Guest Feature: David Cummings' Cheltenham Festival Day Three Tips
11 minutes Check out these Cheltenham Festival Day Three tips from respected tipster David Cummings
We’ve reached the halfway point of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival which has so far, not disappointed, throwing up a host of surprise winners with victories coming from all parts of GB and Ireland.
Today, we look ahead to Thursday’s action which will include crowning this season's champion staying hurdler in today’s main feature race, the Paddy Power World Hurdle at 16:00. I’ll also be previewing each televised race which will include my tips and insight to keep you informed and one step ahead of the bookmakers. It’s been a mixed bag for punters so far with a couple of shock upsets, drama and a few well backed winners. Lets see what Thursday brings with a lot of big fields to go through and more drama to unfold, no doubt.
13:20
Kicking off the card is the ‘Dawn Run’ Mares Novice Hurdle first run in 2016 in which Willie Mullins has dominated winning 5 out of the 9 runnings and was notably won by Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle winner, Golden Ace, at last year's Festival; so bigger things could be on the horizon for the winner.
A field of 24 go to post for this one however I feel the race may not be as competitive as the numbers suggest with the Irish trained horses prominent in the betting that appear to need most consideration.
No doubt the daughter of the six-time consecutive Mares Hurdle winner and Queen of Cheltenham, Quevega, will be popular among the punters and Aurora Vega could provide some EW value at around 8/1. She has plenty of experience under her belt although does need to prove her class on a left handed track. A winner of 6 of her 9 rules races and she should run her race today with Paul Townend preferring the ride over Maughreen. Although shorter in the betting at around 9/2 she has achieved less than her stablemate thus far winning a Heavy ground Maiden at Punchestown last time out fairly comfortably. Being a half sister to a dual festival winner herself in Faugheen she comes with a good reputation, although will need to improve again to land the spoils.
Marginal preference is for Sixandahalf whose trainer Gavin Cromwell has hit the crossbar a couple of times already this week with a couple of runners up. His horses are clearly in fine fettle and although lacking hurdle experience with only the one run, leading to a facile success in a Fairyhouse Maiden, this one is no stranger to big fields having filled third place in an Irish Cesarewitch. Providing she can jump well, a race of this nature could be run to suit and she can put her flat speed to good use, although at 11/4 is short enough. Other horses of note include the apparent third string of Willie Mullins, Karoline Banbou, who could be anything but needs to prove she handles a slightly quicker surface, the tough and consistent Jubilee Alpha, representing the Nicholls team who hasn’t done much wrong in her three hurdle starts and the Henry De Bromhead mare, Air Of Entitlement, who may be late on the scene if getting a strong pace to aim at.
Selection - Sixandahalf (11/4)
Danger - Aurora Vega (8/1)
14:00
A wide open looking renewal with another 20+ field for our second race of the day where you could make a case for several of the runners. Nurburgring needs to put a disappointing run behind him at Leopardstown in December however this Triumph Hurdle fourth should appreciate the step back up in trip and is attractively weighted. Another with course form is Firefox which is one of three for the Gordon Elliott team. Third in the Supreme last season and has put up some respectable performances albeit without winning in his three chases so far.
Caldwell Potter is one of the stronger fancies for the home team and bettered his third in a Cheltenham novice in December with a solid second in a Windsor Grade 2 last time out. Needs to improve again however this ex Irish Grade 1 Hurdle winner may have more to give with further improvement likely. However despite carrying 9lb more this time around a chance is taken on the rapidly improving Springwell Bay. An each-way play is recommended at around 6/1, this Jonjo O’Neil horse already has solid course form to his name and has hit the frame in all three starts at Cheltenham, culminating in a fine Grade 3 success here last time out where had plenty to spare at the finish.
With a big field this race looks sure to be run at a good clip where he will appreciate every yard. At bigger prices Insurrection has posted some fine efforts although looks stable second string and Lord Of Thunder for the Tizzards could outrun his odds having been a good winner last time out and finished a solid second the time before to a future Grade 1 winner.
Selection - Springwell Bay (6/1)
Danger - Firefox (6/1)
14:40
Unfortunately things don’t get any easier for punters in race three with the ultra competitive Pertemps Final with a maximum field of 24 going to post. There is a lot of hope that the McManus-owned and highly regarded Jeriko Du Reponet will finally get his act together having disappointed at last year's Festival and not quite hitting his stride this term. The trip should suit and should arrive quite late on the scene in the first-time cheekpieces. Will The Wise won a competitive Naas hurdle last time out, although he had to dig deep on testing ground. Assuming the race hasn’t taken too much out of him he could carry on his progress here.
Last year’s winning combination of Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden team up once again with Henri The Second. Having done most racing on Heavy ground and right handed tracks this one does need to prove he can do it under these conditions but that’s no forlorn hope for this fairly lightly raced horse. Catch Him Derry for the Skeltons resumed winning ways last time out taking his record to 4-7 in Handicaps. He won’t mind if there is a bit of rain, although a disappointing run here at Cheltenham two races back is a slight concern.
