The 3rd day of Cheltenham Festival is shaping up to be a belter on St Patrick's Thursday.

Here, Daily Mail Sport brings you our expert racing suggestions, including a choice, main danger and live outsider for each race ...

Teahupoo will be contesting the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle for the 4th straight year

RYANAIR MARES' NOVICES' HURDLE

1.20: GRADE TWO - 2 MILES, 1 FURLONG

Last season's Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever holds strong claims now dropping in grade.

The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old lost her unbeaten record when ending up second to the reopposing Oldschool Outlaw on her hurdling launching in December.

That day her competitor had the benefit of race physical fitness after winning a bumper a month previously. A 12-length winner at Fairyhouse in January, Bambino Fever looks efficient in providing Mullins with a record 6th win in the race.

Carrigmoornaspruce appears the main threat to the choice. She was beaten just five lengths by Skylight Hustle in the Grade One Future Champions Novice Hurdle when facing the geldings.

Owner Kenny Alexander has an outstanding record with his mares at this Festival and he runs Echoing Silence.

SELECTION: BAMBINO FEVER ... 6-5

MAIN DANGER: CARRIGMOORNASPRUCE ... 12-1

LIVE OUTSIDER: ECHOING SILENCE ... 16-1

JACK RICHARDS NOVICES' CHASE

2.00: HANDICAP - 2 MILES 4 1/2 FURLONGS

The type of the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase from Trials Day was provided an increase when Quebecois was 3rd in the Ultima on Tuesday.

As a result, his conqueror that day, Jordans Cross, appears well dealt with from a mark only 6lb greater. He is unlucky not to be unbeaten in 4 starts over fences, having actually fallen when travelling well over this course and range at the November conference behind stablemate Kdeux Saint Fray. Both are trained by Anthony Honeyball, with the latter slipping into the race at the foot of the weights.

Regent's Stroll represents the exact same connections as Caldwell Potter, who won this race last season. His runner-up effort here on Trials Day has been enhanced by both the winner and 3rd because, and he wants to hold strong claims.

SELECTION: JORDANS CROSS ... 6-1

MAIN DANGER: REGENT'S STROLL ... 9-2

LIVE OUTSIDER: KDEUX SAINT FRAY ... 18-1

CLOSE BROTHERS MARES' HURDLE

2.40: GRADE ONE - 2 MILES, 4 1/2 FURLONGS

Gordon Elliott had to wait until the last race of last year's Festival to get on the scoresheet with Wodhooh - and she seeks to hold outstanding claims of getting a first Grade One success in this contest.

The six-year-old has won nine of her 10 starts over difficulties, 2 of which came over this course and distance last season.

A score of 154 leaves her 4lb clear of Jade De Grugy, who finished runner-up in this race last year behind Champion Hurdle heroine Lossiemouth. She reverts back from amateur chasing to run here.

Trainer Paul Nolan has brought his greatest team yet to the Festival this year and among his leading hopes is Feet Of A Dancer, who has won 2 of her three starts this season and completed runner-up to Wodhooh on her other trip.

SELECTION: WODHOOH ... 4-5

MAIN DANGER: JADE DE GRUGY ... 5-2

LIVE OUTSIDER: FEET OF A DANCER ... 10-1

PADDY POWER STAYERS' HURDLE

3.20: GRADE ONE - 3 MILES

The last two winners of this race restore their rivalry, with the 2024 scorer Teahupoo more strongly fancied than Bob Olinger.

This will be the fourth straight year that Teahupoo has actually contested the race. Gordon Elliott's nine-year-old has actually completed in the very first 2 on all eight of his starts considering that December 2023 and produced a career-best efficiency on ratings when defeating Bob Olinger by seven lengths in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Emma Lavelle trained Paisley Park to win this in 2019 and Ma Shantou has followed a similar course to that star. A seven-length success over the reopposing Impose Toi in the Cleeve Hurdle made him a ranking of 154, however supporters of the runner-up will be hoping a swing in the weights can help him close the space - or even reverse the kind.

SELECTION: TEAHUPOO ... 7-2

MAIN DANGER: MA SHANTOU ... 13-2

LIVE OUTSIDER: IMPOSE TOI ... 11-1

PERTEMPS NETWORK FINAL HURDLE

4.40: HANDICAP - 3 MILES

Electric Mason may have seen the form of his reappearance runner-up effort increased previously in the day, when Ma Shantou runs in the Stayers' Hurdle.

