Cheltenham Festival LIVE: Latest updates, racecards and results from Day Three as Sir Alex Ferguson has a handful of runners for St Patrick’s Day Thursday including a defending champion

Firefox – J. W Kennedy – 4/1

Nurburgring – J. J Slevin – 15/2

Sprinwell Bay – Jonjo O’Neill Jr – 7/1

Asian Master – Thomas Costello – 6/1

Caldwell Potter – Harry Cobden – 5/1

Pic Roc – Ben Jones – 10/1

Lord Of Thunder – Brendan Powell – 12/1

Answer To Kayf – J. P Shinnick – 9/1

Moon Dorange – Sean Bowen – 12/1

Whats Up Darling – Sam Ewing – 22/1

Insurrection – Jonathan Burke – 25/1

San Salvador – Richard Deegan – 50/1

Densworth – Callum Pritchard – 40/1

Es Perfecto – Tom Bellamy – 40/1

Shanbally Kid – B. Hayes – 66/1

Dee Capo – Danny Gilligan – 50/1

Odds courtesy of Paddy Power correct at the time of publication

1. Air Of Entitlement
2. Sixandahalf
3. Diva Luna

Delighted. She was brilliant, Rachael was brilliant on her, it’s nice to get a winner.

I thought we were struggling, and just coming to the last she lengthened, and Rachael’s done a great job.

We love having winners here. It’s so hard, but it’s great to be here.

It’s a magical place to be up here. She did it really well, she came through the race lovely, and I just want to dedicate this to my cousin Robert Blackmore. He passed away at the weekend, and his funeral is today. So I dedicate this to him.

We have had a quieter two days, walking home on Tuesday I feel like I’ve been spoilt the last couple of days. But Henry does such an incredible job here, they all run above themselves.

Sixandahalf battled manfully, but here comes Rachael Blackmore on Air of Entitlement, swooping past Diva Luna and then sticking her neck just in front to streak past the post.

The favourite is leading over Diva Luna and Air of Entitlement and it’s a huge jump to bear down on the post….

Brendas Asking still leads by a length as Karamoja plots a route forward over the penultimate hurdle.

Here comes Sixandahalf who has bided her time but looks strong now.

Hollygrove Cha Cha is proving a tricky companion for Aurora Vega, who is struggling to get past her.

Diva Luna still on Brendas Asking’s tail as they head towards the third-last.

Third place is Karamoja, and then Karoline Banbou.

… and will struggle to make up ground after a disaster start.

Brendas Asking leads over the second, trailed by Diva Luna, with Maughreen the far-off trailer, as the pack winds past the grandstand.

The Mares Novices’ Hurdle – and Day Three – is underway on the New Course.

A slightly tetchy start, after a lot of incredibly messy attempts yesterday.

… and certainly not on St Patrick’s Thursday. The Irish trainer is leading the pack with five winners at the Festival so far, with his closest competitors all tied with one apiece.

Just the seven runners in the opening race could see him start today on the right foot.

Aurora Vega, out of Quevega, who won the Mares’ Hurdle a record six times in a row, features in the opening race.

She looks exceptional, I must say. And enticing at 8/1.

Everyone dreams of it happening, but how often do horses with long odds make those dreams come true?

The good people at GG have crunched the numbers on the longest-odds winners in the history of the Festival.

Who says lightning doesn’t strike twice…

With just under 20 minutes to go until the third day is underway, here’s who you should be keeping an eye on in the curtain-raiser.

