As the Cheltenham Festival keeps unfolding on the tracks at Prestbury Park, Cheltenham Thursday steps into its reign. The third day of the Festival delivers on the first-rate racing action and participation of outstanding runners, skilled jockeys, and some of the best trainers in the world of National Hunt horse racing.
In this article you will find all the information on what to expect on Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival, what races are held on this day, and review in detail its race cards.
What Is Cheltenham Day 3?
Cheltenham Day 3 typically falls on a Thursday and is the third day of the Cheltenham Festival. Continuing the breathtaking action on the tracks, it hosts a number of highly anticipated races, including several competitive handicaps and not one but two prestigious championship races, namely the Stayers’ Hurdle Race and the Festival Trophy (the Ryanair Chase).
Known also as St. Patrick’s Thursday, this day celebrates all things Irish on and off the tracks, and you can feel a very special cheer in the air. Oftentimes, Irish racing fans appear on the rafts in green and gold attire to support the Irish spirit.
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Cheltenham Thursday Races & Runners
The following are the races that will be conducted on Thursday, 12 March. Below you can find Cheltenham Day 3 runners for all the racess.
Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
The Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race that accepts fillies and mares aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong (2 miles and 179 yards, or 3,382 metres) and includes 8 hurdles to be jumped. It was introduced to the Cheltenham Festival in 2016 and accepts novice hurdlers. You can also check the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle odds.
The declared runners for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, subject to any late non-runners, are as follows:
- Al Fonce (age 5, jockey Jordan Gainford, trainer Noel & Amanda Zetterholm)
- Amen Kate (age 6, jockey Jack Kennedy, trainer Thomas Cooper)
- Bambino Fever (age 6, jockey Paul Townend, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Blue Velvet (age 6, jockey Sean O’Keeffe, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Carrigmoornaspruce (age 6, jockey James Bowen, trainer Declan Queally)
- Chosen Comrade (age 5, jockey Sam Ewing, trainer Peter Fahey)
- Diamond Du Berlais (age 5, jockey Patrick Mullins, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Echoing Silence (age 6, jockey Darragh O’Keeffe, trainer Henry De Bromhead)
- Full Of Life (age 7, jockey Mike O’Connor, trainer Henry De Bromhead)
- Future Prospect (age 6, jockey Harry Cobden, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Jackie Hobbs (age 6, jockey Paul O’Brien, trainer Harry Derham)
- Kingston Queen (age 6, jockey Jack Tudor, trainer David Pipe)
- La Conquiere (age 7, jockey Gavin Sheehan, trainer Jamie Snowden)
- Louve d’Irlande (age 5, jockey Conor Stone-Walsh, trainer Paul Nolan)
- Oldschool Outlaw (age 6, jockey Mark Walsh, trainer Gordon Elliott)
- Place De La Nation (age 5, jockey Danny Gilligan, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Scavengers Reign (age 6, jockey Sam Twiston-Davies, trainer James Owen)
- St Irene (age 6, jockey Jack Quinlan, trainer Nick Scholfield)
- White Noise (age 6, jockey Thomas Bellamy, trainer Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls)
- Charme De Faust (age 4, jockey Danny Mullins, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Manganese (age 4, jockey David Bass, trainer Max Comley)
- Mille Et Une Vies (age 4, jockey Harry Skelton, trainer Dan Skelton)
Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
The Golden Miller Novices’ Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt limited handicap chase that accepts both male and female horses aged five years or older. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 1/2 furlongs (2 miles 4 furlongs and 127 yards, or 4,139 metres) and includes 17 fences to be jumped. Another relatively new addition to the Cheltenham Festival, it was established in 2011.
