(3.5 minutes read)
Welcome to Cheltenham Festival Day 3! St Patrick’s Thursday! Today’s feature races are The Ryanair Chase and The Stayers’ Hurdle. Can Fact To File repeat last year’s scintillating win or will Jonbon throw a spanner in the works?
Teahupoo will be hoping to finally put his Cheltenham hoodoo to bed but faces stiff dangers from Kabral Du Mathan trained by Dan Skelton.
We check out best Cheltenham Festival bets from our partner firms Bet365, William Hill, Bet Victor, Betfred and Boylesports.
Travel Details For Cheltenham Festival 2026
Parking
Car parking at the Racecourse itself has now sold out for all four days. Cars will be turned away unless a valid pre-booked ticket can be produced.
Park & Ride
Located directly off Junction 11 of the M5, the park & ride service provides a bus service from Arle Court to the Transport Hub at The Cheltenham Festival.
Buses will leave from Loading Bay at Arle Court, First bus inbound will run at 09:15 and the last at 14:30. Return buses outbound will run from 16:00 until 19:30.
Facilities are available at Arle Court, including toilets, baby changing facilities and hot drinks cart.
Return buses will leave from our day-to-day purple transport hub.
Trains
If you are coming in by train from Birmingham New Street, a queuing system will be in operation so as to stop dangerous congestion on the platforms due to the sheer volume of racegoers heading to The Festival. Allow plenty of time.
Shuttle buses at Cheltenham Spa will be available on the station forecourt.
ITV Televised Race Schedule
1.20pm The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 1f
2.00pm The Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2) 2m 4 1/2f
2.40pm The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 4 1/2 f
3.20pm The Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1) 3m
4.00pm The Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) 2m 4 1/2f
4.40pm The Pertemps Network Final (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Premier Handicap) 3m
Race Preview
1.20pm The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 1f
This looks to be an Elliott Mullins head-to-head with Bambino Fever all the rage but facing a viable challenge from Oldschool Outlaw.
SELECTION: BAMBINO FEVER 11/10 with William Hill and Betfred.
2.00pm The Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2) 2m 4 1/2f
Wide open contest for this relatively new Festival handicap race. We have British trained joint favourites in the shape of Regents Stroll and Meetmebythesea saddled by Paul Nicholls and Ben Pauling, respectively.
Willie Mullins may have an entry that has slipped the radar. Kiss Will has been progressing well in beginner chases and warrants each way attention here.
SELECTION: KISS WILL 14/1 with Bet365, Betfred and Boylesports
2.40pm The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 4 1/2 f
No Lossiemouth this time of course after her sensational transfer to this week’s Champion Hurdle. Therefore, this should pave an easy path for the Gordon Elliott trained Wodhooh who has not put a foot wrong all season and looks to be one of the Cheltenham bankers of the week.
SELECTION: WODHOOH 8/11 with Bet365, Betfred and Boylesports
3.20pm The Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1) 3m
The first of the big, featured races of the day. Teahupoo has been fancied for this race several times, but each time fails to deliver.
However, the Gordon Elliott trained hurdler has been in great form all season most noticeably thumping last year’s winner Bob Olinger in emphatic fashion at the Leopardstown Grade One Christmas Hurdle.
Nevertheless, we like the look of Kabral Du Mathan for the Skeltons who impressed here during Trials Day.
SELECTION: Kabral Du Mathan 9/2 with Bet365 offering 4 places for each way bets.
4.00pm The Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) 2m 4 1/2f
Check out our big race preview here.
Connections of Fact To File took some dithering to finally settle for this race. It was almost as if the horse’s Irish Gold Cup win caused a major problem as the Cheltenham Gold Cup pathway suddenly became a viable option.
However, the horse is in for this much easier choice but may find the surprise presence of legendary Jonbon a slight Achilles heel by changing the race complexion.
The Nicky Henderson charge, upping in trip may try to outpace the Mullins stayer to ensure a proper battle to the line, offering some each way interest.
SELECTION: JONBON, 15/2 with William Hill
4.40pm The Pertemps Network Final (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Premier Handicap) 3m
The big stayers handicap hurdle. We recommended Lavida Adiva in our best bets preview and we are sticking with it.
SELECTION: LAVIDA ADVIVA 20/1 with William Hill
MORE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2026
- Lucky 15 Acca For Cheltenham Festival 2026
- Best Long Shot Bets For Cheltenham Festival 2026
- Cheltenham Festival 2026 Event Page!
- How To Watch Cheltenham Festival 2026 in Benidorm!
- Dark Horses For Cheltenham Festival 2026
- Best Bankers For Cheltenham Festival 2026
- Best Handicap Bets For Cheltenham Festival 2026
- The Champion Hurdle Tuesday March 10th
- The Champion Chase Wednesday 11th March
- Cheltenham Festival Free Bets 2026!
Please note all odds are correct at the time of publishing (10pm 11th March 2026) and are subject to change
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