Cheltenham 2022: Day 3, St Patrick's Thursday 

The Cheltenham Festival moves on to the third day which celebrates Ireland’s patron saint on  St Patrick’s Day. Cheltenham traditionally attracts thousands of Irish racing fans and the Guinness Village serves just one drink. At the bars in this area of the course you have two choices: a half or a pint of Guinness! Bar staff are continually filling glasses with this drink and customers are emptying them at an alarming rate. You could actually get sidetracked in the Guinness Village and not see a horse live all day. The celebrations continue in the town after racing.

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As for the racing it’s probably the least spectacular of the four days but still features three Grade 1 contests. The action starts with the Marsh Novices’ Chase which is the championship race for young horses over the intermediate distance of two miles and four furlongs. The Stayers Hurdle brings together the best staying hurdlers over a demanding three miles and lastly the Ryanair Chase is known as the race for those that do not get the Gold Cup distance.  

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As with the previous days of the festival, we've got a huge selection of Cheltenham betting offers available for you to get the best value from your bets. View the other three 2020 festival pages  that we have this week:

Champion Day | Ladies Day | Gold Cup Day

Race by Race Analysis

Now it's time to take a closer look at each of the races that are taking place on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival. We look back at previous winners and a useful factfile.

Guide to the Golden Miller Novices' Chase (1.30pm)

• Steeplechase (Two miles four furlongs – New Course) 
• Open to horses aged five-years-old and older 

Formerly known as the JLT Novices’ Chase, this was first run at the festival in 2011 and is the championship novice chase at the intermediary distance. The horses jump 17 fences over the New Course which is used for the last two days of the meeting. The race replaced a novices’ handicap and was given Grade 1 status in 2014 so is now a viable option for the best young chasers.  

2022 RESULT

1. Bob Olinger - 6/5 - Trained by Henry de Bromhead, ridden by Rachael Blackmore
2. Bussleton - 50/1 -  Joseph Patrick O'Brien, JJ Slevin

 

Previous Winners of the JLT Novices' Chase 

• 2022 - Bob Olinger - (6/5) - Trained by Henry de Bromhead, ridden by Rachael Blackmore
• 2021 - Chantry House - Nicky Henderson, Nico de Boinville
• 2020 - Samcro (4/1) - Gordon Elliott, Davy Russell
• 2019 - Defi Du Seuil (3/1F) Philip Hobbs, Barry Geraghty
• 2018 - Shattered Love (5/1) Gordon Elliott, Jack Kennedy 
• 2017 - Yorkhill (6/4F) Willie Mullins, Ruby Walsh
• 2016 – Black Hercules (4/1CF) Willie Mullins, Ruby Walsh
• 2015 – Vautour (6/4F) Willie Mullins, Ruby Walsh
• 2014 - Taquin De Seuil (7/1) Jonjo O'Neill, AP McCoy
• 2013 – Benefficient (7/1) Tony Martin, Bryan Cooper

Fact File

• This race has been won by a seven-year-old in five of the last seven runnings.
• Willie Mullins has trained a record four winners of this race, but none since winning in 2017. 
• Galopin Des Champs led at the last in the 2022 race but fell.

 

Pertemps Network Final (2.10pm)

• Hurdle Race (About three miles – New Course) 
• Open to horses aged five-years-and older 

The Pertemps Final is a race open to horses just below the top level in the handicap sphere that was first staged in 1974. Horses earn a place in the starting line-up after running in qualifying races throughout the season of which there are eight. Twelve hurdles are jumped over almost two circuits of the New Course on the third day of the meeting.  The race has had various sponsors and the race has been known as the Pertemps Network Final since 2003.  