The declared runners for the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, subject to any late non-runners, are as follows:
- Gold Dancer (age 7, jockey Anna McGuinness, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Sixmilebridge (age 7, jockey Kielan Woods, trainer Fergal O’Brien)
- Slade Steel (age 8, jockey Darragh O’Keeffe, trainer Henry De Bromhead)
- Regent’s Stroll (age 7, jockey Harry Cobden, trainer Paul Nicholls)
- Ol Man Dingle (age 7, jockey Ricky Doyle, trainer Eoin Griffin)
- King Alexander (age 8, jockey Danny Mullins, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Wingmen (age 8, jockey Jack Kennedy, trainer Gordon Elliott)
- Kiss Will (age 6, jockey James Joseph Slevin, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Moon Rocket (age 6, jockey Thomas Bellamy, trainer Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls)
- Jordans Cross (age 6, jockey Sam Twiston-Davies, trainer Anthony Honeyball)
- Meetmebythesea (age 6, jockey Ben Jones, trainer Ben Pauling)
- Intense Approach (age 7, jockey Alex Harvey, trainer John McConnell)
- Stencil (age 5, jockey J J Burke, trainer Noel & Amanda Zetterholm)
- Western Knight (age7, jockey Brendan Powell, trainer Joe Tizzard)
- Old Cowboy (age 6, jockey Freddie Mitchell, trainer Gary & Josh Moore)
- The Bluesman (age 7, jockey Sean Bowen, trainer Olly Murphy)
- Where’s My Jet (age 7, jockey Sean O’Keeffe, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Kdeux Saint Fray (age 6, jockey Rex Dingle, trainer Anthony Honeyball)
- Dr Eggman (age 8, jockey John Shinnick, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Ben Solo (age 7, jockey Brian Hughes, trainer Rebecca Curtis)
Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle
The David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race that accepts mares aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (2 miles, 3 furlongs and 200 yards, or 4,005 metres) and includes 10 hurdles to be jumped. The race’s registered name honours a prominent National Hunt racing persona, David Nicholson, who achieved five victories as a jockey and seventeen as a trainer at the Cheltenham Festival.
The declared runners for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, subject to any late non-runners, are as follows:
- Dream On Baby (age 6, jockey Donagh Meyler, trainer Emmet Mullins)
- Feet Of A Dancer (age 7, jockey Sean O’Keeffe, trainer Paul Nolan)
- Jade De Grugy (age 7, jockey Paul Townend, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Jetara (age 8, jockey Sam Ewing, trainer Jessica Harrington)
- Sunset Marquesa (age 7, jockey Brendan Powell, trainer Joe Tizzard)
- Take No Chances (age 8, jockey Harry Skelton, trainer Dan Skelton)
- Wodhooh (age 6, jockey Jack Kennedy, trainer Gordon Elliott)
Stayers’ Hurdle
The Stayers’ Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race that accepts both male and female horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of about 3 miles (2 miles 7 furlongs and 213 yards, or 4,785 metres) and includes 12 hurdles to be jumped. It proudly carries the title of the leading long-distance hurdle event in Britain’s National Hunt calendar.
The declared runners for the Stayers’ Hurdle, subject to any late non-runners, are as follows:
- Ballyburn (age 8, jockey Paul Townend, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Bob Olinger (age 11, jockey Darragh O’Keeffe, trainer Henry De Bromhead)
- Doddiethegreat (age 10, jockey James Bowen, trainer Nicky Henderson)
- Gwennie May Boy (age 8, jockey Charlie Todd, trainer Christian Williams)
- Hewick (age 11, jockey Paddy Hanlon, trainer John Joseph Hanlon)
- Home By The Lee (age 11, jockey James Joseph Slevin, trainer Joseph O’Brien)
- Honesty Policy (age 6, jockey Mark Walsh, trainer Gordon Elliott)
- Impose Toi (age 8, jockey Nico de Boinville, trainer Nicky Henderson)
- Kabral Du Mathan (age 6, jockey Harry Skelton, trainer Dan Skelton)
- Ma Shantou (age 7, jockey Harry Cobden, trainer Emma Lavelle)
- Teahupoo (age 9, jockey Jack Kennedy, trainer Gordon Elliott)
Ryanair Chase
The Festival Trophy is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase that accepts both male and female horses aged five years or older. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 1/2 furlongs (2 miles 4 furlongs and 127 yards, or 4,139 metres) and includes 17 fences to be jumped. It was added to the Cheltenham Festival in 2005. You can find Ryanair Chase odds here.
The declared runners for the Ryanair Chase, subject to any late non-runners, are as follows:
- Banbridge (age 10, jockey Sean Bowen, trainer Joseph O’Brien)
- Croke Park (age 8, jockey Jack Kennedy, trainer Gordon Elliott)
- Fact To File (age 9, jockey Mark Walsh, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Heart Wood (age 8, jockey Darragh O’Keeffe, trainer Henry De Bromhead)
- Impaire Et Passe (age 8, jockey Paul Townend, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Jonbon (age 10, jockey Nico de Boinville, trainer Nicky Henderson)
- JPR One (age 9, jockey Brendan Powell, trainer Joe Tizzard)
- Master Chewy (age 9, jockey Sam Twiston-Davies, trainer Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies)
- Matata (age 8, jockey James Joseph Slevin, trainer Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies)
Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle
The Pertemps Network Final is a Premier Handicap National Hunt hurdle race that accepts both male and female horses aged five years or older. It is run over a distance of about 3 miles (2 miles 7 furlongs and 213 yards, or 4,785 metres) and includes 12 hurdles to be jumped. To qualify for this race, a horse has to be placed in top four in one of the events from a series of qualifiers conducted within the preceding five months.
