Our form expert has four selections for the third day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
The Verdict: Thursday March 13
0.5pts e.w. Es Perfecto in 2.00 Cheltenham at 33/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4,5 General)
0.5pts e.w. Idem in 2.40 Cheltenham at 40/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6 General)
1pt win Lucky Place in 4.00 Cheltenham at 7/1 (General)
1pt win Path d’Oroux in 4.40 Cheltenham at 14/1 (General)
Be Lucky in the Stayers’
Just the 135 horses running on day three of the Cheltenham Festival and 14 of them go in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle where Teahupoo is a strong favourite to retain his title for Gordon Elliott.
However, ground conditions are very different this year and they do ask a new question of him, so I’m keen to take him on even if the division is more than a bit muddling.
You could make cases for Bob Olinger who is three from three at Cheltenham, Langer Dan who is twice a Festival winner and Mystical Power who was a good second in last year’s Supreme, but all three also come with various wealth warnings.
If any of that trio were to win I wouldn’t be surprised, but I don’t think an average gallop would particularly suit any of them and I can’t see an awful lot of pace in this.
Gowel Road could go forward just like he did when winning the Cleeve, but he would be a surprising winner and I much prefer the claims of Nicky Henderson’s LUCKY PLACE who beat Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse cosily in the Relkeel on New Year’s Day.
Even if she was a fortunate winner that form was boosted by Golden Ace in the Champion Hurdle and Lucky Place gave her 10lb and Gowel Road 6lb that day, while he was more comfortable than a three-quarter-length winning distance suggests.
The way he was going away again at the line on soft ground suggests three miles will be within his range and his half-brother Ultra Lucky stayed three miles in , so there could well be improvement to come now he goes up in trip.
With three very solid bits of Cheltenham form to his name we know he acts well on the track and better ground is no problem to him, while I think Nico de Boinville will be well positioned towards the front end.
His gears for 2m4f could well be a defining factor and while he’s hardly been forgotten about in the market odds of 7/1 look very fair.
The Verdict: Back LUCKY PLACE in the 4.00 Cheltenham
Go down the right Path in the Plate
Thursday’s card is littered with enticing big-field handicaps and while you can make a case for plenty in the PATH D’OROUX at 14/1.
He too is another horse with the promise of more to come stepping up in trip and going up to 2m4f could unlock serious improvement in the son of Coastal Path.
In his point-to-point days he beat National Hunt Chase winner Haiti Couleurs and he’s done well to compile such a good record over two miles seeing as he’s bred for a bit further, being a half-brother to Coral Ascot Hurdle winner Blueking d’Oroux.
The best run of his career so far came at last year’s Cheltenham Festival when he was third in that red-hot Grand Annual behind Unexpected Party and it looks like Cromwell has been working backwards from this race.
He came back to Cheltenham in October and won a race he was entitled to on better ground, proving he acts well on this type of surface, and I liked his prep at Fairyhouse when second in the SBK Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase behind stablemate The King Of Prs.
That’s always strong form and he looks underestimated by the market here, perhaps in part because of his stablemate Thecompanysergeant who is shorter in the betting.
Keith Donoghue is on Path d’Oroux, though, and with his Festival form a significant factor to have in the locker he gets the vote.
The Verdict: Back PATH D’OROUX in the 4.40 Cheltenham
Perfecto punt for King
The new ES PERFECTO fits into that category and he’s worth backing.
He had a few setbacks earlier in his career that delayed his development but connections are finally being rewarded for their patience and I think he can put his experience to good use in this.
Since he first saw a fence he’s been a great jumper and he has taken advantage of being a second-season novice this campaign, winning two races at Kempton and Sandown.
They’re both right-handed tracks but he’s equally effective at Cheltenham and the application of cheekpieces have significantly improved him as evidenced with a clear career-best at Sandown last time.
He’s settling better than he used to and even though he’s 2lb wrong I can see him giving Tom Bellamy a good spin. He’s worth a small each-way bet.
The Verdict: Back ES PERFECTO in the 2.00 Cheltenham
Russell up another chance
Finally, Lucinda Russell’s Pertemps Final.
It has been tough work getting him qualified as he lost a shoe when trying to qualify at Cheltenham, before he refused when beaten in the Market Rasen qualifier.
However, a very nice win at Kelso got his season back on track and he caught the eye when finally qualifying at Musselburgh last time.
That track would be too sharp for him and it went to the front-running Pyffo, but Idem stayed on well to qualify easily without being given too hard a race.
With ground conditions to suit and a strong gallop set to play to his strengths, he can go well under Ultima winner Patrick Wadge.
The Verdict: Back IDEM in the 2.40 Cheltenham
Preview posted at 1555 GMT on 12/03/25
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