Cheltenham Day Three Tips

It's Day 3 at Cjeltenham

The Ryanair Chase may be one of the newest races to be added to the Cheltenham Festival bill, but it is also one of the most exciting.

Contested over two miles and five furlongs, the race has become an option for top-level steeplechasers who peak over a longer trip than the two miles of the Champions chase and less than the three-and-a-quarter miles of the Gold Cup.

Some really top-notch winners have emerged over the 10 years the race has been run but a strange phenomenon has evolved - an Irish-trained horse is yet to win.

On the opening day, there were no less than five winners trained across the Irish Sea, but the Ryanair Chase is one that continues to elude Ireland -based trainers.

In each of its ten renewals, the prize has stayed in Britain. Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson, David Pipe and Jonjo O'Neil have all won the race twice whilst Colin Tizzard and Nigel Twiston-Davies have one victory apiece.

In 2013, First Lieutenant trained by Mouse Morris was fancied by many pundits as reflected by his skinny odds of 2/1 favourite. However, the son of Presenting could not break Ireland's duck and it was Tizzard's Cue Card who romped home in fine style.

Irish trainers rarely struggle in any race at the Festival, but the growing burden on still not winning this contest must add a bit of extra pressure going into this year's renewal.

However, things could be about to change.

Get a FREE BET for every Cheltenham winner you back PLUS Bet 10 Get 30

Gordon Elliot assembled a strong arsenal for The Festival and the head of his pack has to be Don Cossack who heads the Ryanair betting and looks to have a great chance of ending Ireland's hoodoo.

The eight-year-old was above average as a novices' chaser last season but has never quite lived up to his potential. A win in the Grade 1 Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse made many sit up and take notice, but then he fell in the RSA here and then finished a long way behind Holywell in the Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree.

Elliot is though a master of finding the optimum distance for his horses and this season he dropped the son of Sholokhov down in trip which has worked wonders.

It has proved superb move from the Grand National winning trainer that has seen Don Cossack live up to his early promise. He is four wins from four this season racing over middle-distance and has captured two Grade 1 chases in the process, most impressively beating last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere and 2014 Punchestown Gold Cup winner Boston Bob in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.

He heads the market and although, based on form, he is Ireland's strongest chance in the race, there are several others from the gelding's homeland who will be looking to plunder the prize.

Hidden Cyclone was a fast-finishing second in the Ryanair last year and will be looking to avenge that defeat for connections. John Hanlon's charge is yet to win at Prestbury Park but holds some decent course form. Prior to his second last year, his other visit was in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last season, when despite being a 20/1 shot, the 10-year-old travelled powerfully through the race and finished just two lengths behind winner John's Spirit.

The son of Stowaway seems to be a different horse in the spring and proved that last time out when he was a five-length winner of the Grade 2 Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown and that win has very much put him in the Ryanair mix.

There aren't many races that Willie Mullins hasn't won at the Festival but the Ryanair is one of them. He saddles Ballycasey who, like Don Cossack, was surrounded by a lot of hype as a novices' chaser. A former Grade 1 winner, the eight-year-old has been disappointing this term and has been a combined 49 lengths behind the winner on his last two starts.

Heading into the Ascot Chase, Ruby Walsh was keen on the eight-year-old's chances and despite running under par there, he could still have the necessary class.

We will know around about 2.50 if the Irish hoodoo continues or if the Emerald Isle's great Cheltenham extends to a first Ryanair Chase victory.

For more Cheltenham Day 3 Tips then read Tony Calvin's tipping column.