2022 RESULT

1. Third Wind - 25/1 - Trained by Hughie Morrison, ridden by Tom O'Brien
2. Alaphilippe - 11/2F - Fergal O'Brien, Paddy Brennan
3. Mill Green - 33/1 - Nicky Henderson, Nico de Boinville
4. Winter Fog - 11/2F - Emmet Mullins, Paul Townend

 

Last 10 Winners of the Pertemps Network Final

• 2022 - Third Wind - (25/1) - Trained by Hughie Morrison, ridden by Tom O'Brien
• 2021 - Mrs Milner - (12/1) -  Paul Nolan, B J Cooper
• 2020 - Sire Du Berlais (4/1F) Gordon Elliott, Barry Geraghty
• 2019 - Sire Du Berlais (4/1F) Gordon Elliott. Barry Geraghty 
• 2018 - Delta Work (12/1) Gordon Elliott, Davy Russell 
• 2017 - Presenting Percy (11/1) P Kelly, Davy Russell
• 2016 – Mall Dini (14/1) PG Kelly, Davy Russell
• 2015 - Call The Cops (9/1) Nicky Henderson, Andrew Tinkler
• 2014 - Fingal Bay (9/2F) Philip Hobbs, Richard Johnson
• 2013 - Holywell (25/1) Jonjo O’Neill, Richie McLernon

Fact File

• This race was won by a six-year-old in 2021 for the first time since 2017.
• The winner of this race has been trained by Gordon Elliott for three of the past five years.
• Three of the last six winners carried over 11 stone.

Ryanair Steeplechase (2.50pm)

• Steeplechase (Two miles five furlongs – New Course) 
• Open to horses aged five-years-old and older 

The Ryanair Chase was first run at the festival in 2005 and is the championship race for chasers at the intermediary distance between the Champion Chase and Gold Cup. The introduction of the race coincided with the first four day festival. The Grade 1 contest features 17 fences over the New Course on the third day of the meeting. 

2022 RESULT

1.  Allaho - 4/7F - Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend
2.  Jandil - 12/1 - Willie Mullins, Mark Walsh
3.  Eldorado Allen - 14/1 -Colin Tizzard, Brendan Powell
4.  Fanion D'estruval - 28/1 - Venetia Williams, Charlie Deutsch

 

The Last 10 Winners of the Ryanair Chase 

• 2022 - Allaho - (4/7F) - Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend
• 2021 - Allaho - (3/1) Willie Mullins, Rachael Blackmore
• 2020 - Min (2/1) - Willie Mullins, Paul Townend 
• 2019 - Frodon (9/2)  Paul Nicholls, Byrony Frost 
• 2018 - Balko Des Flos (12/1) Henry de Bromhead, Davy Russell
• 2017 - Un De Sceaux (7/4F) Willie Mullins, Ruby Walsh
• 2016 – Vautour (EvensF) Willie Mullins, Ruby Walsh
• 2015 – Uxizandre (16/1) Alan King, AP McCoy
• 2014 – Dynaste (3/1F) David Pipe, Tom Scudamore
• 2013 – Cue Card (7/2) Colin Tizzard, Joe Tizzard

Fact File

• Three of the last five winners have been aged seven years old.
• Willie Mullins has trained the winner for the last three years.

Stayers' Hurdle (3.30pm)

• Hurdle Race (Three miles – New Course) 
• Open to horses aged four-years-old and older 

The race is the most prestigious long distance contest in the discipline in the National Hunt calendar. The race was first run in 1972 and has a history of producing multiple champions in Baracouda, Inglis Drever and Big Buck’s. The race is the feature hurdle of the third day of the festival. 

2022 RESULT

1. Flooring Porter - 4/1 - Trained by Gavin Cromwell and ridden by D.E. Mullins
2. Thyme Hill - 11/2 - Phillip Hobbs, Tom O'Brien
3. Paisley Park - 17/2 - Emma Lavelle, Aidan Coleman

 

