of the race beating a minor field by 14 lengths.

Next time out he was sent into the Grade One Lawlor Of Naas Novices' Hurdle and he breezed away from a good field to land the event by close to seven lengths.

He rounded off his season in total style when landing the Grade One Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival, seeing off the likes of Gailliard Du Mesnil and Bravemansgame by close to eight lengths.

Throughout last term he showed speed and stamina and he retained that on his seasonal debut at Gowran Park when jumping a fence for the first time under rules and going on to win by close to seven lengths.

Given some time to brush up on his jumping he was seen for the first time since November this month and went on to take the Grade Three Kildare Novice Chase.

His jumping was much sharper and although looking slightly in trouble turning for home his unlimited gears saw him pull away from the field to win by close to five lengths.

He will have to jump better against Galopin Des Champs but he should be a much better horse for the better ground.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
29/01/23NAA15.5Sft11-33
28/12/22LEO24Sft11-105
13/11/22NAV20Y11-32
26/04/22PUN24.5Gd/Y11-10PU
17/03/22CHL20Sft11-41

Trainer To Follow - Gordon Elliott

Gordon Elliott is a man with some huge chances across the day on Thursday with some of his biggest shouts coming in the handicap events.

In the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle he fields six runners with his leading chances looking like Dunboyne, Sire De Berlais and Tullybeg.

He is looking to beat Allaho in the Ryanair Chase with Irish Gold Cup winner Conflated who heads into the event in the form of his life.

In the Plate Handicap Chase, Elliott fields Grand Paradis and Fancy Foundations who are definitely not without a chance if improving.

Party Central is his big chance in the Mares Novices' Hurdle and then in the last event of the day he is looking to pull off a handicap plot job with Frontal Assault.

Jockey To Follow - Paul Townend

Paul Townend has a handful of smart rides on the third day of the Cheltenham festival starting with Galopin Des Champs in the Turners' Novices' Chase.

In the Pertemps Final he rides the current favourite of Winter Fog, who off a mark of 138 has a big chance to go close, with the Emmet Mullins team learning a lot from his latest run.

His banker of the day is Allaho with the short priced favourite being once of the best Irish bets across the Cheltenham festival as a whole.

In the Stayers' Hurdle he will be hoping that Klassical Dream can bounce back to form and then in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle he sits on the second favourite Brandy Love.