Day 3 Cheltenham Festival Tips: Two Handicap Chances at 31/1

Two days down at Cheltenham and the racing has been absolutely top drawer. Day 3 promises more of the same, with a card stacked full of competitive handicaps where a bit of clever form reading can pay serious dividends.

I’ve put together a daily double that lands at 31/1, focusing on two horses that look genuinely well handicapped and primed specifically for this meeting.

Both carry that classic Festival profile: progressive form, relatively unexposed over fences, and crucially, racing off marks that might not reflect their true ability.

Meetmebythesea in the Ultima Handicap Chase (11/2)

This one has been on my radar for weeks. Meetmebythesea has won five of his six career starts and looks a proper natural jumper since switching to fences. That matters enormously around Cheltenham’s New Course, which demands respect for 17 fences over a gruelling three miles.

The handicap mark is where this gets really interesting.

He runs off 139, but there’s a growing feeling among punters that he’s actually a 150-rated horse in disguise. He’s receiving weight from several rivals and could be very well treated indeed.

Ignore his last run, which was essentially a qualification exercise for this contest. Everything about his preparation suggests this has been the plan all season. Trainer Ben Pauling has kept him fresh and protected in the market, which is exactly how you want to arrive at a competitive Festival handicap.

At 11/2, there’s proper value here. This is the type of horse that wins these races, a progressive chaser on a workable mark with untapped potential.

Waterford Whispers in the Kim Muir (4/1)

The Kim Muir is one of the Festival’s most demanding contests, a true stamina test over three miles and two furlongs. Waterford Whispers looks built for exactly this sort of examination.

His last run at Leopardstown was textbook Festival preparation. He finished third in a 23-runner cavalry charge, beaten just over a length while staying on strongly late. Crucially, he didn’t win, which means the handicapper left his mark alone.

He arrives here looking very well treated as a result.

The trip is a massive positive. This distance is significantly further than many of these have proven over, and Waterford Whispers has been crying out for extreme distances throughout his career. His strong finishing style and relentless gallop make him perfectly suited to that brutal climb to the Cheltenham finish line.

Alan O’Sullivan’s 3lb claim is another serious asset. In amateur races, the rider can make or break a horse’s chance. In a stamina test like this, carrying 3lb less could easily be the difference between winning and finishing a gallant fifth.

The favourite Jeriko Du Reponet carries the maximum weight in what is an extreme test. He’s the class horse on paper, but I’m not entirely convinced by his jumping under pressure. That big weight could find him out late on.

Waterford Whispers at 4/1 looks a fantastic bet.

Additional Selections for Day 3

The rest of the card is brutally competitive, as you’d expect at this stage of the Festival. C’est Different in the Pertemps looks well treated and capable of going very close, while Jade de Grugy could get the better of Wodhooh in their contest.

I’ll also be backing the great Bob Olinger to roll back the clock once more.

Some horses just turn up at Cheltenham and find another gear entirely, and he’s one of them. That hill seems to bring out something special in certain horses. At his beloved Festival, he’s worth another chance.

Day 3 is shaping up to be a brilliant one. Best of luck to everyone having a go.