The Last 10 Winners of the Stayers' Hurdle 

• 2022 - Flooring Porter - (4/1) - Trained by Gavin Cromwell and ridden by D.E. Mullins
• 2021 - Flooring Porter - (12/1) Gavin Cromwell, D.E. Mullins
• 2020 - Lisnagar Oscar (50/1) - Miss R Curtis, Adam Wedge 
• 2019 - Paisley Park (11/8F) - Emma Lavelle. Aidan Coleman 
• 2018-   Penhill (9/1) Willie Mullins, Paul Townend
• 2017 – Nichols Canyon (10/1) Willie Mullins, Ruby Walsh
• 2016 – Thistlecrack (EvensF) Colin Tizzard, Tom Scudamore
• 2015 – Cole Harden (14/1) Warren Greatex, Gavin Sheehan
• 2014 – More Of That (15/2) Jonjo O'Neill, Barry Geraghty
• 2013 – Solwhit (17/2) Charles Byrnes, Paul Carberry

 Fact File

• Four of the last six winners have been aged seven years old.
• Only one of the last eight races has been won by less than two lengths.

Paddy Power Plate Steeplechase (4.10pm)

• Steeplechase (Two miles and five furlongs – New Course) 
• Open to horses aged five-years-old and older

This race has a new sponsor this year. It was first run in 1951 and is a consolation race for those horses that do not get in to chases of a higher grade. A maximum field of 24 runners jump seventeen fences around the New Course. Several firms have sponsored the race and it was called the Racing Post Plate from 2006 to 2008.

2022 RESULT

1. Coole Cody - 22/1  - Trained by Evan Williams and ridden by Adam Wedge
2. Imperial Alcazar - 7/2F - Fergal O'Brien, Paddy Brennan
3. Spiritofthegames - 12/1 - Dan Skelton, Harry Skelton
4. Stolen Silver - 18/1 - Sam Thomas, Sam Twiston-Davies

Last Ten Winners of this race

• 2022 - Coole Cody (22/1) - Trained by Evan Williams and ridden by Adam Wedge
• 2021 - The Shunter - (9/4) - Emmett Mullins, Jordan Collin Gainford
• 2020 - Simply the Betts (10/3) - H Whittington, G Sheehan 
• 2019 - Siruh du Lac (9/2) Nick Williams, Lizzie Kelly 
• 2018 - The Storyteller (15/2)  Gordon Elliott, Davy Russell
• 2017 - Road To Respect (14/1) Noel Meade, Brian Cooper
• 2016 - Empire Of Dirt (16/1) Colm Murphy, Brian Cooper
• 2015 - Darna (33/1) Kim Bailey, David Bass
• 2014 - Ballynagour (12/1) David Pipe, Tom Scudamore
• 2013 - Carrickboy (50/1) Venetia Williams, Liam Treadwell

Fact File

• Coole Cody was 11 years old when winning in 2022.
• The last ten winners had different trainers.

Mares Novices’ Hurdle (4.50pm)

• Hurdle (Two miles and one furlong – New Course) 
• Open to mares aged four-years-old and older

This was a new race in 2016 and fills the void for a contest for which novice fillies are only eligible. The addition of a specific race for inexperienced mares has been welcomed by professionals so it will be interesting to see what trends emerge over the next few years. As a new race there are limited winners or trends to highlight. Let's Dance, aged six, won the race for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh in 2017 as the 11/8 favourite. Limini won the race for the same connections in 2016. The 2018 running saw a win for Laurina who went off the 8/13 favourite ridden by Paul Townend and trained by Willie Mullins. Anyone who could predict the first three home in 2019 was very lucky. Eglantine Du Seuil was the winner at 50/1 (another victory for Willie Mullins) and was followed home by 66/1 Concertista and 40/1 Tintangle.

2022 RESULT

1. Love Envoi - 15/2 - Trained by Harry Fry and ridden by Jonathan Burke
2. Ahorsewithnoname - 50/1 - Nicky Henderson, Nico de Boinville
3. Grangee - 13/2 - Willie Mullins, Paul Townend
4. Nurse Susan - 14/1 - Dan Skelton, Harry Skelton

Fact File

• In seven runnings of this race, the first four were won by five-year-olds but horses aged six have won the last three
• The first five winners were all trained by Willie Mullins