Free racing tips: Best bets for Cheltenham Festival day three
Simon Holt has enjoyed a fabulous 2022 and he's chasing more big-priced winners on day three of the Cheltenham Festival including Imperial Alcazar.
- Simon Holt has tipped several big-priced winners this year and was +33.5pts from January 1-March 1
Racing betting tips: Thursday March 17
1pt win Sassy Yet Classy in 2.10 Cheltenham at 12/1 (General)
1pt win Saint Calvados in 2.50 Cheltenham at 25/1 (General)
1pt win Thyme Hill in 3.30 Cheltenham at 9/2 (General)
1pt win Imperial Alcazar in 4.10 Cheltenham at 6/1 (General)
Thursday's Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle on day three of the Cheltenham Festival is a tight affair with three previous winners - Paisley Park, Lisnagar Oscar and Flooring Porter - taking on a revitalised Champ and the ultra-tough THYME HILL.
We are probably talking small margins but the latter hails from a yard which has struck form at the right time and, if any horse deserves a really big day, it is Tom O'Brien's mount who has been narrowly beaten in the last two runnings of the Long Walk Hurdle by Paisley Park and Champ, and then missed this race last year due to a late setback.
Following a below-par effort at Auteuil back in early November, Thyme Hill battled home in tremendous style at Ascot after Champ had turned for home on the bridle and, when beaten by Paisley Park a year earlier, he was literally pipped on the post.
Whereas Champ didn't seem to travel so well when beaten by Paisley Park in the Cleeve Hurdle here last time, the selection has been kept fresh and it is worth noting he has won first time out three times during his career.
The many fans of Paisley Park will have their hearts in their mouths when the now 10-year-old lines up at the start as he looked distinctly quirky here last time, lost ground but then produced his trademark finishing effort to much post-race acclaim.
Overall, he has become a bit less predictable than when successful here in 2019 and could finish only third behind Flooring Porter and Sire Du Berlais 12 months ago.
With Champ and Thyme Hill amongst Flooring Porter’s rivals now, this renewal looks slightly stronger though the defending champion ran very well in the circumstances at Leopardstown in December when getting to within two lengths of Klassical Dream (disappointing since) who obtained a big advantage at the start.
Earlier, the aforementioned Sire Du Berlais takes a drop in class this year when bidding to win a third Pertemps Network Final and, after qualifying at Warwick, he should again go close with trainer Gordon Elliott choosing a top amateur to take off 7lb.
However, Elliott has other strings to his bow in this always competitive contest and SASSY YET CLASSY, the mount of Davy Russell, is potentially the most interesting.
This eight-year-old mare has shown improved form this season, beating 19 others at Punchestown (3m) in November and really caught the eye dropped to two-and-a-half miles at Navan in December when producing a tremendous flourish from the rear to go under by a neck to another progressive type in Futurum Regum.
Despite coming from way back, Sassy Yet Classy travelled strongly throughout that day and looks sure to run well here over a more suitable trip.
Later on, it's difficult to think why IMPERIAL ALCAZAR won't take some beating in the Craft Irish Whisky Co. Plate Handicap Chase after a hugely impressive course and distance win at the end of January when slamming Beakstown and subsequent winner Java Point.
Fergal O'Brien's charge was well fancied for the Pertemps here last year after winning the Warwick qualifier but had excuses after being badly struck into.
Switched to fences this term, he ran a good second to Pats Fancy at Chepstow in December before bolting up here, and an 8lb rise may not be enough to stop him following up.
Finally, I should mention that SAINT CALVADOS was my ante-post fancy for the Ryanair Chase after his narrow defeat by Min in this race two years ago when forced to switch on the run-in.
An earlier close second under a big weight at Cheltenham also showed that the French import (then trained by Harry Whittington) has a liking for the course and two bold efforts in successive King Georges when looking a non-stayer on each occasion supports the view that this race is ideal.
Unfortunately, Saint Calvados burst a blood vessel when well beaten at Ascot last time but it is significant that his new trainer Paul Nicholls is still running him and, while last year's winner Allaho may be hard to beat, his odds now are somewhat disrespectful.
Posted at 1710 GMT on 16/03/22
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