Cheltenham Tips: David Mullins’ Day 3 Picks & Predictions

Cheltenham Tips Day 3:

• Turners Novices' Chase – Mighty Potter: 11/10 Bet365
• Pertemps Handicap Hurdle – Takarengo: 66/1 BetVictor
• Ryanair Chase – Shishkin: 5/6 William Hill
• Stayers Hurdle – Blazing Khal: 3/1 888Sport
• Magners Plate Handicap Chase – So Scottish: 4/1 Ladbrokes
• Mares Novices’ Hurdle – Princess Zoe: 16/1 BetVictor
• Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase – Mr Incredible: 11/2 Boylesports

Day Two of the Cheltenham Festival didn't disappoint and we may have seen a really good horse in Impaire Et Passe, he could be anything. 

Energumene showed his class as well and more than earned his second Champion Chase with a brilliant performance.

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Thursday is full of top class horses, as you would expect, and hopefully we can bag a few more winners. 

You'll see my selection breakdown on each Day 3 race below.

1.30pm Turners Novices' Chase – Mighty Potter

Mighty Potter is going to take a lot of stopping in the Turners Novices' Chase on Thursday. 

He has been one of the highlights of the whole season and the soft ground has come right for him as well.

While Appreciate It and Banbridge are good horses, we may just be looking at a very, very smart one in Mighty Potter. He should get favourite backers off to a good start

2.10pm Pertemps Handicap Hurdle – Takarengo

This is another very competitive Cheltenham Festival handicap, but I can see Takarengo, trained by my father, run a big one at huge odds.

While he hasn’t found winning all that easy in the last two years, Takarengo has performed well on numerous occasions and at seven years old he may just be improving yet. 

He was really unlucky at Leopardstown when getting a horror passage through and if things go better here, he can get a lot closer.

A strong pace here will really suit him and Danny Mullins is a brilliant booking as I don’t think any jockey is riding better than him this season.

2.50pm Ryanair Chase – Shishkin

While it is a bit boring putting up a favourite, it is very hard to see Shishkin beaten in the Ryanair Chase.

On ability alone he is a good bit clear of this field and, after a few poor efforts, he bounced back to his very best last time out in the Ascot Chase. 

He was faultless on that occasion and if he can carry that form into this race he will take some stopping.

3.30pm Stayers Hurdle – Blazing Khal

This is one of the deepest editions of the Stayers Hurdle I can remember in a long time, but Blazing Khal might just be the star in here.

Charles and Philip Byrnes were unlucky not to have a winner on Tuesday with Byker and there is a big chance Blazing Khal can go one better. 

He looked a real star in the making last season and a big Albert Bartlett contender before he got injured. 

His participation in this contest had been in doubt, but he bounced back last time brilliantly to see off a good field at ease.

That performance was one of a very, very smart animal and he should go well.

4.10pm Magners Plate Handicap Chase – So Scottish

It is another very difficult handicap to take apart here, but I am going to opt with the JP McManus option in So Scottish for my cousin Emmet Mullins.

When you look at this field, it is definitely fair to say he lacks the experience of the others. However, I think he’s a very smart horse who might just a good bit better than handicaps. 

The Magners Plate Handicap Chase will probably have been the plan for him all season and if he gets around without complications he should go very well.

4.50pm Mares Novices’ Hurdle – Princess Zoe

Princess Zoe has been an absolute revelation for my uncle Tony Mullins on the level and I think she can go well here on her second start over hurdles.

She needed that run badly last time when dead-heating and should improve a lot for that. Her jumping will come on too for that experience and the rain will have been a big help as well. 

She’s a Group One winning mare on the flat and she can definitely get involved in the Mares Novices’ Hurdle.

5.30pm Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase – Mr Incredible

The Kim Muir is always a great spectacle and I like the look of Mr Incredible for Patrick and Willie Mullins.

This horse has been a tricky customer, but Patrick and everyone in Closutton seem to be improving this horses’ mentality. He ran a great race in the Classic Chase at Warwick under Brian Hayes and should improve for that effort.