The thrilling action at Prestbury Park pushes forward into Thursday afternoon as the runners line up for the Ryanair Chase, serving as a massive highlight for Day 3 of the festival. Our racing experts are ready to share their top tips for this prestigious contest, alongside talkSPORT BET’s exciting sign up offer, giving you free bets for Cheltenham
This much-anticipated clash is always a phenomenal spectacle, featuring a high-class field of middle-distance chasers ready to battle it out in the Grade 1 feature. It promises to be another fierce showdown, with the leading British and Irish contenders going head-to-head for the famous trophy.
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Ryanair Chase Betting Tips
Over the halfway line we march at the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday with day three of the Cotswolds showpiece, which includes the Ryanair Chase, where Fact To File defends his crown.
Last month’s Irish Gold Cup winner faces Jonbon in the same JP McManus silks, as the latter seeks to finally land his first win at this festival.
They line up in a field of nine for the Ryanair Chase (4.00pm) and below is my NAP and Next Best for the intermediate Grade 1 contest.
Fact To File the one to beat
The reigning champion, Fact To File comes back to seek a third Festival win and defend this crown for Willie Mullins, JP McManus and rider Mark Walsh.
He does so off the back of a superb Irish Gold Cup win last month, a performance that saw him installed as favourite to win the main event here on Friday, but connections swerved that possible Gold Cup opportunity.
He’s the most likely winner on ratings/form, but Fact To File has lost as many races over fences as he has won (six) and been denied as favourite/second-favourite seven times in his career already.
After he romped home here last spring, he was beaten 38-lengths on his next start at Punchestown, albeit over a shorter trip than optimal.
He’s had three hard races this season, the latest on testing ground, and perhaps at odds-on, there are viable each-way alternatives.
Don’t Passe on Mullins second string
Mullins forewarned punters coming to Cheltenham that he had his entire string in great fettle and that his perceived ‘second-string’ horses would do well. That soon transpired as Kargese fended off Kopek Des Bordes in the Arkle.
IMPAIRE ET PASSE gives him an alternative to Fact To File here and Paul Townend’s partner looks a danger.
He won well on his sole Cheltenham Festival appearance as a novice hurdler in 2023, dismissing current Gold Cup contender Gaelic Warrior in second, and was a Grade 1 winner over 2m4f in open company the following season at Aintree.
He’s 4-6 over fences, including two intermediate distance Grade 1s as a novice, and was brought down in one of only two defeats.
He had a perfect prep last month at Gowran Park on his seasonal bow, picking up well under Townend to win a tactical four-runner Grade 2 on a slow surface.
He’ll handle the drying ground here, it may even suit him more than it does the favourite. This Simon Munir & Isaac Souede-owned eight-year-old perhaps hasn’t shown his full hand over fences just yet.
Coming here as a relatively fresh horse, he’s unlikely to miss the podium.
Ryanair Chase Betting Tip 1: NAP: Impaire Et Passe @ 7/1
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Jonbon to be on the premises again
JONBON’s lack of a Festival win here ensures Cheltenham is posed as a problem for him, but course figures of 2212122 don’t really back that up.
In March, he has settled for second behind Constitution Hill, who broke the track record in the Supreme, El Fabiolo in the Arkle and Marine Nationale in the Champion Chase.
Last year’s effort was admirable as nothing went right and a horse with a bit less guts would probably have chucked in the towel.
In last month’s Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase he again had a chance to fold but eventually wore down course specialist Pic D’orhy to secure the 12th top-level success in his career.
He’s now 3-3 over intermediate trips and Nicky Henderson’s star should give a strong account. Three 10-year-olds prevailed in the first seven instalments of the Ryanair, though none have won since Albertas Run landed his second win in 2011.
Four nine-year-olds have won in the last decade and Jonbon is likely to be on the premises again.
He’s preferred to Banbridge, who has toiled in both Festival starts here over fences, while the remainder are admirable horses but lacking the star-quality that may be needed.
Ryanair Chase Betting Tip 2: Next Best: Jonbon @ 8/1
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- Lucky Dip promotion available on horse racing
