Cheltenham Tips: @RoadCheltenham's Thursday Festival Selections

After hitting form on Wednesday afternoon with consecutive winners in the Champion Chase and the Grand Annual, @RoadCheltenham is back for more on Thursday! His Cheltenham Festival Day 3 tips are now live...

We’re now at the halfway point of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival and attention turns to Thursday’s card, with Teahupoo – viewed by many as the banker of the week – heading the line-up in the Stayers Hurdle.

In line with the previous two days, I’ll be advising a selection for each race with six 1pt tips and one 2pt NAP of the Day. So, let’s get stuck into Day 3 and hopefully we can back a winner or two as we head into Cheltenham Gold Cup day tomorrow...

13:20 Cheltenham - Mares' Novices' Hurdle

Sixandahalf has obvious claims – as does Galileo Dame with the 10lbs weight-for-age allowance – but I’m siding with KAROLINE BANBOU here. She had a lofty reputation when she joined the Closutton yard and she showed significant improvement from her debut run when winning at Fairyhouse the last day.

She’ll need to improve again here but that’s certainly possible. It’ll be interesting to see trainer comments from Willie Mullins prior to Thursday’s race, especially with stable jockey Paul Townend choosing Aurora Vega. That came as a little bit of a surprise to me, I must admit...

Tip: 1pt Karoline Banbou (WIN) at 7/1

14:00 Cheltenham - Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase

NURBURGRING (NAP) holds obvious claims and I can see him going off very short here, with Joseph O’Brien already in the winner’s enclosure this week. He has been campaigned with the spring in mind and I’d say he could have a fair bit in hand off what looks like a lenient chase mark of 143.

He is rated 150 over hurdles and this former Galway Hurdle winner brings a wealth of big-field experience to the race. Last year’s juvenile form is very strong and he ran well on the New Course in the Triumph Hurdle, finishing a respectable fourth. He won’t be missed in the betting but I fancy him to prevail.  

Tip: 2pts Nurburgring (WIN) at 13/2

14:40 Cheltenham - Pertemps Final

I like the profile of Feet Of A Dancer in this race and the yard know how to prime one for the Pertemps – Mrs Milner won the 2021 renewal. While she’s on my shortlist, I just keep coming back to JERIKO DU REPONET and I think he could have a fair bit up his sleeve off a mark of 135.

He stepped markedly up in trip the last day in a Pertemps qualifier and he was a huge eyecatcher and whispers are that the yard fancy him quite strongly. He’s unexposed at the trip and has had just six starts over hurdles so there could be plenty more to come and he’s my selection in this race.

Tip: 1pt Jeriko Du Reponet (WIN) at 11/2

15:20 Cheltenham - Ryanair Chase

Fact To File is the one they all have to beat but I’m sweet on the chances of JUNGLE BOOGIE – one of three in the race for Henry de Bromhead. Danny Mullins takes the ride for the Knockeen handler and I’m hopeful that this lightly raced son of Gold Well can go close at Cheltenham on Thursday.

He didn’t stay the Gold Cup trip last year and connections have dropped back to 2m5f for the Ryanair Chase. He was hugely impressive at Ascot in December and comes here fresh and I’d be shocked to see him out of the first three. I really like his profile for the race, especially as his rider is so prolific when going from the front.

Tip: 0.5pts Jungle Boogie (E/W) at 12/1

16:00 Cheltenham - Stayers' Hurdle

The ground is a concern for Teahupoo backers and I think you probably have to take him on – although he is undoubtedly the right favourite on all known form. I’m keen to side with stablemate THE WALLPARK in Thursday’s feature race as he’s unexposed at Graded level and I believe he’s got plenty of scope for improvement.

JP McManus swooped to purchase him after his victory in a Pertemps qualifier earlier in the season and plenty were sweet on his chances in that race but connections opted to go down the Grade 1 route. Fortune favours the brave – as we learned with Golden Ace’s success on Tuesday – and I hope they are rewarded for their ambitious approach.

Tip: 0.5pts The Wallpark (E/W) at 7/1

16:40 Cheltenham - TrustATrader Plate

Gavin Cromwell has been banging the drum for THECOMPANYSERGEANT for a while now and his horses have been running reasonably well so far this week. He joined the yard after finishing fourth in a Grade 3 novice chase behind Gorgeous Tom and ran well in a pipe opener over hurdles back in January.

I’d say the yard are pretty keen on his chances for this race and Conor Stone-Walsh has been booked to take a useful 3lbs off. He steered Backtonormal to victory in a lucrative handicap chase at the Dublin Racing Festival and I believe he’s got a cracking chance of adding another big race to his CV.

Tip: 0.5pts Thecompanysergeant (E/W) at 9/1

17:20 Cheltenham - Kim Muir Challenge Cup

It would be some story if WALKING ON AIR was able to win the Kim Muir in the finale on Thursday as Alan O’Sullivan, brother of Michael O’Sullivan, is booked to ride and there would be some emotional scenes in the winner’s enclosure after the race. I give him a big chance of featuring at the business end of proceedings, given a clear run...

Gary Brown runs a small operation but his horses have been running well, with two of his last three runners winning over the past couple of weeks. Walking On Air was coming with a winning run when falling at Doncaster in January and a 4lbs rise in the weights may look very lenient come Thursday evening.

Tip: 0.5pts Walking On Air (E/W) at 8/1

More Cheltenham Festival Tips

Want to see every Cheltenham Festival Tip we have on HorseRacing.Net in one handy place for Day 3? Below we've attached some useful links:

• Cheltenham Tips
• Cheltenham Day 3 Tips
• Stayers' Hurdle Tips