Sixandahalf – Keith Donoghue – 9/4

Galileo Dame – J. J Slevin – 7/2

Karoline Banbou – M. P Walsh – 7/1

Aurora Vega – P. Townend – 8/1

Jubilee Alpha – Harry Cobden – 15/2

Maughreen – P. W Mullins – 15/2

Diva Luna – Ben Jones – 12/1

Bluey – Harry Skelton – 16/1

Just A Rose – Freddie Gingell – 25/1

Air of Entitlement – Rachael Blackmore – 20/1

Hollygrove Cha Cha – Gavin Sheehan – 30/1

Venusienne – J. B Hayes – 50/1

Kimi De Mai – S. F O’Keefe – 70/1

Magic McColgan – D. E Mullins – 50/1

Jane Eire – Sean Bowen – 35/1

Disco Dancer – Danny Gilligan – 110/1

Karamoja – J. W Kennedy – 80/1

Mystical Goddess – D. J O’Keeffe – 110/1

Queenie St Clair – Sean Flanagan – 90/1

Tour Ovalie – Isabel Williams – 90/1

Brendas Asking – Tom Bellamy – 150/1

Metkayina – Jonathan Burke – 35/1

Kitty Foyle – Harry Reed – 250/1

Lagertha – Shane Fitzgerald – 200/1

Odds courtesy of Paddy Power correct at the time of publication

As Paddy Power, of Paddy Power fame, reveals that he’s made an intriguing bet with Peter Crouch.

We were going to have a bet for a pint of Guinness, but I thought to make it interesting, what about a pint for everyone in the Guinness village?

After the Stayers’ Hurdle, if an English horse wins, I’m buying the pints, and if an Irish horse wins, Crouchy’s buying the pints.

I think the word at 4.10pm will be ‘slainte’.

Marcus Townend fancies SIXANDAHALF trained by Gavin Cromwel to take the opening victory in the The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

The drying ground sways the decision in favour of SIXANDAHALF, a winner on the Flat at Newmarket last summer.

Her jumping was quick and accurate in a victory at Fairyhouse in January, when the re-opposing Kimi De Mai was third.

Galileo Dame, who gets an age weight allowance, also has fair Flat form. Her second in the Grade One juvenile hurdle at Leopardstown puts her bang in the hunt, although she would be more fancied on softer ground.

Maughreen and Aurora Vega hold claims but their stable’s best chance may be Karoline Banbou, who improved massively last time when winning at Fairyhouse.

Jubilee Alpha’s two wins came at the expense of Bluey and Hollygrove Cha Cha but trainer Paul Nicholls also rates stablemate Just A Rose highly.

SELECTION: SIXANDAHALF…………………………..10-3

MAIN DANGER: GALILEO DAME……………………….9-2

LIVE OUTSIDER: JUST A ROSE………………………..20-1

Yesterday, Wednesday, March 12 recorded the smallest Cheltenham festival crowd since 1993, with 41,949 spectators present at the Gloucestershire racecourse.

It was drop of nealry 5,000 from the previous year.

So wear are festival goers heading instead???

Somwhere with better sun and cheaper pints.

A major reasoning for the Irish taking the lead in the Prestbury Cup yesterday was thanks to wIns from Marine National and Jazzy Matty who stormed to victory in the Champion Chase and Grand Annual respectively.

The two horses previously ridden by the hugely young jockey Michael O’Sullivan who sadly passed away this year, defied the odds to create emotional scenes at Cheltenham once again.

No more so than when O’Sullivan’s late partner Charlotte Giles was embraced by Queen Camilla as the two met on Day Two.

Speaking on Marine Nationale’s win yesterday Giles said O’Sullivan was with him ‘every step of the way’ during his Champion Chase success.

Quite fitting that the Irish hold the lead heading into St Patrick’s Day Thursday.

Following the conclusion of Day Two, the scoreboard showed as 9-5.

The Irish got quite the scare yesterday, when wins from the yards of Nicky Henderson, Rebecca Curtis, Jeremy Scott, and Lucinda Russell gave the hosts the lead heading into Day Two.

But alas normal service has resumed.

We are now up to five non-runners across the seven racescrads today, including Langer Dan and Monmiral’s exit from the Stayers’ Hurdle mentioned earlier.

It is worth keeping a close eye on the Strayer’ Hurdle throughout the day as Jack Kennedy also needs to get the clear from the doctor before he rides the favourite Teahupoo.

• 2:00pm: 19 Ryan’s Rocket
• 4:00pm: 8 Langer Dan, 10 Monmiral
• 4:40: 19 Lord Of Thunder
• 5:20pm: 15 Where It All Began

Danny Dyer, Peter Crouch and Georgia Toffolo have all shown up for Day Three of the festival.

