It’s day three of the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday afternoon and yet again we tackle the Tote Placepot and look to try and pick six selections to make the frame in the first six races at Prestbury Park. The likes of the Stayers’ Hurdle and Ryanair Chase are two of the feature races of the day and they should prove to be competitive affairs.
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Leg 1: 1.30pm – Turners Novices’ Chase
Leg 1 Selections: (5) Grey Dawning
It’s a really trappy renewal of the Turners Novices’ Chase at 1:30pm and a whole host of contenders will be fancying their chances of landing victory in the Grade 1 prize. The likes of Ginny’s Destiny, Facile Vega and Iroko look to be leading contenders, but it’s the hugely consistent GREY DAWNING that has to be put in the Placepot perm. Last seen bounding to a 14-length victory in the Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick, the Dan Skelton-trained grey looks tailor-made for this test and has to be nailed on to finish in the first three.
Leg 2: 2.10pm – Pertemps Final
Leg 2 Selections: (2) Springwell Bay, (16) Gaoth Chuil
One of the most competitive betting heats across the entire Cheltenham Festival, the Pertemps Final has a huge field going to post, so it’s wise to put a few selections in your Placepot perm. A winner at Cheltenham back in November, SPRINGWELL BAY has mainly been consistent this campaign and was last seen finishing second at Musselburgh and is fancied to place. Irish raider GAOTH CHUIL shaped like winning at Leopardstown last time out, but just failed, however, Ted Walsh’s charge could still be improving and one of those at the head of the market he has to be a solid option.
Leg 3: 2.50pm – Ryanair Chase
Leg 3 Selections: (5) Envoi Allen
Henry De Bromhead’s ENVOI ALLEN was a fine winner of the Ryanair Chase last season and the ten-year-old can win back-to-back renewals on Thursday. The ground is likely to have gone for Banbridge to produce his best, while Stage Star misfired last time out, but Envoi Allen is rock-solid when it comes to the Cheltenham Festival and having last been seen chasing home Gerri Colombe in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal in November he should come here a fresh horse and looks the one they all have to beat.
Leg 4: 3.30pm – Stayers’ Hurdle
Leg 4 Selections: (12) Sir Gerhard
Teahupoo is entitled to be favourite for the Stayers’ Hurdle and he looks capable of going close, but SIR GERHARD is a fascinating runner and on his best he has to be considered a huge player. A former winner of the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle back in 2022 in soft ground, the Willie Mullins-trained raider will get similar conditions on Thursday and having last been seen winning over hurdles he lines up in decent form and at double-figured odds is the potential value play.
Leg 5: 4.10pm – TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase
Leg 5 Selections: (10) Crebilly
Jonjo O’Neill’s CREBILLY is a warm favourite for the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase at 4:10pm and he looks to be a cracking bet in a hugely competitive event. Last seen winning at Exeter, his rating of 140 looks extremely attractive and the seven-year-old is certainly open to more improvement and has to be considered a potential banker on Thursday. The likes of Theatre Man and Saint Felicien are two that have to come into calculations and will be thereabouts, but Crebilly is hard to see out the frame.
Leg 6: 4.50pm – Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
Leg 6 Selections: (3) Jade De Grugy
All the talk has been about Brighterdaysahead in the lead-up to the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and she is a clear market leader, but JADE DE GRUGY is another exciting novice and she could well upset the apple cart in this for Willie Mullins. An impressive six-and-a-half length winner of a Fairyhouse Grade 3 last time out, the Closutton inmate remains unbeaten and she could be another classy mare off the Mullins production line and she has to at least finish in the first three here.
Suggested Placepot Selections For Day 2 Of Cheltenham Festival On Thursday 14th March
Leg 1 Selections: (5) Crebilly
Leg 2 Selections: (2) Springwell Bay, (16) Gaoth Chuil
Leg 3 Selections: (5) Envoi Allen
Leg 4 Selections: (12) Sir Gerhard
Leg 5 Selections: (10) Crebilly
Leg 6 Selections: (3) Jade De Grugy
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