Ireland lead Britain 9-5 in the Prestbury Cup after a great day at the Cheltenham Festival yesterday.
Follow all the action from day three as it happens in our liveblog below.
Kerry trainer Thomas Cooper trains the 6/1 favourite D Art D Art with Paul Nolan’s Feet of a Dancer next up at 7/1. There are 24 runners in the race which was won by Monmiral for Paul Nicholls last year.
Harry Cobden went to the front from the start and the €740,000 horse gave him a great spin, making all, jumping like a buck.
It’s an emotional win for connections with one of the horse’s owners John Hales having passed away in January.
Sir Alex Ferguson is part of the ownership group, with the win giving trainer Paul Nicholls his 50th Cheltenham festival winner.
1. Caldwell Potter 7/1
2. Anyway 125/1
3. Moore Park 66/1
4. Nurburgring 9/1
5. Es Perfecto 33/1
Caldwell Potter (13/20 and Springwell Bay (6/1) are next best in the betting, followed by Nurburgring for Joseph O’Brien and JJ Slevin at 8/1.
Dynamic duo Henry De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore after their first win of the week, with Air of Entitlement winning the Ryanair Mares’ Novice’s hurdle, outstaying the favourite Sixandahalf up the home straight.
There was disappointment in the first race for Maughreen backers, with Willie Mullins’ horse getting left at the start.
“I want to dedicate this to my cousin Robert Blackmore, my cousin, who passed away at the weekend. His funeral is today. I want to dedicate this to him,” said the Tipperary woman.
It’s her and Henry De Bromhead’s first win of this year’s festival, and she hailed him for getting the best out of their horses.
“We have had a quieter two days,” Blackmore said.
“Walking home on Tuesday, I felt like I’d been spoiled the last couple of years. Henry just does such an incredible job with them. They all run above themselves.”
“I’m lucky to be on their backs.”
Air of entitlement wins the Ryanair Mares’ Novice’s hurdle at odds of 16/1.
The hot favourite Sixandahalf travelled strongly around the bend and into the last, and looked home and hosed but Air of entitlement outstayed the favourite up the hill, having jumped the last in third place.
It’s Rachael Blackmore’s first win of this year’s festival and she’s just dedicated it to her late cousin, Robert Blackmore.
1. Air of entitlement 16/1
2. Sixandahalf 9/4 fav
3. Diva Luna 12/1
Sixandahalf looks set to go off as the 9/4 favourite with the punters piling on. Galileo Dame is 4/1 with Aurora Vega 7/1.
Cheltenham Day Three: Wayne Bailey’s race-by-race guide to Thursday’s action when a French revolution beckons in the Ryanair
“He had a slightly dirty nose. I’ve made him a non-runner because there was a bit of mucus in his tracheal wash. It’s very disappointing we can’t go there…He will go to Aintree with a bit of luck.”
Gavin Cromwell’s Sixandahalf is the 5/2 jolly with Joseph O’Brien Galileo Dame next up at 4/1. Golden Ace won this race last year, before going onto take the Champion Hurdle 12 months on.
O’Brien and Cromwell are both looking to land their second winners of this year’s festival, with Willie Mullins saddling Maughreen and Aurora Vega in the race.
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