Cheltenham Festival Day 3: Follow all the latest race updates, results and reaction

Heart Wood's win in the Ryanair means Henry de Bromhead has now won at 10 festivals in-a-row.

LEESIDE DELIGHT: Jockey JJ Slevin celebrates on Home By The Lee after winning the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

5.32pm: That wraps up our coverage of Thursday's racing. We'll be back tomorrow for Gold Cup day!

5.30pm: Prestbury Cup

Ireland 11 Great Britain 10 (Standing after day three) 

Leading trainer 

5 wins: Willie Mullins

Cheltenham Festival

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3 wins: Nicky Henderson 

2 wins: Dan Skelton 

1 win: Pádraig Roche, Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, Gavin Cromwell, Venetia Williams, Noel Meade, Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls, Ben Pauling, Gordon Elliott, Joseph O’Brien, Henry de Bromhead, Cath Williams.

Leading jockey 

3 wins: Paul Townend 

2 wins: James Bowen, Harry Skelton.

1 win: Nico de Boinville, Danny Mullins, Mark Walsh, Richie McLernon, Harry Cobden, Conor Stone-Walsh, Charlie Deutsch, Colin Keane, Tom Bellamy, Ben Jones, Jack Kennedy, JJ Slevin, Darragh O’Keeffe, Shane Cotter.

5.28pm: Having been a front-runner throughout, Ask Brewster holds off the challenge of Road To Home to win the Kim Muir.

5.25pm: It's a well-bunched field at the moment.

5.23pm: They’re off in the Kim Muir...

5.11pm: Our man Darren Norris is backing Waterford Whispers to get the job done.

5.05pm: We're down to the last of the day and Kim Muir Handicap Chase at 5.20pm. 

Here's the latest odds:

Jeriko Du Reponet – 4/1 

Waterford Whispers – 4/1 

Kim Roque – 5/1 

Herakles Westwood – 9/1 

Gericault Roque – 12/1 

Road To Home – 12/1 

Prends Garde A Toi – 12/1 

Sandor Clegane – 14/1 

Daily Present – 18/1 

Monbeg Genius – 18/1

4.56pm: “In professional sport, you’re never satisfied,” said Harry Skelton.

🗣️ "This is the greatest place, it's magic." ✨

Harry Skelton speaks with Alice Plunkett after his win on Supremely West#ITVRacing | @DSkeltonRacing | @harryskelton89 pic.twitter.com/rnwjvy3LLz

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2026

4.52pm Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle result 

1st Supremely West 10-3F 

2nd Lavida Adiva 22-1 

3rd Ikarak 40-1 

4th Letos 22-1

4.48pm Supremely West wins the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle for the Skeltons. 

Laviva Adiva comes second after a fine run.

Ikarak takes third and there’s three or four horses in contention for fourth.

"This is a special place," Harry Skelton says afterwards on the TV coverage. '"It's magic."

4.41pm Yet another false start but we're now underway in the Pertemps. 

4.30pm Here we go then for the 4.40 Pertemps Handicap Hurdle. These are your runners and riders.  

Supremely West – 10/3 

Bold Endeavour – 6/1 

Cest Different – 7/1 

Absolutely Doyen – 8/1 

Electric Mason – 9/1 

Kikijo – 14/1 

Ace Of Spades – 16/1 

Yeah Man – 20/1 

Staffordshire Knot – 20/1 

Champagne Chic – 20/1

4.17pm That win makes it 10 years on the trot that Henry De Bromhead has had a winner here. 

Speaking to ITV, the Waterford trainer admits it was a frustrating week til now. 

Jockey Darragh O'Keeffe celebrates with girlfriend Grace Cooke and the trophy after winning the Ryanair Chase with Heart Wood. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

4.12pm  “He jumped well," says jockey Darragh O’Keeffe, "got a great rhythm. He was second last year, so I thought he could do it again this time. Sure look, it’s unreal, I wanted to get [trainer Henry De Bromhead] a winner this year. These [Robcour] colours have always been good to me.”

4.07pm Heart Wood wins the Ryanair! 

