There’s absolutely nothing to suggest that ENVOI ALLEN won’t win the Marsh Novices’ Chase in the first race of the third day of the Cheltenham Festival, with the seven-year-old yet to taste defeat and he was the winner at last year’s meeting.
The Gordon Elliott-trained charge landed the spoils in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, with three successive victories occurring this season over the bigger obstacles. However, this will be a sterner test of the horse’s credentials.
It appears that Energumene could rival Envoi Allen and Willie Mullins trains this talented seven-year-old who should be noted as an Irish Arkle Chase winner and it could be set up for an exciting finish.
Monkfish is likely to have another engagement, with Shan Blue and Sporting John potentially other horses to hit the frame.
PREDICTION: Envoi Allen
We’re looking forward to a wide open Pertemps Network Final, with the runners and riders competing over two miles and eight furlongs, with The Bosses Oscar and Imperial Alcazar among the favourites to win this race.
However, those horses are trading at quite a short price and we’re looking for horses that are trading at a bigger price including DANDY MAG who is part of the Willie Mullins stable and there was plenty to like about his win in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle qualifier.
On that occasion, the horse actually beat The Bosses Oscar, with Unexpected Depth also finishing in the frame on that occasion and trainer Oliver McKiernan has high hopes that his seven-year-old can be in the final shake-up.
PREDICTION: Dandy Mag
The Ryanair Chase has been one of the highlight races at the Cheltenham Festival and we always look forward to quality runners battling it out over two miles and four furlongs, with MIN winning last year’s renewal and we see no reason to desert the Willie Mullins-trained legend.
Min has only run once this season and was pulled up at Leopardstown in February although we know that he will be prepared correctly for this clash, although there will be stiff opposition in the form of Allaho and Imperial Aura.
Allaho ran into third in the RSA Novices’ Chase last season and recently scored a Grade 2 success at Thurles, while Imperial Aura claimed the spoils in the Chanelle Pharma 1965 Chase in November before unseating his rider at Kempton.
PREDICTION: Min
It looks as though we’re going to have another ding-dong battle between two high-quality stayers, with PAISLEY PARK and Thyme Hill having traded blows throughout the season and we’re siding with the 2019 champion to regain his title.
The Emma Lavelle-trained horse ran well below par last year in the Stayers’ although the seven-year-old exploded into life when finishing runner-up in the Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle, while there was then a victory in the Porsche Long Walk Hurdle.
Thyme Hill was only a neck away from Paisley Park in the most recent clash at Ascot and the horse finished fourth in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle last year.
However, preference is given to Paisley Park who has those extra gears coming up the Cheltenham hill.
PREDICTION: Paisley Park
This is an interesting Grade 3 race taking place over two miles and four furlongs, with Chantry House among the favourites and the horse made a big impression in last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle when finishing in third place.
More recently, there was a success in the Novices’ Chase at Wetherby, with Dickie having returned to the track after a two-year break and he was a creditable second in a Handicap Chase over the festive period.
However, FARCLAS has hit the frame in his past two races at Leopardstown and it was fourth place in a Grade A encounter last time out after finishing third at the same track and there’s everything to like about the seven-year-old.
PREDICTION: Farclas
Royal Kahala heads the betting market for the Mares Novices’ Hurdle and the six-year-old recently finished second in a Novices’ Hurdle at Fairyhouse, with many punters thinking that the horse is a good each-way price.
Gauloise is another interesting runner and scored a couple of interesting wins towards the end of 2020, with Willie Mullins always a good indicator that the horse might train particularly well for this race and the horse finished third and just behind Royal Kahala last time out.
GYPSY ISLAND would be our tentative pick although the only reservation is that the horse hasn’t run since May 2019, with Peter Fahey hoping that his horse will come back from a long time out before challenging.
PREDICTION: Gypsy Island
The final race on Day Three of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival is the Kim Muir Challenge Cup, with SCHOOL BOY HOURS looking like the horse to fit the right sort of profile to win this race.
Noel Meade trains this charge and runs in the JP McManus colours, with the eight-year-old performing well at Punchestown Racecourse this season, with the horse finishing second to Latest Exhibition before landing in the frame on a further two occasions.
Run Wild Fred could well end up going off favourite and the seven-year-old has second-placed finishes Punchestown and Gowran Park to recommend the runner.
Time To Get Up is the other horse who could be in the frame, with an early February at Wincanton over three miles and a furlong on heavy ground meaning there is plenty to recommend him.
PREDICTION: School Boy Hours