DAY three features the Stayers’ Hurdle Grade 1, in which the 2024 winner Teahupoo, is Unibet 6/4 to regain his crown. Home By The Lee is my selection, and he has a strong chance of winning the Stayers’ Hurdle on a day where there are some good each way opportunities in the other races, including the Pertemps for example.

Enjoy whether at Cheltenham or watching #athome on ITV Racing and Racing TV.

See you there.

Cheers

The Wine Tipster 

 

1.20 – Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Dawn Run) (Grade 2)

Diva Luna, a lovely, lengthy mare, and she does have some experience of the big day, having won the Mares bumper at Aintree last April and taken a maiden hurdle on New Year’s Day at Cheltenham, and there was a pretty big crowd that day. On her last start in January, the conditions were very testing at Sandown, so her effort last time is easily forgiven, and the more rain that falls Wednesday, the better her chances. 

 

2.00 – Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase Grade 2 (2m½f)

Es Perfecto is worth a look at a big price as he was third in the Timeform Novices’ Chase here in 2024, running on well up the hill, and he put in a personal best at Kempton last time, winning easily last month. The handicapper has stuck him up another 7lb for that but the runner-up, Classic Anthem, was an easy winner next time out, and the form looks believable. He’ll be given a quiet ride out the back and will pick his way through late on. Es Perfecto has strong each way claims.

 

2.40 – Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (3m) 

Karl Des Tourelles (nap) was marked up in my Five Irish Horses for The Cheltenham Festival and no reason not to mark him here. He was highly tried last year when racing in Graded company for much of the season, though he looked a different horse stepped up to three miles at Punchestown in November, finishing second to Franciscan Rock and looking a thorough stayer in the process. He has only been seen the once since then in late December, when finding the drop in trip back to 2m 4f against him (but again shaping well). He’s been saved for this since and is much better off at the weights with Franciscan Rock in the Pertemps, who has franked the form since. A very interesting contender. 

 

Doddiethegreat trained by Unibet Ambassador Nicky Henderson was featured in my Five Handicappers for The Cheltenham Festival and has been a regular in my Unibet blogs going back to February 2024, when he finished fourth in the big handicap hurdle at Newbury, with a step up in trip looking on the cards.

That duly happened with him finishing midfield in the big handicap hurdle over 2m 5f on the Wednesday of the festival, when, as well documented, Seven Barrows were not firing at the time. He then never travelled on his next and final race of the campaign at Ayr in April. 

This has been a strange season for Doddiethegreat – a quickly aborted chase campaign, pulled up early once reverted to hurdles at Kempton after being badly hampered at the start, then gave up very quickly at Ascot and again suffered another pulled-up effort, but then seemingly from nowhere, equipped with cheekpieces, a much better effort on his first start over three miles when second to One Big Bang at Haydock, the pair nicely clear of the rest and that run qualifying him for the Pertemps.

Doddiethegreat ran and jumped enthusiastically that day looking like he was finally back on track over what could be exactly the right trip for him as he stayed on to the line. There’s still time for this nine-year-old to get it all together on only his thirteenth career start and post a win in a valuable handicap, which he’s threatened to do in the past. 

 

4.00 Stayers’ Hurdle Grade 1 (3m)

Home By The Lee has been in good shape this season, and reports have been encouraging about this ten-year-old, who has looked in excellent form on his last two starts. Back in November he beat the favourite Bob Olinger at odds of 7/1 when pushed out to win at Navan on his first start since May. Home By The Lee then delivered an eye-catching performance in the Grade 1 Savills Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas when he came to challenge at the last to move smoothly away, beating Bob Olinger by nearly double the distance.

He looked in great form, and whilst the favourite for the Stayers’ Teahupoo had his measure last season at Cheltenham and Punchestown too, Home By The Lee will come with a much more sustained challenge in the 2025 renewal.

5.20 – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (3m 2f)