Paul Nicholls Cheltenham Day 3: Ginny's Destiny looks very fit and well ahead of Plate Handicap Chase

Cheltenham Day 3 Superboost

Last year's Brown Advisory Novices' Chase winner Fact To File is back in action on Thursday looking to make it back-to-back wins at the Cheltenham Festival and Betfair have a very generous Superboost on him to win the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at 15:20 on Thursday!

You can back him at the super-boosted price of 11/43.75  from 11/82.38 to win the fourth race on the card on Day 3. To take advantage, just click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

*Please note. This superboost is provided by the Betfair Sportsbook and not by any of our tipsters or writers. You can read about all of Betfair's offer on every day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival right here.

Watch Paul Nicholls discuss his runners on Thursday...

Betfair ambassador @PFNicholls chats to @BetfairBarry ahead of a busy day for the yard on Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival. pic.twitter.com/ZJcp9yiYAl

-- Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) March 12, 2025

Racing... Only Bettor. Cheltenham Day 3. Watch Now!

13:20 Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle - Jubilee Alpha

We run two lovely fillies in this. They work together daily and both have nice chances. Jubilee Alpha was unlucky not to win on her first start over hurdles at Newbury, has since twice won impressively and her form has worked our very well. She has more natural speed than Just A Rose.

13:20 Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurlde - Just A Rose

She lacks a bit of experience because she has had only had one run over hurdles when she hacked up by 26 at Taunton where Freddie Gingell had a job to pull her up afterwards. Ideally, I'd like to have given her a second run before Cheltenham but she did a pleasing piece of work two weeks ago, is in top form and stays well.

14:00 Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase - Caldwell Potter

Things haven't gone to plan for Caldwell Potter so far this season but there is a lot more to come from him and his form is solid. I ran him too soon at Cheltenham after his impressive debut over fences at Carlisle and last time he wasn't suited by the tight track at Windsor. He will enjoy returning to two-and-a-half miles and is bouncing at the moment but I just hope the ground doesn't dry up too much for him.

14:00 Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase - Insurrection

He was raised 9lbs for winning tidily at Musselburgh last time which makes life very difficult for him now but he should give his enthusiastic owners a great day out.

14:40 The Pertemps - Henri The Second

He is a proper mudlark so drying ground is a concern for him. He was raised 8lbs for winning with his head in his chest at Sandown and went up a further 1lb after finishing second at the same track next time. He's in good order and will be finishing strongly up the hill.

16:00 The Stayers' Hurdle - Monmiral

He was the star of the show for us on this day last year when he won the Pertemps Final. He's been running very well in top company this season, finishing second in Grade 2 races at Newbury and then Cheltenham. He deserves a shot at this race now rather than carry 12 stone in the Pertemps. The Stayers' looks an open race, although he would prefer softer ground than he is likely to find on Thursday. 

16:40 The Plate - Ginny's Destiny 

He had a cracking first season over fences, winning three times at Cheltenham and was the only one to give Grey Dawning a race in the Turners at the Festival. Looking back he had some hard races which perhaps took their toll because he has been disappointing so far this winter. But the handicapper has dropped him a few pounds and given him a chance.

I am looking for better now from Ginny's Destiny. He worked beautifully on an away day earlier this month, seems to have turned a corner and looks very fit and well.  

16:40 The Plate - Tahmuras

He has been a little bit disappointing so far this season and could do with some help from the handicapper. He is back to two-and-a-half miles now as he hasn't seemed to quite get the trip over three miles. While he likes going left-handed I'd say he does have a lot to do. 

16:40 The Plate - Il Ridoto

He is a standing dish in these races at this distance at Cheltenham and absolutely loves the track as he showed when winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November. The handicapper then had his say but Il Ridoto is nice and fresh and we are putting blinkers on him for the first time to try to bring out a bit more improvement. Drying ground will be in his favour. 

17:20 The Kim Muir Challenge Cup - Gelino Bello 

A former Grade 1 winner he was off for 698 days with injury and ran alright first time back before disappointing last time at Sandown when carrying 12 stone in heavy ground. So you can put a line through that run and he should give my daughter Olive a nice ride. 

Paul's best Cheltenham chance on Thursday - Jubilee Alpha: "She's very smart and has an obvious chance."

Timeform Verdict:  Paul's best chance on day three is...

13:20 Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle - Jubilee Alpha

There's a maximum field of 24 in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle and plenty are in with a chance, including Jubilee Alpha who looks the best of those trained in Britain.

Jubilee Alpha showed ability in bumpers, notably finishing runner-up in the Grade 2 Nickel Coin at Aintree, and she has taken well to hurdling. A lack of experience seemed to catch her out when third on her hurdling debut at Newbury but she built on that to decisively win a listed race at Taunton and was also well on top when defying a penalty at Windsor.

She features prominently on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings, behind only Galileo Dame and Sixandahalf, and is going the right way.

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