Feet Of A Dancer is respected for a stable that won this race in 2021 but a chance is taken on the other McManus horse, Win Some Lose Some. His running style could suit this race and he never looked better than last time on his step up to 2m7f in a Leopardstown handicap. With Mark Walsh taking the ride I expect him to go close despite the sharp rise in the handicap.
Selection - Win Some Lose Some (7/1)
Danger - Jeriko Du Reponet (13/2)
15:20
The Ryanair usually produces one of the most thrilling races at the Festival since its inception in 2005. This year's race has two previous winners in the field with Envoi Allen and Protektorat winning in 2023 and 2024 respectively with preference for the latter who will sure to be popular with the punters having got back to winning ways last time at Windsor and looks primed to go well again for the Skeltons.
At 13/2 there is a possibility he may be slightly overpriced however a chance is taken on the exuberant Il Est Francais (NAP). He could lead them a merry dance out front and if his jumping holds up and is allowed to dictate on his own terms he could prove very hard to peg back. Just caught in the final strides on Boxing Day in the King George, this step back in trip looks a great move. The track, being a bit of an unknown, is the only slight concern with little margin for error in the jumping stakes. I’m hoping this will give the French their first winner in the race.
Fact To File looks sure to go off favourite having seen the back of the mighty Galopin Des Champs in his last two runs. A proven Cheltenham winner last year when taking the Brown Advisory over 3m the step back in trip shouldn’t pose too many problems having a Grade 1 victory to his name over this distance and looks the likely danger to the selection.
Selection - Il Est Francais (11/4)
Danger - Fact To File (5/4)
16:00
3m (2m7f213y) (New) Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)
Our feature race for the day is the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle where last year’s first, third and fourth re-oppose with nothing to suggest the order will change. Buddy One (fourth) reverted back to hurdles after some tame efforts this season over fences but has looked out of sorts. Home By The Lee (third) is having his third crack at the race and has retained his form well but is likely to find or two too good again and has each-way hopes at best.
Teahupoo (last year’s winner) looks the most likely to go in again having had a very good pipe opener over an inadequate test of stamina behind the classy Lossiemouth last time. Gordon Elliott is looking for a hat-trick of wins in this race and the stats back up Teahupoo with notable multiple winners of this event since 2002 including Baracouda, Inglis Drever, Big Bucks and most recently Flooring Porter. He’s a worthy favourite and will take a lot of beating. An intriguing runner is Nicky Henderson’s Lucky Place. The six-year-old ran a cracking race in the Coral Cup at last year's Festival suggesting this trip could be within range and has continued progress this season with wins at Ascot and Cheltenham which suggests he may give the selection the most to think about. The form of his last race is working out well with the second subsequently going on to take a Grade 2 last time out.
The Wallpark that also represents Gordon Elliott is another to consider having won really well at Cheltenham two starts back. The race didn’t pan out for him at Ascot last time in the Long Walk but may have a race better run to suit here. Langer Dan for the Skeltons has attracted a bit of each-way support over the last couple of days and is reported to have shown a bit more spark back home which he will need to be involved here, however could go well at a price with the step up to 3m being a potential positive.
Selection - Teahupoo (6/4)
Danger - Lucky Place (7/1)
16:40
Our final televised race is the Trustatrader Plate Handicap Chase formerly known as the Mildmay of Flete which was first run in 1951 with a dead heat finish! It's another minefield to sift through and usually an ultra competitive race. It's not difficult to see why the improving Jagwar is at the head of the market having shown C&D winning form last time out beating the re-opposing Masaccio (chances with 8lbs pull) and appears to still be improving. A strong traveling, hold up horse and will be played fairly late under Jonjo Jr. Is slightly higher in the weights this time around having been hit with a 7lbs rise however he may not have reached his ceiling yet.
The six-year-old gelding, Ginny’s Destiny has rather lost his way this season having put up several great efforts at Cheltenham last season with an excellent second to Grey Dawning in the Grade 1 Turners. A bold front runner at best and could have a say but requires a revival based on what we’ve seen recently. Conflated drops back in trip and at his best could carry these but hasn't shown any worthwhile form since his Ryanair third last year.
Shakem Up’Arry represents Ben Pauling and won this race last year and also finished third the time before. He could be each-way value at around 20/1 as is only 2lbs higher for that win although you would have hoped to have seen a bit more last time from him. A chance is taken on Jordans for J P O’Brien. This is his first chase handicap and he could be loitering on a fair mark for what we have seen in his novice chases. This is a tough race to win for a horse lacking experience but he travels well and with a slick round of jumping should be involved at the finish.
Selection - Jordans (8/1)
Danger - Jagwar (10/3)