The declared runners for the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle, subject to any late non-runners, are as follows:
- Staffordshire Knot (age 8, jockey Jack Kennedy, trainer Gordon Elliott)
- Gowel Road (age 10, jockey Toby McCain-Mitchell, trainer Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies)
- Electric Mason (age 7, jockey Freddie Gordon, trainer Chris Gordon)
- Ace Of Spades (age 7, jockey Kielan Woods, trainer Dan Skelton)
- Minella Sixo (age 7, jockey Sam Ewing, trainer Gordon Elliott)
- Kikijo (age 6, jockey Callum Pritchard, trainer Philip Hobbs & Johnson White)
- Supremely West (age 8, jockey Harry Skelton, trainer Dan Skelton)
- Absolutely Doyen (age 6, jockey Harry Cobden, trainer Paul Nicholls)
- Red Dirt Road (age 9, jockey Jonjo O’Neill Jr., trainer Jonjo & A J O’Neill)
- Classic King (age 8, jockey Ben Jones, trainer Emma Lavelle)
- Lavida Adiva (age 7, jockey Brian Hughes, trainer Ruth Jefferson)
- Ikarak (age 8, jockey Sean Bowen, trainer Olly Murphy)
- Duke Silver (age 6, jockey Hugh Horgan, trainer Joseph O’Brien)
- Yeah Man (age 9, jockey Conor Stone-Walsh, trainer Gavin Cromwell)
- Melbourne Shamrock (age 7, jockey Donagh Meyler, trainer Emmet Mullins)
- Idy Wood (age 8, jockey Gavin Sheehan, trainer Jamie Snowden)
- Letos (age 6, jockey Danny Mullins, trainer Anthony Mullins)
- Champagne Chic (age 6, jockey Lorcan Williams, trainer Jeremy Scott)
- C’est Different (age 6, jockey Dylan Johnston, trainer Sam Thomas)
- Minella Emperor (age 7, jockey Michael O’Neill, trainer Emmet Mullins)
- Bold Endeavour (age 10, jockey James Bowen, trainer Nicky Henderson)
- Onewaywest (age 7, jockey Elliott England, trainer Ben Pauling)
- Idem (age 8, jockey Patrick Wadge, trainer Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore)
- Ike Sport (age 8, jockey Conor O’Farrell, trainer Neil Mulholland)
- Lihyan (age 8, jockey William Maggs, trainer Rebecca Menzies)
- Turndlightsdownlow (age 6, jockey Freddie Keighley, trainer Martin Keighley)
Kim Muir Challenge Cup
The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup is a National Hunt steeplechase that accepts both male and female horses aged five years or older. It is run over a distance of about 3 miles and 2 furlongs (5,230 metres) and includes 21 fences to be jumped. It is run for amateur riders.
