Cheltenham Open meeting: third day

Today is the third and final day of Cheltenham´s Open meeting and once again there is some high class racing. The ground is quite testing and soft ground performers must be given preference. Ruby Walsh will not be riding, as he suffered a ruptured spleen when taking a nasty fall yesterday, so some of the jockey arrangements must still be confirmed. However it is likely that Sam Thomas will take most of his mounts. In the opening Grade Two novice chase at 14.10 CET, Walsh was due to partner likely favourite Tatenen with Sam Thomas on Paul Nicholl´s second string Poquelin, but this could now be changed. Tatenen, ante-post favourite for the Arkle, looks a major prospect for top honours and probably has the one-time top hurdler Straw Bear (Nick Gifford/ Tony McCoy) to beat. The 2 mile handicap chase at 14.45 could go to German-bred Moon over Miami (Charlie Mann/ Noel Fehily), who is very inconsistent but runs his best races here and has won at this meeting the last 2 years. Trama ntano (Paddy Brennan), from the in-form Nigel Twiston-Davies stable, is an obvious danger. The big betting race of the day is the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle 15.20, which usually goes to a top performer (e.g. Rooster Booster, Detroit City). The two top weights Ashkazar and Blue Bajan are non-runners, but it is still tricky enough. We would fancy Mamlook (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore), third in the Cesarewitch last time, but the Pipe stable has still not hit top form. Instead, Aigle d´Or (Nicky Henderson/ Tony McCoy), Numide (Gary and Jamie Moore) and Squadron (Alan King/ Christian Williams) are the three for our short list. The Grade 2 novice hurdle over 2 miles 5 furlongs at 16.30 sees Paul Nicholls´ smart Hell´s Bay up against the unbeaten Diamond Harry (Nick Williams/ Timmy Murphy) and is another race to savour.

Betting forecast:
1.Race: Tatenen - Poquelin - Straw Bear
2.Race: Predateur - Andreas - Tramantano
3.Race: Ashkazar - Rippling Ring - Aigle D`Or
4.Race: Punchestowns - Super Formen - Lupanar
5.Race: Hell`S Bay - Diamond Harry - Tot Of The Knar
6.Race: Express Leader - Mcmurrough - The Big Orse