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. Thursday’s seven races are previewed below, and the rest of the week is covered in our Cheltenham tips.
Our team’s 2027 Day 3 tips will be added here nearer the Festival. Until then, the table below shows the selections they gave for the 2026 card.
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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
Introduced in 2016, the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle opens Thursday’s card for the second year running. White Noise sprang a 40/1 surprise for Kim Bailey last year, when Evens favourite Bambino Fever trailed home. The 2027 market is wide open, with Even Tho, Mets Ta Ceinture and Witches Familiar sharing top billing.
2.00pm – Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase
The Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase brought a novices’ handicap back to the Festival in 2025, in place of the Turners Novices’ Chase. Ben Pauling’s Meetmebythesea won it at 9/1 last year and now heads the early Plate betting, with third-placed Regent’s Stroll also prominent in that market. There is no market for the 2027 race yet, as a fresh batch of novices needs to emerge over the winter.
2.40pm – Mares’ Hurdle
The Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle moved from the opening day to Thursday in 2026 and is now run on the New Course. Wodhooh landed the odds for Gordon Elliott last year and heads the 2027 betting, though she is also quoted for the Stayers’ Hurdle. Brighterdaysahead and Selma De Vary are next in, and Champion Hurdle winner Lossiemouth could yet drop into mares’ company.
3.20pm – Stayers’ Hurdle
The Stayers’ Hurdle is the true championship race on Thursday, crowning the best long-distance hurdler in Britain and Ireland. Home By The Lee caused a 33/1 shock for Joseph O’Brien last year, with favourite Teahupoo only sixth. The New Lion heads a wide-open market should Dan Skelton step him up in trip, while Zeus Power, Wodhooh and Jimmy Du Seuil are all prominent.
4.00pm – Ryanair Chase
The Ryanair Chase is the second of Thursday’s open Grade 1s, run over 2m5f for those between the two-mile and Gold Cup trips. Heart Wood beat Jonbon last year for Henry de Bromhead, but 2025 winner Fact To File heads the 2027 betting on his return. Lulamba is the leading British hope, with Grey Dawning and Majborough others in the mix.
4.40pm – Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle
The Pertemps Network Final is a three-mile handicap hurdle, and runners must finish in the first four of a qualifier during the season to get a place in the field. Supremely West obliged as favourite for Dan Skelton last year, beating Lavida Adiva. With the qualifiers still under way, the 2027 market has barely taken shape.
5.20pm – Kim Muir Challenge Trophy
The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup closes Thursday’s card and is a staying handicap chase for amateur riders. Ask Brewster sprang a 22/1 surprise last year, ahead of the Patrick Mullins-ridden Road To Home. No market has been formed yet, but Jeriko Du Reponet and Waterford Whispers may be worth another look after disappointing near the head of the betting.
Cheltenham Festival Day 3 Betting Tips
Day 3 has often been a day for bookmakers, with things being a lot more unpredictable. Our Cheltenham Day 3 trends pick out the stats that matter for all seven Thursday races.
Beware being too clever with the handicaps, however. Supremely West won last year’s Pertemps Final as the 100/30 favourite, and 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 also taken the Pertemps Final and Kim Muir, and the 2024 Kim Muir winner Inothewayurthinkin went off at 15/8 before landing the Gold Cup the following season. That said, Ask Brewster won last year’s Kim Muir at 22/1, a reminder of how hard these races are to call.
Cheltenham Free Bets For Thursday
Bookmakers will have their Cheltenham Festival offers closer to kick off time on Thursday 18th 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.
At the time of writing, Fact To File heads the Ryanair odds on his return and defending champion Wodhooh leads the Mares’ Hurdle odds. The Stayers’ Hurdle odds are far more open, with The New Lion at the head of a wide-open market.
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 Gaelic Warrior aiming to retain his crown.