Cheltenham Festival 2026 - Day 3 (St Patrick’s Thursday) Overview

Thursday 12 March 2026 is day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival and it is party time. Whilst it’s not officially St Patrick’s Day, this doesn’t stop in excess of 55,000 Irish race lovers attending the festival.

Day 3 features two flagship races; the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at 15:20 and the Ryanair Steeple Chase at 16:00. Bookies tend to lean towards these races when it comes to odds boosts, promotions and extra places. This often gives us opportunities when Matched Betting at Cheltenham.

Cheltenham 2026 Day 3 Race Schedule

1:20pm – The Ryanair Mares Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)

The curtain raiser on day 3 of the festival is the Mares Novices’ Hurdle.

It’s a race that’s just over 2 miles long with only 8 hurdles. The race is aimed at female horses aged 4 and older and is one of the newer additions to the Cheltenham Festival from 2016.

The Mares Novices’ Hurdle is seen as the launch pad for promising mares and fillies looking to move into high end company for the first time. This is effectively the platform for them to showcase their abilities.

This race was dominated by Willie Mullins for the first 5 years but he hasn’t had it his way since. In addition to this, the BHA has removed penalties which means the race is more competitive.

2:00pm – The Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2)

Race 2 on day 3 is the Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (formerly the Turners’ Novices’ Chase).

This race will be run over 2 miles and 4 furlongs, face an eye watering 17 fences and is for novice chasers aged 5 years plus.

The contestants must be experiencing their first season over fences which means it’s often challenging and can often be unpredictable. This really is a big test of speed and jumping ability.

You can expect to see entries from all the big names trainers including Mullins, Gordon Elliot, Paul Nicholls and Ben Pauling.

2:40pm – The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

As you might have guessed, this race is restricted to mares who must be 4 years or older. This race was previously run on day 1 of the festival but has moved to day 3 from this year.

The Mares’ Hurdle is a prestigious Grade 1 race for female hurdlers that can stay the distance in a 2 miles 4 furlong race, whilst tackling 10 hurdles.

The race will involve top class mares such as Lossiemouth and Jades De Grugy (both trained by Willie Mullins). Speaking of Mullins, the champion trainer has an incredible record in this race. He has trained eleven winners in the eighteen Mares’ Hurdles that have been run. That’s worth a thought when picking your selections.

3:20pm – The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) - Feature Race

Okay, we move on to the first feature race of day 3, the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle which is known as being the the elite of the long distance hurdle races.

This is a long distance Grade 1 test that’s run over a gruelling three miles with 12 hurdles to navigate. This is a big test for the finest staying hurdlers and should suit horses with tactical precisions and stamina.

Last year's winner, Bob Olinger, was one of the older runners in the Stayers’ Hurdle in 2025 at 10 years old so don’t rule out the unexpected when selecting your bets.

4:00pm – The Ryanair Steeple Chase (Grade 1) – The Feature Race

Hopefully you’ve managed to catch your breath from the Paddy Power feature race as the next race is also a big feature race. The Ryanair Chase is possibly the most keenly awaited race for intermediate chasers.

This race is run over an intermediate distance of two miles and four and half furlongs. It’s targeted at horses that are rated over 130 and must be 5 years or older.

Therefore, this race is suited to horses that need something in between the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Ryanair Chase is one of the higher paying prizes at the festival with the winner bagging just over £211,000.

4:40pm – The Pertemps Network Final (Premier Handicap)

This leads us to the penultimate race of day 3, The Pertemps Network Final.

During the jumps season, there are 21 qualifying long distance races. The winners of those qualifiers and then guaranteed a place in the Network Final provided they are within the correct weight range at the time of entering this race.

With a distance of 3 miles, this race should slow things down a little but don[‘t be fooled into thinking it won’t be competitive. This is a handicap race with a big field that is usually one of the most unpredictable events at the festival.

5:20pm – The Rosconn Group Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase

We are a little concerned that the race might be finished before they manage to announce the name of the race!! Anyway, this is the final race for day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival.

This race is restricted to amateur jockeys only and horses with ratings up to 145.

Race fans should expect the unpredictable and plenty of drama from this race.

Matched Betting at Cheltenham - Why Day 3 Matters

Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival could prove beneficial as there are two big feature races during the afternoon. This can provide extra opportunities for matched bettors to make money.

Therefore, keep an eye out for any offers that bookies might have for those big races during the festival.

You won’t be on your own either. We will scour the bookies on your behalf and let our members know what’s available and how to complete any offers step-by-step.