Day 3 (Thursday March 18) is St Patrick’s Day at the 2027 Cheltenham Festival. Given the Irish dominance in over the past three years, every day must have felt like a celebration across the Irish Sea.
Below are our tips from our leading team for day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
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Cheltenham Day 3 Races
Day 3 is another very competitive day at the Cheltenham Festival, with three handicaps among seven races, two of which are considered championship races.
1.20pm – Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
The second youngest race at the Cheltenham Festival, the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle was introduced to the fold in 2016, and is set to be run as the opener on Thursday’s card for the second time in 2026. Bambino Fever scorched to victory in the Champion Bumper last season and the Willie Mullins-trained mare is a red-hot favourite to land the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. Some progressive types will take her on, but she’s sure to be well fancied here.
2.00pm – Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase
An equivalent novices’ handicap had been run at the Cheltenham Festival up until 2020, but made a comeback replacing the Turners Novices’ Chase in 2025. It is yet to be revealed what the likely makeup of the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase field will be. Paul Nicholls will be looking to win this event again and saddled Regent’s Stroll, but he faces a lively Irish rival in Koktail Divin. Meetmebythesea was last seen in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury, but could drop back to the handicap sphere here.
2.40pm – Mares’ Hurdle
The Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle has been moved from its traditional spot on the opening day for 2026. It will now take place as the first of three straight Grade prizes on Thursday, thus ensuring it will now be run on the New Course too. Dual winner and reigning champion Lossiemouth could opt for this event instead of the Champion Hurdle, but the Mares’ Hurdle could be a cracking renewal with last year’s Martin Pipe winner Wodhooh a leading contender as well.
3.20pm – Stayers’ Hurdle
The Stayers’ Hurdle is the true championship race on Thursday, crowning the best long distance hurdler in Britain and Ireland. Teahupoo is well fancied to regain his Stayers’ Hurdle crown, but the Irish runner could face some lively opposition. Bob Olinger landed the prize 12 months ago and could take his chance again, whilst Honesty Policy and Ma Shantou are another couple of classy performers.
4.00pm – Ryanair Chase
The Ryanair Chase is the first of two open Grade 1s on the Thursday card, run over 2m5f. It is an intermediate option for those not at their best over speed tests of 2m, but who may not stay the 3m2f of a Gold Cup. Fact To File obliterated his rivals in the Ryanair Chase last year and if he opts to head here instead of the Gold Cup then he will be a hot favourite. Jonbon is still yet to claim a Cheltenham Festival win, but is set to line up, whilst Heart Wood is another class act.
4.40pm – Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle
The Pertemps Network Final comes next. A three-mile handicap hurdle, a horse must have finished in the first four in one of a number of specified races during the season to have qualified. Plenty of qualifiers will pass before the final takes place at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. Supremely West is well fancied to land the Pertemps this time around, but this is sure to be a hugely competitive renewal with the likes of C’est Different, Minella Emperor and Electric Mason all lively runners.
5.20pm – Kim Muir Challenge Trophy
The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Trophy is the final race on Thursday and is a staying handicap for amateur riders only. Only one British-trained horse has won this in the last seven years as it is another race subject to the Irish dominance which now pervades the meeting. Jeriko Du Reponet has struggled over fences at times, but he looks attractively handicapped on hurdles form to go close in the Kim Muir. Waterford Whispers and In D’or could be two leading rivals to the Nicky Henderson-trained runner.
Cheltenham Festival Day 3 Betting Tips
Day 3 has often been a day for bookmakers, with things being a lot more unpredictable.
Beware being too clever with the handicaps, however. While the other days can often provide winners at lengthier odds, the Magners Plate has been won five times in the last seven years by horses priced at no bigger than 8/1. Sometimes the answer is staring back at you from the top of the market.
Within the last five years, winners at 4/1 and 10/3 have won each of the Pertemps Final and Kim Muir too, with the victor of the 2024 Kim Muir, Inothewayurthinkin, going off at 15/8, and subsequently winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup the following season. That being said, the winners of the three handicaps in 2022 won at 25/1, 22/1 and 40/1, showing how difficult races they are to call!
Cheltenham Free Bets For Thursday
Bookmakers will have their Cheltenham Festival offers closer to kick off time on Thursday 12th March. One which is already live and ready to go is Paddy Power’s BET £5 GET £30 IN FREE BETS offer which is a cracking offer for Festival week. You will have to use all of your qualifying and free bets on selections of odds at least Evens, so make sure you do not get caught out by the terms of this offer.
Other Cheltenham free bets available to use on Thursday include BOYLE Sports Bet £10 Get £40 In Free Bets, whilst Dabble also have an eye-catching Bet £10 Get £10 in free bets promotion.
Finding The Best Odds On Day 3 Of The Cheltenham Festival
We’re all about making life as easy as possible for you, so we think it’s important to have access to the best odds available when picking your Cheltenham Day 3 tips.
That is why our tipsters scan the markets of the Cheltenham Festival throughout the season to come up with their best ante-post bets. We also provide an odds matching tool on every race of the Cheltenham Festival 24 hours in advance, so you can see which bookmakers are providing the best odds on each horse you wish to back at the meeting.
Day 3 could see some red-hot favourites line up and at the time of writing Bambino Fever is about a 5/6 favourite for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, whilst Fact To File is available at 4/7 with some firms for the Ryanair Chase. For a more competitive betting heat you have to look at the Kim Muir and Jeriko Du Reponet is the 4/1 favourite.
Other Days Of Cheltenham Festival
Three days might be down, but the big one still remains. Day 4 is Gold Cup Day at the Cheltenham Festival with Inothewayurthinkin aiming to retain his crown.