Cheltenham Festival 2021 Day Three Preview : Paisley Park to Win Again?

Last Updated : 14th March, 2021 By Steve A

Day three of the Cheltenham Festival is traditionally known as St Patrick's Thursday. This is a big celebratory day for the Irish and those heading over to the meeting for just one day from Ireland, will usually choose this one. On the course it is the only day of the meeting to have two big races headlining the action. The Stayers Hurdle is the leading race on the card but it is backed up by the Ryanair Chase, a race that has really grown in stature over the past decade and is the next best race after the main four championship events. 

With three traditionally tough handicaps on the day this is not an easy one for punters, but the three Grade One events and the Mares' Hurdle hold better hope for those betting at the meeting. 

Here we take a look at day three of the Cheltenham Festival meeting, while you can view the other days by using the links below.

Day One | Day Two | Day Four

For advice ahead of the meeting, we have a page dedicated to the Cheltenham Festival which takes a look at the meeting as a whole, and offers various pointers and tips for those looking to place bets across the four days. We also have a page dedicated to day three of the meeting which takes a look back at last year and the horses that made their mark on this day in 2020.

Marsh Novice Chase - 1.20pm

The Marsh Chase, previously known as the JLT Chase kicks things off on Thursday at the festival. This is a novice chase race over an intermediate distance of 2m4f. The race is a great test for youngsters who need a little further than two miles, but don't have the stamina for the test that the RSA Chase gives them. 

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.  

Envoi Allen is the odds on favourite for this race. Trained now by Henry De Bromhead, all 11 races over rules have been won by this runner. Won the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the 2020 festival. Now over fences, the most recent win was a Grade 3 chase at Punchestown in January.

Shocks can happen though and Shan Blue should put in a good show. A lot to find with Envoi Allen though as 27 lengths behind in last year's Ballymore Novice's Hurdle. However the next three races were run by this Dan Skelton trained contender. Switched to chases, the third of those wins was in a Grade One race at Kempton two days after Christmas. Most recently Shan Blue was second in a Grade 1 race at Sandown in February. Good to put in a forecast but Envoi Allen is our choice to come out on top.

Pertemps Network Final - 1.55pm

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.  

Brinkley has a good chance of success here. Trained by David Pipe, this runner has had two good wins in Class 2 and 3, so making good progress and can put in a good run here.

There are plenty of others who could suddenly find form and put in the display of their career. Champagne Platinum sounds an expensive horse doesn't it? At the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, this contender was seventh in the Kim Muir Chase. This season hasn't produced any wins, in fact the last time this horse won a race was three years ago. The most recent performance saw a second place finish in a qualifer for this race, each way prospects here.

This will be a closely fought battle but we are siding with Brinkley.

Ryanair Chase - 2.30pm

The Ryanair is pretty much the fifth championship race of the festival, and jointly headlines the third day alongside the Stayers Hurdle. When introduced it was dubbed as the Gold Cup for horses who didn't stay the trip and while that is true in some respects, this is a top quality race with some serious horses in it. 

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. 

Chacun Pour Soi is a leading fancy but may choose to go for the Queen Mother Chase on day two rather than this race. Min is a dependable sort who won this race last year. A Grade 1 race has already been won this season but the most recent run was a major disappointment. Min was pulled up after jumping badly in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase in February. You can rest assured that Willie Mullins will have been working hard on Min since that run. A bold bid to win this race for a second year will be on the cards.

Willie Mullins has a strong fancy here in Allaho. January saw a Grade 2 win at Thurles and a good showing is on the cards here and is our tip to win this race.

 Stayers Hurdle - 3.05pm

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. 

Paisley Park disappointed last year but bids to win this race for the second time in three years. After 260 days off the track, the first run of the season produced a second behind Thyme Hill. The winner won by one-and-a-half lengths but was receiving 3lbs. The pair met again at Ascot the week before Christmas on level weights. Paisley Park won that one by a neck.

Sire du Berlais is going to be a tough opponent for Paisley Park. Trained by Mrs Denise Foster after recent events, this runner is currently second favourite. The 2020 Pertemps Network winner at the 2020 festival returned in November and won a Grade 2 race at Navan. Finished third in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown three days after Christmas. No race since, so good rest and does go well fresh.

Roksana is another option if entered for this race, others have been entered. Vinndication can also be considered after winning a Grade 3 race at Ascot this season. Last time out didn't go so well though unseating jockey David Bass at the 17th in the Ladbrokes Challenge Trophy last November. Paisley Park is our pick in the Stayers Hurdle.

Paddy Power Plate Steeplechase - 3.40pm

• 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.

Plenty of contenders for this race as you might imagine. A Wave of the Sea won a Grade B race at Leopardstown in February with The Shunter back in third. Further improvement should see A Wave of the Sea in contention here. Farclas is trained now by Mrs Denise Foster and was fourth in a Grade A race at Leopardstown last month, definitely a strong contender here.

Umbrigado will be chasing a four-timer here. A repetiton of the form shown in a Grade 3 race at Newbury earlier this month will give this runner a good chance of success.

Mares' Novice Hurdle - 4.15pm

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. 

Roseys Hallow is a strong contender to win the Mares Novices' Hurdle this year. Her last two races have both been won, the most recent being a Grade 3 win at Fairyhouse last month. Won that race going away and can put in a good performance here.

Also fancied is Skyace who was an impressive winner in a listed race last time out. Before that there had been a win in Grade 3 company Hook Up is a possibility and well fancied but needs to put in a fluent jumping performance here and that doesn't always happen. Roseys Hallow is our pick in a race that looks wide open.

Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase - 4.50pm

This race is only open to amateur jockeys and over the distance of just less than 26 furlongs nineteen fences must be cleared. The race is the most prestigious handicap chase for non-professional riders of the season. The race was first staged in 1946 and has honoured the legendary trainer Fulke Walwyn since 1991. Kim Muir was an officer who lost his life during the World War 1 and had no involvement in racing but his name will always be associated with this race which does not have a sponsor.

Deis Alba had a good win at Sandown in February. The Class 2 win raised the eyebrows of the stewards after the winner had been pulled up in its previous two races. The adding of a cheekpiece was said by trainer Philip Hobbs for the improvement. Has had good form in the past and was fifth in this race at the 2020 festival.

Time to get up is a strong contender for this race. Trained by Jonjo O'Neill, was a recent class 3 winner at Wincanton taking the Dick Hunt Handicap Hurdle. Another each way shot to consider for this race is Mount Ida who has won in Grade 3 and was second in Grade 2 last out. That's some of the best form here and is our tip for this race.