Jonbon comes home second, Banbridge in third.

Trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Darragh O'Keeffe, Heart Wood went off a 9-2 chance after Fact To File was withdrawn and was bidding to go one better than his second-placed finish behind that horse last year.

The eight-year-old always looked comfortable and drew level with JPR One, who made the running, at the turn for home before pulling clear up the hill to register a 10-length victory over the 2-1 favourite Jonbon.

4.01pm The field of seven are off, with JPR One and Heart Wood the early pace-setters. 

Strap in …

3.51pm Here we go for the feature race of the day, the Ryanair chase at 4pm and it's all eyes on Jonbon. 

Jonbon – 2/1 

Impaire Et Passe – 5/2 

Banbridge – 3/1 

Heart Wood – 6/1 

Matata – 25/1 

Jpr One – 25/1 

Master Chewy – 60/1 

NR – Croke Park, Fact To File

Here's some of what Willie Mullins had to say about his decision today to pull Fact To File from this one. 

“Looking at the ground, I thought it looked too good for Bambino Fever, and so it proved. We waited for rain that hasn’t come, so we’ve made a decision. These horses are too hard to find, it’s jump racing, we’d like to have soft in the ground. 

“Good ground is not good enough for the individual we’re trying to race, at the best festival,” Mullins adds. “If the ground’s going to be like this, we’re not going to bring them. We were promised watering, and I’m not sure that’s been done, so I’m a little bit annoyed about that.”

3.48pm Darren Norris is in the thick of it at the track and sends this footage of JJ Slevin after winning the Stayers' Hurdle.

3.40pm Sean O'Driscoll liked that one.... 

Beautiful city, my Home By The Lee! 🎶

What a day for owner Sean O'Driscoll and trainer Joseph O'Brien ❤️#ITVRacing | @JJjslevin | @JosephOBrien2 pic.twitter.com/CVE4uN6m5g

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2026

3.30pm: CONFIRMED RESULT

1 - Home By The Lee (33/1)

2 - Ballyburn(11/2)  

3 - Bob Olinger (13/2)

3.27pm: Home By The Lee wins it with JJ Slevin on board - that was his fifth time of asking. A 33/1 winner in the red and white of Sean O'Driscoll!

A SHOCK winner in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle! 😱🏆

Home By The Lee POWERS up the hill to take it!#ITVRacing | @JJjslevin | @JosephOBrien2 pic.twitter.com/qT5RUoI54w

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2026

3,25pm: They're making their way towards the third last in the Stayers' Hurdle and it's Hewick in the lead. Teahupoo back in sixth.

3.15pm: Fact to File a non-runner in Ryanair Chase.

3.10pm: 3:20 Market Movers 

Teahupoo (3/1 into 85/40) 

Impose Toi (9/1 into 13/2)

2.58pm: Latest betting for the 3.20 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle 

Teahupoo – 3/1 

Kabral Du Mathan – 4/1 

Ma Shantou – 5/1 

Ballyburn – 6/1 

Impose Toi – 7/1 

Bob Olinger – 8/1 

Honesty Policy – 10/1 

Home By The Lee – 40/1 

Hewick – 50/1 

NR - Gwennie May Boy

Wodhooh ridden Jack Kennedy by wins the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle. Pic: Adam Davy/PA Wire.

2.56pm: And trainer Elliott:

🗣️ "She's something else... We're lucky to have her" 🔥

Gordon Elliott is on the board at Cheltenham! #ITVRacing | @gelliott_racing | @MCYeeehaaa pic.twitter.com/FAl2QaEXmR

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2026

2.54pm: Here's what jockey Jack Kennedy said post-race:

“It’s been a frustrating couple of days, but with a mare like this, you’ve got a real shot of getting on the board,” said Kennedy. “It was a long, long way up the straight, but she’s so honest, she’s got me out of a hole here.”

2.48pm: CONFIRMED RESULT:

1 - Wodhooh (5/6F)

2 - Jade De Grugy  (2/1)

3 - Feet Of A Dancer (8/1)

2.46pm: Wodhooh digs in and eventually holds off Jade De Grugy. Gordon Elliott is off the mark! 

