Cheltenham Festival 2025 Day 3 - Thursday 13th March

1:20: Sixandahalf 11/4

2:00: Answer to Kayf 14/1 e/w

2:40: Feet of A Dancer 9/1 e/w

4:00: Mystical Power 18/1 e/w

4:40: Jagwar 7/2

5:20: Midnight Our Fred 11/2

1:20: I was so impressed with the way SIXANDAHALF bolted up when winning a bumper at last year's Punchestown Festival. She beat Colcannon by 11 lengths that day, a horse that subsequently went on to beat Heads Up who ran a massive race to finish second in the Champion Bumper here yesterday behind Bambino Fever, giving that piece of form a massive boost. After running on the flat over the summer, this horse looked very impressive over hurdles in Fairyhouse, and her price for this has been shortening since. Always a deep race but she's firmly the one to beat in my eyes.

2:00: Ran a cracker in the Martin Pipe last year to finish fourth behind Better Days Ahead, ANSWER TO KAYF has kept good company since in beginners chases before winning on handicap debut last time out in Naas. He comes in here with a live each way chance for Cork trainer, Terrance O'Brien, I feel.

2:40: Always ultra competitive, but there seems to be a lot to like about FEET OF A DANCER for Paul Nolan, a mare with a similar profile coming in here to Mrs. Milner who won this race a few years ago for this stable.

4:00: Always find these races nigh on impossible to read, but MYSTICAL POWER looked very interesting here at a double figure price. One of the most exciting novice hurdlers from last year, we know the horse is very talented. 3m is in the breeding so if he turns up you feel he can get into the shakeup. You have to put a line through his last two runs, but he's the right price if one is willing to forgive those.

4:40: I feel favourites often have a good record in this race, and JAGWAR looks solid. C&D winner and a horse still very much on the improve, it's hard not to see him being there or thereabouts.

5:20: Another horse close to the top of the market in a handicap, and another for a small Irish yard, that of Waterford trainer John Flavin, MIDNIGHT OUR FRED has finished second in Cheltenahm three times this term in handicaps chases. This was followed up with a very good second in the big Paddy Power chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. There is a lot to like and you get the feeling this was always the target.