Cheltenham Festival 2026 tips: Experts’ best bets and 13 horses to watch on day three

The Cheltenham Festival is back and the 2026 edition promises to be action-packed before culminating in Friday’s Gold Cup with Inothewayurthinkin attempting to win the trophy for a second successive year.

St. Patrick’s Thursday looks set to follow in the footsteps of two fabulous days of racing with Willie Mullins’ Irish Gold Cup winner, Fact To File, the odds-on favourite to triumph in the Ryanair Chase (4.00pm). Also of note is another Mullins’ charge at Bambino Fever goes off in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle while Henry de Bromhead’s Slade Steel takes on the Jack Richards Novices’ Chase again but without last year’s winning jockey Rachael Blackmore.

Following Lossiemouth’s victory in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, Mullins continued his form when Il Etait Temps won the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The Irish trainer is now two for two from the champion races this year and looks set for a third victory on Thursday.

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Our racing correspondent Jonathan Doidge will be at Cheltenham all week to share his thoughts, insights and tips. Plus legendary former jockey Ruby Walsh has shared his tips with Paddy Power.

Thursday 12 March – St Patrick’s Thursday

1.20: Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)

Ruby Walsh’s tip: Bambino Fever

“Bambino Fever has an outstanding chance. She was beaten by Oldschool Outlaw at Naas, but improved markedly to win at Fairyhouse on her second start over hurdles. She was last year’s Champion Bumper winner, and she’s in very good form at home. I couldn’t oppose her.”

Jonathan Doidge’s tip: Oldschool Outlaw (e/w)

“There’s little to choose between the top two in the market on what they’ve achieved so far but the second favourite, Oldschool Outlaw is a much bigger price than Bambino Fever, whom she’s already beaten when they met at Naas in December. Of the Brits, La Conquiere looks the most interesting.”

2.00: Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2)

Ruby Walsh’s tip: Sixmilebridge

“I really like Simmilebridge, who’s done nothing wrong over fences. He’s won all three starts over the larger obstacles, including the Scilly Isles at Sandown, where he beat Kala Conti impressively.”

Jonathan Doidge’s tip: Ben Solo (e/w)

“I think there may be some value in Ben Solo. He’s a seven-year-old trained by Rebecca Curtis and is still feeling his way as he tries to establish himself over fences. He’s certainly shown ability, having won one of his four starts over the bigger obstacles, that coming over an extended 2m3f at Chepstow last November.”

2.40: Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

Ruby Walsh’s tip: Wodhooh or Jade De Grugy

“This looks between Wodhooh and Jade De Grugy, and I’m finding it hard to split them. I can’t see Wodhooh out of the first two, and Jade De Grugy is the only one I can see beating her. The rest will struggle to match that pair for pace, so I’ll be playing them in a reverse forecast.”

Jonathan Doidge’s tip: Wodhooh

“She’s several pounds clear of the field on official ratings and I think last year’s Martin Pipe winner Wodhooh is still a half decent price at a shade of odds-on.”

3.20: Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

Ruby Walsh’s tip: Honesty Policy

“I can’t see a lot of pace on, and that may suit Honesty Policy, who has plenty of gears. If Gordon Elliott’s string starts firing, I’d be keen on this improving six-year-old. I loved his run at Ascot last time, and he’s a big player.

Jonathan Doidge’s tip: Bob Olinger (e/w)

“Surely it’s only the fact that he’s now an 11-year-old that means Bob Olinger is a 15/2 chance for the staying hurdlers’ championship, as I write this. He is 4-4 at Cheltenham, three of those wins coming at the Festival.”

4.00: Ryanair Chase (Grade 1)

Ruby Walsh’s tip: Fact To File

“Fact To File can avoid back luck, he should win. Impaire Et Passe could be the one to chase him home for a Willie Mullins 1-2, but I can’t see past Fact To File.”

Jonathan Doidge’s tip: Fact To File

“I’ve been praying that Willie Mullins would send Fact To File to this race and Gaelic Warrior to the Gold Cup and I’ve got my wish in that respect. I’m not saying that Fact To File can’t win a Gold Cup but I do think he is perfectly suited by this trip at a stiff track and on more or less any ground.”

4.40: Pertemps Network Final (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Premier Handicap)

Ruby Walsh’s tip: Yeah Man

“I’m giving a shout to Yeah man for the Gavin Cromwell team. He ran in the Red Mills Hurdle to get his fifth qualifying run in after finishing second in a Pertemps Qualifier at Leopardstown. He’s off a higher mark in the UK, but on a going day, he’s a solid proposition.”

Jonathan Doidge’s tip: Red Dirt Road (e/w)

“I’m prepared to take a chance here on a lightly raced nine-year-old who I’ve already tipped to no avail this season but I’m happy to hold my nerve and suggest a small each-way play on Red Dirt Road. He was my selection at Sandown in January, where he’d won a Grade 3 decisively last year. On this occasion, he led before going out like the proverbial light on ground described as heavy.”

5.20: Rosconn Group Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase (0-145)

Ruby Walsh’s tip: Kim Roque

“Kim Roque made the trip to Cheltenham on his first two starts for Joseph O’Brien. He then went to Leopardstown and ran well in the handicap chase at the Dublin Racing Festival. If the step up in trip brings about any improvement, he’s got a solid chance under John Gleeson.”

Jonathan Doidge’s tip: Gericault Roque (e/w)

“Only two of the last 10 favourites have won this and I’ll warn you, I’ve not backed the winner in that entire decade. I’m going to go with a sporting selection in Gericault Roque, who was third here in the Ultima in 2022 and went on to be third in Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup later that year.”