Wodhooh wins the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle 🏆

Gordon Elliott's Cheltenham Festival is up and running 👊 pic.twitter.com/5dDVlXHNb5

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2026

2.45pm: Two to jump. Jetara in the lead.

2.41pm: They're off and running in the Mares' Hurdle!

2:36pm Latest betting for the 2.40 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle 

Wodhooh – 10/11 

Jade De Grugy – 9/4 

Feet Of A Dancer – 8/1 

Take No Chances – 14/1 

Dream On Baby – 33/1 

Jetara – 40/1 

Sunset Marquesa – 100/1 

Market Mover: Jade De Grugy (4/1 into 2/1)

White Noise and Tom Bellamy won the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2). Healy Racing Photo

2:30pm Interesting moment on the ITV coverage as a handshake is organised with Declan Queally and Nico de Boinville, the central figures in yesterday's ''. 'racism row'.

Declan says: "All sorted, just the heat of the moment, all forgotten and forgiven." And Nico says: "I appreciated it. All the best to Declan and thanks to Davy Russell for sorting it out."

Seems Davy was the mediator in getting heads together on this one. 

"All is forgiven" 🤝

Declan Queally & Nico de Boinville patch things up after yesterday's disagreement 💪 pic.twitter.com/5UJB7YF3u7

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2026

2:17pm JP says: "Means a lot to me. An awful lot. Ben recommended the horse and it was an easy deal."

As for whether Fact to File will run in the Ryanair, he says: "I left it to Willie. Part of the course is not altogether to my liking. They've done a great job in a lot of ways but i think they could have done more. If we get rain, a significant amount, he'll run. If we don't, he won't."

2:15pm: Ben Jones: “I grew up watching great jockeys in these silks. Riding a winner for JP at the festival, it doesn’t get much better.”

2:09pm Fifth Cheltenham win for Pauling. JP McManus the owner. "A great supporter of the industry," says Pauling. 

2:08pm Now 8-8 in the Prestbury Cup. "A dream come true," says jockey Ben Jones for Ben Pauling.

2:07pm Meetmebythesea wins it. Gold Dancer second, Regents Stroll third.

1 – Meetmebythesea (9/1) 

2 – Gold Dancer (25/1) 

3 – Regent’s Stroll (5/1) 

4 – King Alexander (20/1) 

5 – Kiss Will (11/1)

2:05pm Meetmebythesea and Gold Dancer up the front. Jordans Cross making way back after poor start.

2pm Too hasty again at the start so they'll have to go again. They let them go second time. 

1:58pm Some interest in Slade Steel late doors. Darragh O'Keeffe riding for Henry de Bromhead.

1:51pm Latest prices

White Noise ridden by Thomas Bellamy (centre) wins the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle. Photo: Adam Davy/PA Wire. 

2.00 Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase 

Jordans Cross – 4/1 

Regents Stroll – 5/1 

Slade Steel – 6/1 

Stencil – 8/1 

Meetmebythesea – 8/1 

The Bluesman – 10/1 

Kiss Will – 10/1 

Wingmen – 10/1 

Kdeux Saint Fray – 18/1 

Western Knight – 25/1 

Bar 25/1 

NR – Sixmilebridge, Old Cowboy 

Market Movers:

Jordan’s Cross (6/1 into 4/1) 

Stencil (11/1 into 7/1) 

Wingmen (12/1 into 17/2)

1:50pm Darren's top Sixmilebridge a non-runner in the next. His next best was Regent's Stroll. Paul Nicholls reckons we haven't got to the bottom of him yet.

1:47pm With one skinner favourite gone astray, Johnny Dineen reckons Fact to File could be vulnerable too. 

1:45pm Jack Kennedy says his race was over at the start. Talking to ITV, Paul Townend says he got no rhythm and the ground might have been a bit quick for her.

"I suppose my race was over from the start" 😬

Beaten jockeys react to the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/88gSlSLetw

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2026

1:44pm Ruby explaining Bambino's flop. Paul Townend lost his position and the start and that made it a different race. Far too keen on the back straight and cut out. 

