Prepare for Cheltenham day three betting with this informative preview  Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest racing events on the calendar, and there are thousands of people who attend the horse racing event, with millions more watching on television, streaming, and checking the results having placed their bets. By the time we get to day three, the festival is in full swing and there are so many eyeballs on the races, some of which are very high profile.

In this guide, we’re providing a preview to the Cheltenham festival and some information on Cheltenham day three betting so that people can be prepared for the event and informed about the form and other aspects that may affect the outcome and their betting.

Cheltenham Day Three

Cheltenham Festival dates back to the 1800s and has a rich and long history of drawing massive crowds. It is up there with events at Epsom and the Grand National, but the Festival itself has become a thing people attend for multiple days. It has created a boom for the economy in the local area as well as being big for the horse racing industry.

Stayers’ Hurdle

The Stayers’ Hurdle is one of the biggest races in the whole event and serves as a big highlight, providing a potential opportunity for the trainers and jockeys to make good money and create a name for themselves. In 2023, Sire Du Berlais won the event, trained by Gordon Elliott.

This is what is referred to as the “feature race” on the day. The Stayers’ Hurdle has some rules, and it is open to horses that are four years old or above. It takes place on the New Course at Cheltenham and is run over a distance of three miles or thereabouts (2 miles 7 furlongs and 213 yards, or 4,785 metres), plus there are twelve hurdles to be jumped.

In the National Hunt calendar this race is one of the highest profile and it is a leading long-distance hurdle event, of which there aren’t too many.

This event, one of the highlights of the festival, will see a lot of money staked. Last year, there was a big underdog that won, Sire Du Berlais managed to win in spite of being 11 years old, much older than most of the winners.

Eight out of nine winners in recent years have been aged either six or seven, so a lot of people tend to look at this when they are choosing which horse to back.

This is also a race where there are often repeat winners, so there are many who are likely to back previous winners. Teahupoo is another horse trained by Gordon Elliott and is seven years of age, finishing third in last year’s race but looking like it could be a force for the 2024 event. To show what a hugely important race this is for the trainers, there is a prize fund of £325,000 and the winner gets almost £183,000.

Of course, there are plenty of other events on day three at Cheltenham.

The races are:

  • The Turners Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)

  • The Pertemps Network Final (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Listed)

  • The Ryanair Steeple Chase (Grade 1)

  • The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

  • The Trust A Trader Plate (A Handicap Steeple Chase) (Premier Handicap)

  • The Ryanair Mares Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)

  • The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup (Sponsored by The JRL Group)

This means that there are plenty of races all with their own sets of runners and rules, so people can do a lot of research on the form before getting started.

Choosing the Right Gambling Company (and Promotions)

When it comes to Cheltenham, there are a lot of different gambling companies and apps trying to get players’ attention, and this means that there are a lot of different promotions too. Players should be on the lookout for the top promotions as well as the top gambling apps.

When choosing an app or gambling site to sign up and place bets for, there are multiple considerations:

  • Trust. Is this a reputable company with a good track record of providing betting services? Sites like Trustpilot can help people to work out whether or not a company has a strong track record.

  • Ease of use. Do they have an app or mobile site that is simple to sign up and use?

  • Coverage. Do they cover a lot of events? What is it like in terms of horse racing, and specifically day three of Cheltenham?

  • Odds. Companies have competitive odds and this means that there is a lot of movement and sometimes even promotions related to the odds.

  • Markets. Some even have special markets relating to trainers or jockeys within the Cheltenham festival.

Promotions and bonuses are another thing players should definitely be aware of. For this Cheltenham festival, there are quite a few:

  • Ladbrokes are offering a promotion where players can bet £5 on the festival and get £20 in free bets.

  • Bet365 has a similar promotion where players can bet £10 and get £30 in free bets.

  • The relative newcomer Talksport Bet has an option for players where they can access a free bet on every race throughout the Cheltenham festival.

Always read the terms and conditions, some betting promotions are open to new customers while some are for existing customers too. Cheltenham is definitely a time when we see a lot of different promotions taking place and companies trying to appeal to players in new ways.

Gamble Responsibly

Of course, it is crucial that we have a guide in place for gambling responsibly. Players should only ever bet what they can afford to lose and ensure that they don’t bet when feeling angry or frustrated. Never chase losses, and ensure that you use the tools from gambling companies, such as the time out features, if you feel like things are getting out of control.

There are support organisations for gambling responsibly, available to those who are struggling.