Cheltenham Festival 2017 LIVE: Results, winners, odds and tips as Ruby Walsh bags THREE

Cheltenham Festival going for Thursday’s racing

The Cheltenham Festival going on Thursday is good, good to soft in places with racing today switching to the New Course.

The forecast is for conditions to remain dry but cooler than the previous two days, with temperatures of around 10 degrees Celsius. 

The round course was watered overnight in an attempt to keep the conditions the same as they were on Wednesday.

Cheltenham Festival non-runners in Thursday’s racing

Dedigout, The New One, Un Temps Pour Tout, Yanworth (all Stayers’ Hurdle)

Cheltenham Festival racecards, odds and tips for Thursday’s racing

1.30pm: JLT Novices’ Chase (Eight runners)

1st Yorkhill 6/4f, 2nd Top Notch, 3rd Disko

Scout tipped: Top Notch

Balko Des Flos led out the field at a decent pace with Yorkhill sitting at the back.

Kilcrea Vale took over with 10 to jump but the trip started to tell on the field as Baily Cloud fell, hampering Flying Angel before Balko Des Flos went down with four fences left.

Yorkhill stormed through the remaining pack at the penultimate hurdle and hit the front on the run-in.

Top Notch challenged hard but Ruby Walsh hung on for his and Willie Mullins’ first winner of the week.

2.10pm: Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle (24 runners)

1st Presenting Percy 11/1, 2nd Barney Dwan, 3rd Jury Duty.

Scout tipped: Golden Doyen

Noel Fehily, the hot hand of the week, went off at the front on Ballymalin as he and Arctic Gold set the early pace.

Tobefair briefly threatened as Splash of Ginge followed him through towards the front but it was Barney Dwan who made a big move on the final bend with Jury Duty on his shoulder.

However, it was Presenting Percy who came off the last hurdle best to win for Patrick Kelly with Davy Russell on board.

2.50pm: Ryanair Chase (Eight runners)

1st Un De Sceaux 7/4f, 2nd Sub Lieutenant, 3rd Aso

Scout tipped: Un De Sceaux

Uxizandre broke the line first on a well-spread start with second-favourite Empire Of Dirt at the very back.

The honest gallop of the race frustrated Un De Sceaux and Ruby Walsh tried to keep him under wraps.

However, with nine to jump the jockey let the favourite run away, stretching a lead out to 10 lengths at one point.

Sub Lieutenant came back to challenge but the Willie Mullins-trained horse had enough in the tank to seal the win.

3.30pm: Stayers’ Hurdle (12 runners; ITV, RUK)

1st Nichols Canyon, 2nd Lil Rockerfeller, 3rd Unowhatimeanharry.

Scout tipped: Unowhatimeanharry

Cole Harden got his wish from the starting, running away from his rivals and testing the pack with a high pace.

The Glen Sheehan ride was three lengths clear with a circuit left but eventually faded to finish fourth as Lil Rockerfeller roared into the home straight and cleared the last in a slight lead.

Unowhatimeanharry, Lil Rockerfeller and Nichols Canyon were all in with a shout on the run-in but Ruby Walsh hung on for his third winner of the day by three-quarters of a length.

4.10pm: Brown Advisory Plate (24 runners; ITV, RUK)

Odds: Diamond King 6/1, Starchitect 15/2, Thomas Crapper 17/2, Bouvreuil 14/1, Baron Alco 14/1, Sizing Codelco 14/1.

ROAD TO RESPECT is consistent although he hasn’t won since November 2016 when he took a modest chase at Naas. However, he was far from disgraced when third behind Min in a Grade One novice chase (might have been second but for a blunder at the last) and could be dangerously well handicapped.

Void D’Eau will have to bounce back from a very disappointing run at Sandown last time, but there is every chance he can do so. Harry Fry’s representative won a Grade Two handicap chase over 2m5f here 11 months ago.

Diamond King has disappointed since making a winning chase debut at Galway in October. In his favour he has winning form on this track, landing the Coral Cup at last year’s Festival.

4.50pm: Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (16 starters; RUK)

Odds: Lets Dance 13/8, Airlie Beach 9/2, La Bague Au Roi 10/1, Forge Meadow 10/1, Asthuria 14/1, Toe The Line 16/1.

The Scout says:

AIRLIE BEACH has enjoyed a remarkable career over hurdles, winning all of her six starts. She won her first four comfortably, but had to battle to win on her latest start in a Grade One at Fairyhouse. She had to do it the hard way, staying out in front all the way and showing an admirably tough and genuine attitude – attributes that will make her tough to beat this afternoon. She is one of three in the race trained by Willie Mullins.

Lets Dance, a stablemate of the selection, ran a cracker in last year’s Triumph Hurdle. She has won her last four races.

5.30pm: Kim Muir Handicap Chase (24 runners; RUK)

Odds: Squouateur 6/1, Mall Dini 9/1, Southfield Royale 9/1, Another Hero 14/1, Whats Happening 14/1.

The Scout says:

PREMIER BOND is in good heart with form figures of 211 on his last three outings.

The seven-year-old gelding has relatively few miles on the clock and appears to have been brought to hand nicely.

Domesday Book showed useful form for Henry De Bromhead in Ireland before moving to Stuart Edmunds’ yard, producing a career-best run on his first outing for new connections with a good third at Leicester. 

Squouateur returned to his best when chasing home Westerners Son at Naas. As a consequence has got in here off a light weight.