The declared runners for the Kim Muir Challenge Cup, subject to any late non-runners, are as follows:
- Jeriko Du Reponet (age 7, jockey Derek O’Connor, trainer Nicky Henderson)
- Monbeg Genius (age 10, jockey J L Scallan, trainer Jonjo & A J O’Neill)
- The Enabler (age 7, jockey Robert James, trainer Gordon Elliott)
- Insurrection (age 9, jockey Gina Andrews, trainer Paul Nicholls)
- Sandor Clegane (age 9, jockey Jack Hendrick, trainer Paul Nolan)
- Il Ridoto (age 9, jockey Olive Nicholls, trainer Paul Nicholls)
- Prends Garde A Toi (age 7, jockey Barry O’Neill, trainer Gordon Elliott)
- Herakles Westwood (age 9, jockey Finian Maguire, trainer Warren Greatrex)
- King’s Threshold (age 9, jockey Harry Swan, trainer Emma Lavelle)
- Weveallbeencaught (age 9, jockey John Barry, trainer Emmet McNamara)
- Waterford Whispers (age 8, jockey Alan O’Sullivan, trainer Henry De Bromhead)
- Uncle Bert (age 9, jockey Amber Jackson-Fennell, trainer Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies)
- Daily Present (age 9, jockey Barry Stone, trainer Paul Nolan)
- Olympic Man (age 9, jockey D Doyle, trainer John McConnell)
- Excello (age 7, jockey Henry Main, trainer Nicky Henderson)
- Glengouly (age 10, jockey Dara McGill, trainer Faye Bramley)
- Road To Home (age 7, jockey Patrick Mullins, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Cave Court (age 9, jockey Oran McGill, trainer Noel Kelly)
- Kim Roque (age 6, jockey John Gleeson, trainer Joseph O’Brien)
- Gericault Roque (age 10, jockey Brian Lawless, trainer David Pipe)
- No Time To Wait (age 8, jockey Joshua Halford, trainer John McConnell)
- Ask Brewster (age 7, jockey Shane Cotter, trainer C Williams)
- Hung Jury (age 11, jockey James King, trainer Martin Keighley)
- Lord Accord (age 11, jockey Noel McParlan, trainer Neil Mulholland)
- J’arrive De L’est (age 7, jockey unconfirmed, trainer Emmet Mullins)
- Hunter Legend (age 9, jockey Lucy Turner, trainer Venetia Williams)
St Patrick’s Thursday Feature Race – Ryanair Chase
The Ryanair Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase that accepts both male and female horses aged five years or older. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 1/2 furlongs (2 miles 4 furlongs and 127 yards, or 4,139 metres) and includes 17 fences to be jumped.
The St. Patrick’s day race is officially registered as the Festival Trophy but is commonly referred to as Ryanair Chase for sponsorship reasons. It was inaugurated in 2005 when the Cheltenham Festival was expanded to include an additional day.
The latest winner of the Festival Trophy race is bay gelding Fact To File who was 8 at the time but celebrated his 9th birthday shortly after. After his first win in 2025, Fact To File has already been declared to take part in this year’s race. The race going community is waiting to see if he can score another win and join the ranks of the horses who won the Festival Trophy more than once.
Fact To File was trained by Willie Mullins and led on the tracks by jockey Mark Walsh. While for Mark this was his first win at the race, Willie Mullins holds the title of the most successful trainer of the Ryanair Chase with 6 wins to his name.
This year the Ryanair Chase is scheduled to start at 4:00 pm on Thursday, 12 March.
Currently, there are 26 runners announced to compete in this year’s race, but this number may change before the day of the race. The jockeys for the race are still awaiting confirmation.
Cheltenham Racecard Thursday
The daily race card for the St. Patrick’s Day of the Cheltenham Festival 2026 is as follows:
Thursday, 12 March
Going: good to soft
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 1:20 pm | THE RYANAIR MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (Grade 2) (Registered as THE DAWN RUN MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | Two miles about one furlong
(2m 179yds) |
4YO+ £105,000.00 |
| 2:00 pm | THE JACK RICHARDS NOVICES’ LIMITED HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (Grade 2) (Registered as The GOLDEN MILLER) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | Two miles about four and a half furlongs
(2m 4f 127yds) |
5YO+ £125,000.00 |
| 2:40 pm | THE CLOSE BROTHERS MARES’ HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (Registered as The DAVID NICHOLSON MARES’ HURDLE) (Grade 1) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | Two miles about four and a half furlongs
(2m 4f 56yds) |
4YO+ £125,000.00 |
| 3:20 pm | THE PADDY POWER STAYERS’ HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (Grade 1) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | About three miles
(2m 7f 213yds) |
4YO+ £325,000.00 |
| 4:00 pm | THE RYANAIR STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (Registered as The FESTIVAL TROPHY) (Grade 1) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | Two miles about four and a half furlongs
(2m 4f 127yds) |
5YO+ £375,000.00 |
| 4:40 pm | THE PERTEMPS NETWORK FINAL HANDICAP HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (PREMIER HANDICAP) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | About three miles
(2m 7f 213yds) |
5YO+ £110,000.00 |
| 5:20 pm | THE ROSCONN GROUP FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR CHALLENGE CUP AMATEUR JOCKEYS’ HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 2) (GBB RACE) (CL 2) | Three miles about two and a half furlongs
(3m 2f 70yds) |
5YO+ £75,000.00 Rating 0-145 |
Cheltenham racecard for Thursday includes information that helps the race goers enhance their experience at the tracks and provides bettors with data for an informed decision before placing a wager at the Cheltenham races.
