Cheltenham Festival: Preview and selections for Thursday's meeting

The action begins at 1.30pm and concludes at 5.30pm. The going is Soft, Good to Soft in places and you can find the latest odds at Betway.

The feature race of the day is the £325,000 Stayers’ Hurdle at 3.30pm. A number of striking performances in recent weeks have helped make this a competitive and intriguing running of the three-mile hurdling championship. Blazing Khal is proven at Cheltenham with two wins at the track and it was hard not to be impressed with his comeback win in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan after 428 days away from action. He looks sure to come on plenty for that win and has reportedly recovered well from a cut he sustained in that victory.

Teahupoo is likeable and has done nothing wrong this term with two victories and soft ground will make him a major player in this event. Home By the Lee has impressed with two wins this year and is another to consider has done nothing wrong this year, whilst Cleeve Hurdle scorer Gold Tweet bids to emulate the great Baracouda as a French-trained winner. Flooring Porter is obviously respected as a back-to-back champion, but he has endured a difficult preparation for this event. Another former of the winner of the event Paisley Park has to be respected along with Klassical Dream who filled fifth in this event last year.

The opening £175,000 Turners Novices’ Chase (1.30pm) sees for many, Mighty Potter, one of the bankers of the meeting aim to score for Gordon Elliott. He disappointed in last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but is unbeaten in three starts over fences this term, latterly scoring at the Dublin Racing Festival. There is clearly a concern about going back to Cheltenham, but he looks tough to oppose here on all known form. Banbridge shaped well when second in the Irish Arkle, staying on strongly in the closing stages, whilst Appreciate It was third in the same event.

Shishkin is the talking horse in the £375,000 Ryanair Chase (2.50pm). He bounced back to form in some style when powering clear in the Ascot Chase. A dual winner at the Cheltenham Festival, there is a concern regarding how he will back that performance up 26 days after such a fine performance at Ascot. However, on all known form, he is the best horse in this event.

Willie Mullins is triply represented and Blue Lord is respected, but was disappointing when beaten in the Dublin Chase last time out. Janidil was second in this event last term and does demand respect based on his comeback win in the Red Mills Chase. Mullins also saddles Chacun Pour Soi who has endured a frustrating season, but is an interesting runner. Fury Road has run well in two starts over three miles of late and is another to note along with Envoi Allen who disappointed in the King George last time out.

Luccia is the headline act in the Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at 4.50pm. She has impressed in two hurdling starts this term and is taken to see off the Willie Mullins-trained duo of Ashroe Diamond and Lot Of Joy.

Mark Walsh is an intriguing jockey booking on the David Pipe-trained Thanksforthehelp who impressed at Chepstow last time out and looks a leading player for the Pertemps Final at 2.10pm, in which a word is also given to both Maxxum who is a three if back to his best and An Tailliur who was an eye-catching third at Cheltenham on his latest start.

Cheltenham Day Three selections

1.30pm Mighty Potter

2.10pm Thanksforthehelp

2.50pm Shishkin

3.30pm Blazing Khal

4.10pm Fugitif

4.50pm Luccia

5.30pm Stumptown