1:43pm Tom Bellamy's mam Sue not letting this opportunity pass. Hopes this win might get her lad a girlfriend. "Anybody out there... he's a nice lad." Tom might be regretting this already. 

1:36pm Winner was 54/1 on the Exchanges. Next up is the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2) at 2pm.

1:35pm CONFIRMED RESULT

1 – White Noise (40/1) 

2 – Oldschool Outlaw (15/2) 

3 – Place De La Nation (28/1) 

4 – Charme De Faust (28/1)

1:31pm Place de la Nation third, Oldschool Outlaw second. Bambino Fever didn't figure.

1:30pm "I've waited my whole life for this day," says a tearful Tom. "This tops my whole career."

1:28pm White Noise wins it. A 40-1 winner. Tom Bellamy on board. First Cheltenham win. Kim Bailey/Matt Nicholls the trainers

1:27pm Chosen Comrade also well placed as leaders cluster coming to last. 

1:26pm Three out Full of Life leads with Bambino travelling strongly on outside. 

1:24pm THEY'RE BELATEDLY OFF

1:21pm "It's nobody's fault," says AP, "but we need to develop something else." Starter is giving them a lecture now. Jockeys trying to sort it out among themselves. 

1:20pm Bambino slips to 11-10 late on. And another start issue as horses come in too fast.

1:14pm Here's the latest odds for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle 

Bambino Fever – 1/1 

Oldschool Outlaw – 6/1 

Carrigmoornaspruce – 8/1 

La Conquiere – 12/1 

Echoing Silence – 14/1 

Kingston Queen – 16/1 

Charme De Faust – 18/1 

Future Prospect – 22/1 

Place De La Nation – 28/1 

Manganese – 28/1 

Bar 28/1 

Market Movers Bambino Fever (11/10 into 5/6) 

Carrigmoornaspruce (10/1 into 8/1) 

Manganese (50/1 into 25/1)

1:13pm The Bambino syndicate are "cautiously optimistic" ahead of the opener. 

1:10pm The row over the start rumbles on. AP McCoy on ITV: “No-one knows the full story, everyone has the right to be there, if Declan had the inside position then Nico shouldn’t be giving out to him. But in defence of Nico, Declan Queally did get banned.”

Ruby is cross that jockeys are being suspended over yesterday while the BHA hasn’t taken action over some of the farcical starts. “The starting mechanism hasn’t worked for 20 years,” he says.

1.01pm: First up on day 3 at Cheltenham is the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Here's Darren Norris' take on the opener: "Bambino Fever can get the day off to the best possible start for punters by winning the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

"Last year’s Champion Bumper heroine was beaten by Oldschool Outlaw on her hurdling debut at Naas in December but can turn the tables on her Elliott-trained rival here."

WE ROLL: A horse relaxes on the gallops on day three of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. Photo: : Adam Davy/PA Wire. 

THE BIG ONES

Three Grade 1s today, with the Ryanair Chase at 4pm the feature.  Fact To File is almost impossible to oppose in a race he sauntered to victory in last year, reckons Darren Norris.

There's the Stayers’ Hurdle at 3:20pm - Teahupoo can avenge last year’s defeat to Bob Olinger, Darren says.

And the Mares’ Hurdle at 3:20 is a "penalty kick for winning machine Wodhooh". Though remember Vini Jr's penalty last night. 

GOOD MORNING FROM RUBY 

Here's our man from the racecourse where a serious head-wind will be a factor today, he reckons.

RUBY'S TIPS

Read Ruby's tips and thoughts for Day 3. He reckons the value is elsewhere in the Bambino v Oldschool novice duel.

THURSDAY'S FULL CARD

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

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

2.40pm: Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 

3:20pm: Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 

4pm: Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) 

4.40pm: Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 

5.20pm: Rosconn Group Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase

TACTICS

Here's a good chat between Ruby and Brendan O'Brien on how tactics have changed at Cheltenham over the years. 

DARREN'S TIPS

Darren Norris tips for Day 3

CARDS

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