Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: Cheltenham Festival Day Three tips

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck previews day three of the Cheltenham Festival 2025.

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Thursday, Cheltenham

JUST A ROSE has been on my shortlist for the Dawn Run since she won at Taunton on her rules debut (1.20). She beat only fair horses that day, but the manner of the win was startling, opening up by 30 lengths in a good time with the rider unable to pull up. Although she may not even be the stable’s first string on jockey bookings – suggesting she doesn’t work the house down – she is talented enough to run well at a big price. It’s also worth noting that she had five subsequent rules winners behind when bolting up in her point, including the very smart Country Mile.

ASIAN MASTER is quite a strong fancy in the inaugural running of the Jack Richards (2.00). An excellent 4th in the Supreme last year, he has run two very sound races in top company over fences, while looking for all the world like he needed a step up in trip. He duly gets that, and has a tidy mark to boot, with the handicapper enjoying limited evidence given the first qualifying run came in a novice hunter chase two years ago.

D ART D ART has the most compelling credentials in the Pertemps (2.40). His small yard have always known how to prepare a Festival winner, and had another horse run well in the bumper at a huge price. This one will be well found, but justifiably so on the back of a most eye catching run at Carlisle, where for most of the race he looked in a different parish to of his rivals in what was one of the stronger qualifiers. The rider is going well, and had a nice sighter when placed in the Coral Cup yesterday.

IL EST FRANCAIS can win the Ryanair (3.20). Everyone knows the attendant risks with this horse, and he’s unlikely ever to be one for each way players, but he’s possibly the most naturally gifted chaser around when in full flight. I’m prepared to take a strong view of the King George form, and am hoping that his speed and superb jumping can have fundamentally slower horses out of their comfort zone from an early stage.

HOME BY THE LEE is still a perfectly reasonable price for the Stayers Hurdle (4.00). It may be because he’s ten and had three goes in this before that he’s not shorter, but his form over the last year gives him lots to shout about, and he’s raced a good deal more kindly this season. The drier ground this time will help his chance relative to Teahupoo.

AN PEANN DEARG looks the one for the Plate (4.40). He’s been a complete revelation his last two starts, with a change in training regimen the apparent reason. His DRF romp looks good given the runner-up’s typically staunch effort yesterday, and I’m far from convinced that a mark in the low-130s does full justice to his ability.

I’ve tipped Walking on Air for the Kim Muir (5.20) all over the shop, but the cat is well and truly out of the bag now, and everyone has latched onto the fact that he’d have danced in if he hadn’t fallen at Doncaster and that he’ll be ridden by Alan O’Sullivan, brother of Michael. He’s now so short that the each way value lies with NINE GRACES, trained by Barry Connell – well, it’s been that sort of week. The selection has been pottering about over inadequate trips until quite impressive under today’s rider last time, and his best hurdles run in a seriously warm Pertemps Qualifier at Leopardstown last year strongly suggested that three miles and more was exactly what he needed. He remains unexposed.