Cheltenham Festival Day Three tips: Empire Of Dirt to rule over Un De Sceaux
Thursday 16 March 2017 17:59, UK
It's St Patrick's Thursday at the Cheltenham Festival and Lewis Jones has dusted himself down after a nightmare first two days of punting. He's hoping he strikes back on Day Three.
EMPIRE OF DIRT - arguably the best named horse in training - is most certainly the one to beat in the Ryanair Chase at 2:50 and rates as the best bet on Day Three.
A Cheltenham Festival winner, the Gordon Elliott-trained charge should have enough ammunition to see off market rival Un De Sceaux, who has plenty of questions to answer regarding the ground and whether he stays this distance.
The JLT Novices Chase market has a fantastic shape to it for each way punters with Yorkhill looking a favourite to take on and there being eight runners. Problem is, there are three horses who all look capable of beating the hot-pot. I've given the verdict to the classy DISKO on price grounds but don't be surprised if Top Notch and Politologue also get involved in what's set be a great race.
Willie Mullins has yet to train a winner this week but surely will get off the mark in the Mares Novices Hurdle, where slight preference is for AIRLIE BEACH at the prices.
I wouldn't put anyone off the chances of Unowhatimeanharry in the Stayers Hurdle at 3:30 - he's the most likely winner and is still trading above odds-against. However, SHANESHILL is begging to be backed in the 'without the favourite' market with each-way stakes in mind. He loves the Cheltenham hill having finished second here three times before and is taken to chase the favourite home.
It's best to go two handed into the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle at 2.10 with TOBEFAIR and GOLDEN DOYEN top of the list. You need a real stayer to win this race and both will relish every yard.
HADRIAN'S APPROACH is a gigantic price in the Kim Muir at 5:30 while the lucky pin has chosen BARON ALCO in the Brown Avisory at 4:10.
Advised tips with staking plan:
Cheltenham 1:30: DISKO 5/1 with Sky Bet (3pts EW)
Cheltenham 2:10: TOBEFAIR 8/1 (1pt) & GOLDEN DOYEN (1pt)
Cheltenham 2:50: EMPIRE OF DIRT 5/2 (4pts)
Cheltenham 3:30: SHANESHILL w/o Unowhatimeanharry 7/1 (2ptsEW)
Cheltenham 4:10: BARON ALCO 12/2 (1ptsEW)
Cheltenham 4:50: AIRLIE BEACH 4/1 (1pt)
Cheltenham 5:30: HADRIANS APPROACH 14/1 (2ptsEW)
P/L after Day Two: -27.5pts
*The points system is a way of calculating profit and should give you a good idea of how confident the tipster is about the selection is (1 lowest, 5 highest). Whatever your normal stake size is multiply that by the point suggestion. We'll be posting the profit and loss results over the week on the daily tipping page.
