Will it be feature race joy for Paul Nicholls again on day three? Which horses are best set to hand Willie Mullins further success and where is A.P. McCoy’s best chance of riding a winner on his last-ever Cheltenham Festival?

We look at all these points as well as assessing where the money is going ahead of another busy day at the Cheltenham Festival.

1.30pm – JLT Novices Chase
After a dream opening day, Willie Mullins recorded just the one winner on day two and the first race of day three looks the best chance for the Irish trainer to notch up another success.
As well as fancied Vautour shortening to 6/4 from 2/1, Mullins also has high hopes for Valseur Lido at 9/2.
Vautour won the Supreme Novices at the festival impressively last year, coming home by six lengths and since then won at Punchestown before a mistake in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas proved too much for the six-year-old to recover from.
Stablemate Valseur Lido has won three hurdle races but was second to Apache Stronghold when setting off as favourite in Leopardstown last month.
Also up there in the betting is Paul Nicholls’ Pitt Zig, but Spreadex clients are finding it hard to look past Vautour given last year’s showing at Cheltenham.

2.05pm – Pertemps Network Final
A.P. McCoy, on his last-ever Cheltenham Festival, failed to record a winner in the first two days, but will be hoping to change that stat on Regal Encore, a 9/1 contender in this 24-strong field.
Regal Encore saw off Grand National winner Pineau De Re, a 25/1 shot here, in its last outing at Exeter, however, the momentum appears to be elsewhere in the betting with Spreadex clients showing strong support for Call The Cops at 11/1 and Run Ructions Run at 16/1.
Join the Clan at 16/1 has seen some each-way backers; teenage jockey Patrick Cowley has already ridden this horse to two victories this season and will be looking for a hat-trick on his festival debut.

2.40pm – Ryanair Chase
Don Cossack is leading the betting albeit having drifted slightly to 9/2, and Spreadex punters are in the most part getting behind the eight-year-old.
Gordon Elliott’s star gelding has won four from four so far this term, but some punters may be slightly put off by the memory of Don Cossack crashing out of the RSA at the festival last year.
Of the other runners, there have been some nibbles at Ma Filleule and Balder Succes but without real conviction from betters and some each-way money on Johns Spirit but the consensus of opinion seems to be on the race favourite stretching his record to five from five this season.

3.20pm – World Hurdle
Paul Nicholls was the big winner in Wednesday’s feature race when Dodging Bullets, ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, brushed aside Sprinter Sacre and Sire De Grugy – and held off the strong challenge of Somersby – to take the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
And the champion trainer will be looking to repeat his success on day three with Saphir Du Rheu and Zarkandar unable to be split at 11/2 at the head of the field.
Of the two, the former arguably has the better form having won in the Cleeve Hurdle last time out and Spreadex punters are certainly favouring Saphir Du Rheu in the betting.
There are also other strong contenders beyond this pair and the next best backed horses on the Spreadex book are Un Temps Pour Tout at 10/1 and Whisper at 9/1.

4pm – Brown Advisory and Merriebelle Stable Plate
Monetaire is the favourite for this one having been rested since winning at Newbury in November and there have been plenty of backers on the Spreadex-front.
Punters have scattered small amounts of money around the rest of the field with Rajdhani Express, Attaglance and Buywise, all at 9/1, attracting small amounts of interest.
The biggest money however has come on the each-way front for Make A Tack which has shortened from 20/1 to 16/1, despite having pulled up in its last outing at Djakadam in January.

4.40pm – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase
Spreadex clients have been getting stuck into second favourite The Package, seemingly overlooking the market leader Champagne James.
The veteran has placed at two previous festivals so has experience, plus jockey Jamie Codd has already tasted success this week riding home Cause of Causes on the opening day.
Elsewhere in the race we’ve seen strong each-way support for 14/1 shot Masters Hill as well as Gold Bullet and Grand Vision who are higher up the betting.


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