Paddy Brennan's Cheltenham Festival Thursday Tips for Day 3
St Patrick's Thursday at Cheltenham is always the most electric day of the Festival week - the stands awash with green and the Irish roar reverberating around Prestbury Park with every winner.
But it's not just about the craic. Thursday's card is loaded with quality, headlined by the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle and the Ryanair Chase, two Grade 1 contests that could define the week's racing narrative.
The team at Free Bets caught up once again with six time Cheltenham Festival winner and our man Paddy Brennan, who knows Cheltenham better than most to get his selections for every race on the card.
Here are Paddy's tips for St Patrick's Thursday at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, read on and see if you agree.
1:20 – Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle
Bambino Fever — she's a good thing here.
2:00 – Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase
Two horses I like in this are Regent's Stroll and Meetmebythesea. Two unexposed horses coming here fresh into handicap company, and I think they'll both go very well. Both around 6/1 in the market, which looks a fair price.
2:40 – Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle
Very short race, but I'm going with Jade De Grugy for Willie Mullins. I think she's well suited to the way this race is likely to be run and I can see her running a big race.
3:20 – Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle
A better renewal than last year, I feel. We had Teahupoo and Bob Olinger filling the first two spots last time out, but I think this year Ma Shantou and Kabral Du Mathan could prove too good for them. Both are interesting each-way propositions.
4:00 – Ryanair Chase
Probably the most competitive race of the week. No strong selection from me here — just sit back and enjoy it.
4:40 – Pertemps Network Final
Supremely West has been one of my picks of the week all along. Any rain will help him and I think he'll go very close.
5:20 – Rosconn Group Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup
My pick is Jeriko Du Reponet — trained by Nicky Henderson, ridden by Derek O'Connor. He's the number one in the market and I think he's the one to be on.