He was beaten simply under three lengths by that rival at Cheltenham in October, with the reopposing Supremely West in third.

Electric Mason went on to land the Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle at Haydock on his next begin 132 and looks deserving of the 7lb increase he . With Ma Shantou now ranked 25lb higher than he was here in October, both Electric Mason and Supremely West, now rated 2lb lower, appear to hold claims.

Staffordshire Knot represents Gordon Elliott, who won this race 3 years in succession in between 2018 and 2020. He gets here on the back of a career-best display when taking the Boyne Hurdle.

SELECTION: ELECTRIC MASON ... 11-1

MAIN DANGER: SUPREMELY WEST ... 7-2

LIVE OUTSIDER: STAFFORDSHIRE KNOT ... 20-1

FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR CHASE

5.20: HANDICAP - 3 MILES, 2 1/2 FURLONGS

Six-time Cheltenham Festival-winning rider Derek O'Connor has twice won this race on horses at the head of the weights. Jeriko Du Reponet's connections will be hoping he can do the exact same on their charge.

The selection was runner-up in the Pertemps at last year's Festival last season when fitted with first-time cheekpieces, while all 4 of his four chase starts have come without headgear. The cheekpieces are reapplied here. Herakles Westwood could prove the most significant risk.

Finny Maguire, who partnered him when completing 2nd at the November conference at this course, is back on board. Daily Present beat Johnnywho when winning this race in 2015 and that rival won the Ultima on Tuesday. His two starts this season have come over obstacles and he could outrun his chances.

SELECTION: JERIKO DU REPONET ... 10-3

MAIN DANGER: HERAKLES WESTWOOD ... 9-1

LIVE OUTSIDER: DAILY PRESENT ... 6-1

THE WIZARD OF ODDS

By Chris Baker

STAYERS' HURDLE

- Rating: 16 of the last 17 winners have been ranked 152+.

- Last time out: 11 of the last 12 winners finished in the leading 4 last time out. Of those, 5 won their last race.

- Betting: 15 of the last 17 winners had a starting rate of 14-1 or shorter. There have been 6 winning favourites because time.

- Age: 10 of the last 12 winners were aged 6, 7 or eight years of ages.

- Trainer: Two of the last three renewals have been won by Gordon Elliott-trained horses.

VERDICT: Teahupoo is difficult to oppose offered his Cheltenham record and current kind, but small choice on patterns is for the lightly raced.

HONESTY POLICY Gordon Elliott's six-year-old landed the Grade One Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree in April before being directly denied when stepped up in journey at Punchestown later on in the exact same month. He ran well in his only start this season, finishing a close 3rd in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.

He concerns Cheltenham fresh, open up to plenty more enhancement and could be the next star in the remaining ranks.

4.00: RYANAIR CHASE

- Rating: 16 of the last 17 winners have actually been ranked 161+.

- Age: 16 of the last 17 winners were aged 7, eight or 9 years old.

- Last time out: Nine of the last 12 winners finished in the leading three last time out.

- Betting: 14 of the last 17 winners originated from the leading three in the market.

- Trainer: Eight of the last 10 winners have actually been trained by Willie Mullins (6) or Henry de Bromhead (2 ).

VERDICT: The Willie Mullins set Fact To File and Impaire Et Passe come out best on patterns. Fact To File was a remarkable winner of the race last year and enters into this in fine kind, having landed the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last month.

However, he is set to go off at short chances today, so an opportunity is taken on stablemate IMPAIRE ET PASSE at a more attractive cost. A stylish hurdler, consisting of a Grade One victory as a beginner at the 2023 Festival, he has actually now won 2 races at the top level given that switching to the larger challenges. He finished his preparation for today with a victory in the Grade Two Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park last month.

PLACEPOT.

In 2015's Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever seems a placepot lender, and it is difficult to see stablemate Jade De Grugy ending up outside the very first 2 locations later on the card. The last leg looks the trickiest, so 3 choices are advised.

RACE ONE: (3) BAMBINO FEVER

RACE 2: (2) SIXMILEBRIDGE (4) REGENT'S STROLL

RACE 3: (3) JADE DE GRUGY

RACE 4: (7) HONESTY POLICY (11) TEAHUPOO

RACE 5: (5) IMPAIRE ET PASSE (3) FACT TO FILE

RACE 6: (7) SUPREMELY WEST (8) ABSOLUTELY DOYEN (3) ELECTRIC MASON

1 x 2 x 1 x 2 x 2 x 3 = 24 LINE