St Patrick’s Thursday: Cheltenham Festival Day Three

Cheltenham Event Betting Guide | Day 1: Champion Day | Day 2: Ladies Day | Day 4: Gold Cup Day

When: Thursday, 16th March 2023

Feature Race: 15:30 Stayers’ Hurdle

Races: 7

The Irish celebrate St Patrick’s Day at the Cheltenham Festival on day three, and last year they took victory in three of the seven races, including the two features.

Allaho recorded an emphatic 14-length success in the Ryanair Chase before Flooring Porter retained his Stayers’ Hurdle title after a great display of front-running under Danny Mullins.

The other race that went Ireland’s way was the opener – a drama-filled renewal of the Turners Novices’ Chase – where Bob Olinger profited from Galopin Des Champs fall at the last to take the Grade 1.

What will we witness this time around? Here’s a look at all the races on St Patrick’s Thursday at the Champion Festival.

St Patrick’s Thursday Schedule

Here’s a look at all the races on St Patrick’s Thursday at the Champion Festival.

Ahead of the action on day three, check out our latest horse racing odds and offers for the Cheltenham Festival.

St Patrick’s Thursday Results 2022

St Patrick’s Thursday started with victory for the Irish despite Galopin Des Champs fall at the last. Bob Olinger took advantage under Rachael Blackmore to give Henry de Bromhead more success.

Britain got on the board as the Hughie Morrison-trained Third Wind beat Alaphilippe in a battling finish to land the Pertemps Final.

Then the Irish fought back. Both feature races went their way, starting with Allaho’s eye-catching performance to land the Ryanair Chase. Before Flooring Porter clinched his second Stayers’ Hurdle title.

The day ended with three British successes as Coole Cody continued his Cheltenham affair landing the Plate Handicap Chase for Adam Wedge and Evan Williams. Love Envoi surged clear of Ahorsewithnoname in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle to give Harry Fry another festival winner.

The day wrapped up with a surprise 40/1 winner as Chambard under Lucy Turner came clear to win the Kim Muir Handicap Chase, with second Mister Coffey catching the eye with a strong finishing effort.

A hat-trick for Flooring Porter?

Flooring Porter could join a staying great like Big Buck’s if he was to win his third successive Stayers’ Hurdle. His trainer Gavin Cromwell remains optimistic about his stable star’s chances of competing.

The enigmatic eight-year-old was given a well-judged ride from the front to win 12 months ago but hasn’t been seen since finishing fourth in the Christmas Hurdle in December. He’ll head straight to Prestbury Park after a minor setback in January disrupted any preparation.

However, the challengers to his crown are lining up. Home By The Lee entered the frame when storming clear in the Christmas Hurdle making it two wins from two this season for Joseph O’Brien’s runner.

The trainer spoke to the media saying that his eight-year-old is continuing to improve and that his stamina is his forte, which will play a part when coming up the Cheltenham hill in the closing stages.

And Teahupoo staked his claim for the race by upsetting Klassical Dream and Honeysuckle in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, where he ran on strongly to lead in the dying strides suggesting that he was worth a crack at this three-mile trip.

And that showed when he forged clear of his rivals to land the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle by 15 lengths in January. A win that saw him become the ante-post favourite for the Stayers’ Hurdle.

One runner that will need to be supplemented is French raider Gold Tweet. Gabriel Leenders’s charge caused an upset in the Cleeve Hurdle on Festival Trials Day, beating Dashel Drasher and Paisley Park, to throw his name into the ring.

Who’ll capitalise on Allaho’s absence?

There’ll be no history in this year’s Ryanair Chase after it was announced two-time winner Allaho would miss out due to an abdominal bleed. After beating Fakir D’oudairies in 2021 and Janidil last year, could one of those take the crown?

Shishkin threw his name firmly into the mix after his impressive winning return in the Ascot Chase. A lot was made in the build up about him stepping up in trip, but he flourished in truth, closing out a 16-length victory in the Grade 1.

With the manner the nine-year-old put the race to bed, he looked back to somewhere near his best, and you’d imagine, with that being his first run since December, he’ll have sharpened up on the fitness front as well.

Willie Mullins looks to have a couple of contenders too. Blue Lord was third in last year’s Arkle behind Edwardstone and Gabynako, before landing a Grade 1 at Punchestown in April.

The eight-year-old started the season with two victories, however, he must bounce back from a surprising defeat in the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown, where Gentleman De Mee stayed on strongly to win by seven lengths.

While his stablemate Janidil – second in this race in last year – is another contender after he beat Haut En Couleurs in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park. He was given a patient ride by Rachael Blackmore, where he travelled well and looked to relish the trip.

Want to bet on the Cheltenham Festival? Check out our latest horse racing odds and offers.

• Day 1: Champion Day
• Day 2: Ladies Day
• Day 4: Gold Cup
• Cheltenham betting guide
• Cheltenham Festival betting odds