Toffolo even dresses on theme for day, wearing a gorgeous green jacket.

Royalists may recognise the jumper she is sporting underneath her jacket. The striking red jumper with sheeps dotted all over was infamously worn by Princess Diana

Grade One and Cheltenham Festival winning jockey Lizzie Kelly is back to take you through the seven races on day three.

Kelly has decided to take on heavy favourite Fact To File in the Ryanair but has she stuck with the well-backed Teahupoo in the feature?

You’ll have to watch to find out…

Although Sir Alex Ferguson’s Cheltenham winner from last year, Monmiral, was declared a non-runner for the Stayers’ Hurdle, the legendary Man United boss has the opportunity to claim three wins in the West Country this afternoon.

The first comes in the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, Caldwell Potter, before Protektorat looks to retain the Ryanair Chase at 3.20pm

Il Ridoto, in the Plate Handicap Chase, rounds out the day.

But this isn’t Ferguson’s first trip to Prestbury Park this year – watch how he was sought out by grateful fans yesterday…

Stop right there – don’t even think about making your selections for Day Three without having a pick of the collective brains of Mail Sport’s crack tipsters.

I’ve helpfully linked these, below.

Willie Mullins and JP McManus – there hardly seems a more Cheltenham combination of owner and trainer going. And today’s pick of the bunch from the dream team is Ryanair Chase favourite Fact To File.

The eight-year-old won the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase last year – and looks hotly tipped to make the step up today.

On that subject, Thursday is not without the chance for a similar narrative, as O’Sullivan’s brother Alan is set to make his Cheltenham debut in the Kim Muir with Walking On Air.

The eight-year-old has been well backed on Paddy Power, with the odds 9/2 before the start of raceday.

Alan was at the Festival at the start of the week, alongside O’Sullivan’s girlfriend Charlotte Giles, to watch the curtain-raiser, named in his late brother’s honour.

Wednesday afternoon saw a hugely special moment as two of the late Michael O’Sullivan’s former rides – Marine Nationale and Jazzy Matty – claimed back-to-back winners less than one month after the jockey’s tragic death.

Here, Mail Sport’s DOMINIC KING assesses yet another magical Cheltenham moment.

The Gordon Elliott-trained horse was pulled up during the Cross Country Chase and was later assessed by course vets. The good news at the time was that he had walked into the ambulance from the course – but now there’s a better one from County Meath.

Like clockwork, I’m here to deliver today’s edition of Cheltenham Breakfast, brought to you by Mail Sport’s DOMINIC KING and poised to offer the perfect primer to Day Three of this year’s event.

Why not have a browse, below.

A real shame for a Cheltenham crowd favourite, but as trainer Dan Skelton explains, the yard had no choice but to look out for his best interests.

He had a slightly dirty nose and we had the vet look at him. There’s a bit of mucus in his track wash, which is a test of his airway, and unfortunately there’s too much.

He’s going to have to not run today. It’s very disappointing that we can’t go there, he’s a horse that’s turned up every year since he was four years. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get to go and perform today.

He should go to Aintree. This shouldn’t take long to clear up – it’s just bad timing.

It was a beautiful morning for those out on the gallops at sun-up this morning, in marked contrast to yesterday’s altogether more wintry scene.

But that’s not to say we’re in for a totally serene day – there’s the threat of scattered showers around 2pm and more drizzle towards the end of the day.

However, Clerk of the Course Jon Pullin informs us that there’s no change in the going yet: it’s good to soft.

Hello and welcome to Mail Sport’s live coverage of Day Three of Cheltenham Festival – as you might be able to tell from my greeting, things take on an Irish tinge today, St Patrick’s Thursday.

Thursday also sees us spoilt for choice, with not one, but two feature races to keep an eye on amid a sea of competitive action. The first, at 3.20pm, will see Sir Alex Ferguson’s Protektorat try and retain his crown in the Ryanair Chase. Then, at 4pm, the Stayers’ Hurdle, with Gordon Elliott-trained Teahupoo the pick of an extremely distinguished field.

With just under two hours to go until the first horses set off at Prestbury Park, let’s get underway, shall we?