Cheltenham Festival tips: Our experts' views on the day three action

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• 13:30 Turners Novices' Chase (Grade 1)
• 14:10 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
• 14:50 Ryanair Chase (Registered As The Festival Trophy) (Grade 1)
• 15:30 Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1)
• 16:10 TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
• 16:50 Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2)
• 17:30 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase

Who appeals most in an open-looking Ryanair Chase?

Ben Linfoot: Stage Star. His win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup from a mark of 155 is the standout piece of form this season in this race and he’s one of those Paul Nicholls-trained horses that is tailor made for the New Course. He’s won the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase and Turners Novices’ Chase on this track and you can put a line through his outing on New Year’s Day when lumping top weight around in heavy ground was a bad idea.

Matt Brocklebank: I'm a little bit in two minds with the Ryanair as I've been of the view that Stage Star is probably the horse to beat if back to his best, but Fil Dor has crept onto the radar and it might just be a question of how Gordon Elliott's horse is priced up on the day. Last seen finishing second to El Fabiolo in the Hilly Way at Cork, having chased home Dinoblue the time before, he's still only six and looks likely to appreciate this longer trip.

David Ord: Stage Star for me. We're too far out to be certain about the ground but if the top end of the forecast arrives over the weekend then it will be an anxious wait to see if Banbridge gets the green light to run. Envoi Allen was good last year but the selection was impressive in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and last season's Turners. Paul Nicholls is keen to put a line through his New Year's Day blowout and will have him primed for this. He's rock solid.

Tony McFadden: Envoi Allen is the one I want to be against here. He's a three-time Cheltenham Festival winner and landed this event last season, but the race didn't take as much winning as looked likely due to the runner-up, Shishkin, putting in a somewhat moody performance and belting the third last. I prefer the claims of the rising forces in the division, with preference for Banbridge over Stage Star. Banbridge took well to chasing last season, notably winning the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree. He's only been seen once since then but looked better than ever in beating subsequent Ascot Chase winner Pic d'Orhy at Kempton. That seems like a strong piece of form - backed up by a good time - and he is the one with the potential to do better after only six starts over fences.

Teahupoo tops the market for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle – is he the horse to beat?

Ben Linfoot: I can see why the market has come to that conclusion given he was a close-up third last year and then looked as good as ever when defeating Impaire Et Passe in the Hatton’s Grace. He clearly goes well fresh which is why Gordon Elliott has held him back since, but I think he’s one of a handful of horses that can win this race and seeing as he’s the shortest price of the lot of them, I’ll be taking him on.

Matt Brocklebank: I'm not convinced he is in truth. He's been very consistent over the past couple of seasons but hasn't stood much racing and seems to be at his best when the ground is completely bottom, which might not be the case next week. Crambo is a very smart horse but at bigger prices the likes of Buddy One, Sire Du Berlais and even Champ have live each-way claims on various pieces of form.

David Ord: Will 'yes' suffice? Things didn't fall right for him in the race last year but he came home best of all to finish third behind Sire Du Berlais. Teahupoo is still only seven, was very good when beating Impaire Et Passe on his return in the Hatton's Grace and potential dark horses or improvers in against him are very thin on the ground.

Tony McFadden: There are a lot of failed chasers or old-timers in the Stayers' Hurdle line-up but Teahupoo has a much more appealing profile being a seven-year-old seemingly at the peak of his powers. Impaire et Passe's reputation has been dented since Teahupoo inflicted his first defeat in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in December. However, that was still a high-class effort from Teahupoo and represented an improvement on the sort of form he showed last season when his efforts included a close-up third in the Stayers' Hurdle. It's possible that the ground at Cheltenham on Thursday will not be as soft as ideal for Teahupoo, who revels in the mud, and with that in mind it's hard to get excited by prices around the 2/1 mark. However, assuming stablemate Irish Point goes for the Champion Hurdle, I'm struggling to make a case for any of his rivals. On balance I'd rather be with him rather than against.

The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle could be the race of the day… who are you siding with?

Ben Linfoot: I don’t think it’s coincidence that the last two winners of this race won their previous contest over 2m4f and with cut in the ground on the New Course over 2m1f stamina could well be the order of the day once again. With that in mind I think it’s all set up for Brighterdaysahead to start to fulfil her enormous potential as she looks a very exciting prospect indeed.

Matt Brocklebank: It won't be the first time you've heard or read this but Brighterdaysahead is quite well regarded by Gordon Elliott and the team... In all seriousness, she's looked out of the top drawer to this point and while a longer trip and bad ground might be ideal in a perfect world, she could simply be too good for them. At a massive price, Iris Emery was actually sent off favourite to beat Brighterdaysahead in a Gowran maiden last February and she may be the forgotten horse if coming over rather than heading for Fairyhouse later in the month.

David Ord: A genuinely fascinating race. Dysart Enos has been cleverly campaigned to avoid picking up a penalty, has track knowhow and a progressive profile. She's bang in the mix along, obviously, alongside Brighterdaysahead who impressed with how she went through the race and jumped in beating Pastorale at Thurles last time. But guess what, we have a big player from the Mullins yard too in Jade De Grugy and the way she won at Leopardstown over Christmas and then the Solerina at Fairyhouse in late January suggested she's a potential top-notcher. She travels sweetly and quickens off that high cruising speed and can edge a tremendous contest.

Tony McFadden: It was hard to tell exactly what Jade De Grugy achieved when bolting up on her first start for Willie Mullins at Leopardstown over Christmas but there was a lot more substance to her latest performance in the Grade 3 Solerina Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Jade De Grugy was up against some promising mares with fairly useful form already in the book, but she proved in a different league to her rivals, quickening up sharply before the last to draw six and a half lengths clear. There are a handful of exciting prospects in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle but Jade De Grugy has left the biggest impression on me.

Who is your handicap hero on day three?

Ben Linfoot: Gordon Elliott again and his Cool Survivor in the Kim Muir. The key to this horse is stepping up in trip to 3m2f. He improved significantly when stepped up to three miles over hurdles and he’s qualified for his handicap chases by running over shorter trips behind the likes of Quilixios (who he ran within a neck), Gaelic Warrior and Embassy Gardens. He shaped with promise in a 2m5f handicap chase at the DRF and he’s expected to be a different beast over 3m2f.

Matt Brocklebank: A lot will depend on the ground and if it's dried up a bit by Thursday, Judicial Law will almost certainly be on my shortlist for the Pertemps Final. He's a 33/1 shot at the time of writing but shouldn't be that big based on his course and distance second to Hyland in October, and he's found the testing conditions against him in two starts since.

David Ord: I'm very sweet on Cleatus Poolaw in the Pertemps Final. Gordon Elliott left it late to qualify him but duly achieved the feat when he chased home Noble Birth at Naas last month. He's completely unexposed as a stayer, that was his first run in a handicap, and even a rise of nine pounds gives a bit of wiggle room, especially with the longer trip and stronger gallop both certain to suit next week.

Tony McFadden: The Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase invariably offers strong form and the latest renewal has already started to work out well, with the fourth and sixth home both winning next time out, while the fifth was then placed in a valuable handicap. Theatre Man was no match for Ginny's Destiny, who is bound for the Grade 1 Turners Novices' Chase, but he kept on powerfully up the hill in second, leaving the impression that he's a well-handicapper chaser with more still to offer after only three starts over fences. He's the one for me in the Plate.

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