Day three at the Cheltenham Festival 2026 is St Patrick’s Thursday.

There are three Grade 1 races down for decision this afternoon: the Ryanair Chase, the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.

Ireland will have very strong hopes of landing all of the Grade 1s today.

Fact To File aims to second Ryanair Chase win

The Ryanair Chase, in its 20th year of sponsorship from the Irish airline, will see Fact To File bid for back-to-back successes in the event.

Last year’s victor is among five Irish-trained runners in the nine-horse contest. Fact To File was highly impressive in winning the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown last month, and tomorrow’s Gold Cup was seriously considered as his Festival target.

Jonbon, who has finished second three times at this meeting and who runs in the same J.P. McManus ownership as Fact To File, and Banbridge, may give the favourite most to do but the Mark Walsh-ridden market leader should add a sixth Grade 1 victory to his CV.

Teahupoo v Bob Olinger for Stayers’ Hurdle?

Teahupoo, winner of the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival bids for a second win in the Grade 1 contest, with six Irish-handled runners in the race.

This will be the son of Masked Marvel’s fourth appearance in the race, having won it, as well as finishing second and third respectively on his previous runs here.

Last year’s victor, Bob Olinger, now 11-year-old, is unbeaten at the Gloucestershire track – which includes three Festival wins – and should give the Gordon Elliott-trained Teahupoo most to do. A concern for backers of the favourite is that Elliott is yet to register a winner this week.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained Home By The Lee will run in the stayers’ for a fifth time this afternoon, with his best result coming when third to Teahupoo in 2024.

A highly popular winner would be the former American Grand National winner, Hewick, handled by John ‘Shark’ Hanlon, as he aims to add this Grade 1 to his 2023 King George win at Kempton.

2025 runner-up Jade De Grugy bids for Mares’ Hurdle upgrade

The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle is the third race at the highest level on Thursday’s card.

This is a race Willie Mullins has dominated over the years and will be represented by Jade De Grugy, runner-up to Lossiemouth in this race last season.

With Lossiemouth out of the picture now following her success in the Unibet Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, the French-bred Jade De Grugy, the mount of Paul Townend, may give Scottish owner Kenny Alexander a second win this week.

Wodhooh, trained by Gordon Elliott and the mount of Jack Kennedy, has only tasted defeat once over hurdles. She won the Martin Pipe over course and distance at last year’s Cheltenham Festival and has won at both Ascot and Leopardstown this season.

Five of the seven runners in the race are trained in Ireland.