- Race time: Every race card includes a schedule with the starting time of each race. This way viewers know when the final runners will be declared and how much time trainers have to announce a non-runner.
- Horse number: Numbers attached to the side of the saddle help the horse stay visible to the viewers on the stalls during a fast paced race. They are also helpful for identification when two horses have similar sounding names. Bettors also place bets using these numbers to avoid confusion. However, assignment of the numbers isn’t in any way connected to the odds.
- Jockey: The synergy between the jockey and the horse is one of the essential factors that determines the outcome of the race for each pair. Knowing who will lead the horse on the tracks helps you understand what to expect. It is also useful to browse through the jockey’s recent performance and physical form.
- Trainer: Some trainers have more experience with a certain race or track, which can have a significant influence on the way they prepare the horse for the competition.
- Weight: Weight is vital information on a race card. It is usually displayed in stones and pounds (for example, 9-7, i.e. 9 stones and 7 pounds) next to the horse’s name. This includes the saddle, equipment, the jockey, and if necessary, the additional weight. Knowing a horse’s weight comes in handy during betting because it bears notable impact on how much the horse can accelerate, how it will perform over long distances or in different ground conditions.
- Official rating: While the official rating (OR) reflects the ability level of a horse, it in no way represents how likely it is to win the race. Instead, it is an evaluation of the horse’s previous performance and can change after each race based on how the horse performed. Higher official rating means a better horse. Horses with higher OR are assigned additional weight in correlation of 1 additional pound per 1 OR point.
Cheltenham Day 3 Runners – When Are They Announced?
The initial announcements for the St. Patrick’s Day races were made in the following chronological order:
- Ryanair Chase: January 6, 2026
- Stayers’ Hurdle: January 13, 2026
- Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle: January 13, 2026
- Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle: February 10, 2026
- Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase: February 17, 2026
- Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle: February 17, 2026
- Kim Muir Challenge Cup: February 17, 2026
For large scale events like the Cheltenham Festival, confirmed runners are declared within 48 hours before the start of each race. Any non-runners are announced on the morning of the race. Normally, this can be done up until 1.5 hours before the race starts but in certain conditions trainers are permitted to pull out their charges even after that, for example due to health issues or changes in ground condition.
All these changes play a significant role in how a race will develop and how the odds will form. That’s why every bettor should check the race cards on the morning of the race before making any bets.
What Time Do Cheltenham Thursday Races Start?
The current timeline for the Cheltenham Thursday races is the following:
- Gate opening: 10:30 am
- First race: 1:20 pm
- Headline race: 4:00 pm
- Last race: 5:20 pm
Thursday at Cheltenham Festival – Atmosphere & Highlights
Thursday at Cheltenham Festival celebrates the Irish presence in every possible way. From the green and gold clad viewers to the name of St. Patrick right in the way the third day of the Festival is usually referred to, the passion fills up every aspect of the race.
The day includes several competitive races, and the tension of the mid-week momentum is almost tangible, as the entire Cheltenham Racecourse is getting ready for the culmination of the event on Friday.
Cheltenham Day 3 FAQ
What is Cheltenham Day 3 called?
The third day of the Cheltenham Festival is also known as St Patrick’s Thursday. It is dedicated to the Irish presence at the tracks and celebrates the Irish tradition.
What races are on Cheltenham Thursday?
Cheltenham Thursday includes 7 races. These are: Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, Stayers’ Hurdle, Ryanair Chase, Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle, and Kim Muir Challenge Cup.
What is the main race on St Patrick’s Thursday?
The main race of St. Patrick’s Thursday is the Ryanair Chase, also known as the Festival Trophy. It was included in the Cheltenham Festival schedule in 2005. Another significant race is the Stayer’s Hurdle.
What time does Cheltenham Thursday start?
The gates open at 10:30 am on Thursday, 12 March. The first race will start at 1:20 pm, while the last one will begin at 5:20 pm. Be sure to check the start time before the beginning of the event for any changes.
When is the Cheltenham Thursday racecard released?
The initial announcement happens several weeks in advance, usually in January and February. Confirmed runners are declared within the 48 hour window before the start of the race. Trainers announce non-runners on the morning of the race.
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