Cheltenham Festival tips 2023: Thursday's best bets from Racing Post experts

Day three of the Cheltenham Festival is upon us – but who do our top tipsters fancy most?

Appreciate It

1.30 Cheltenham

By Conor Fennelly

This looks a really hot renewal, particularly given the top three in the betting all seem proper Grade 1 horses, however I feel Appreciate It could be a different proposition now upped to this trip for the first time since his bumper days.

The nine-year-old always shaped like a step up in trip could improve him but he was such a smart operator over two miles that he hasn't been given the opportunity to show it so far.

He seemed to be uncomfortable coping with the frenetic gallop set by Dysart Dynamo in the Irish Arkle last time out and his jumping was always under pressure, but the slower tempo here should put him more at ease and I could see him putting in a massive performance.

He could be a potential Gold Cup horse next year and I fancy him to confirm that assertion today.

Appreciate It13:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Paul Townend Tnr: W P Mullins

An Tailliur

2.10 Cheltenham

By Paul Kealy

Plenty of ante-post punters were dealt a blow when long-time favourite Shoot First, a good winner of the Cheltenham qualifier in October, was ruled out earlier this week, but even if he'd have lined up I would have been full of hope that An Tailliur, third in that race and not seen since, would give him a run for his money.

Beaten just under three lengths, Jonjo O'Neill's grey was a real eyecatcher that day and he has had his mark protected since by a man who has won this race four times, which is more than any other trainer.

An Tailliur is a super consistent horse who has been on the up since contesting his first handicap at Taunton in April 2021, since when he has compiled handicap form figures of 211111U12123.

He stays really well, and while most of his form is on better ground, he was second on a deep surface at Kempton's 2021 Christmas meeting. An Tailliur was beaten seven lengths that day, but the winner was Marie's Rock, who was running off a mark of just 131 and is now rated 152.

An Tailliur14:10 Cheltenham

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Jky: Jonjo O'Neill Jr Tnr: Jonjo O'Neill

Shishkin

2.50 Cheltenham

By Kevin Morley

It's hard to oppose Shishkin, who looked back to his best when romping home at Ascot last month, proving that this sort of distance serves him best now.

Envoi Allen is taken to fill the forecast spot ahead of Blue Lord who should appreciate a return to this trip.

Shishkin14:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: Nico de Boinville Tnr: Nicky Henderson

Haut En Couleurs

4.10 Cheltenham

By Tom Segal

Given how many races he wins at the festival every year, Willie Mullins has a dire record in handicap chases here. That might be because most of his horses are so classy that they end up with top weight and that is the case in both the Kim Muir and the Magners Plate Handicap Chase (4.10).

Hopefully, Mullins can enjoy a change of luck in the Plate, though, because there has to be a chance Haut En Couleurs is totally different class to his opposition. He was third on his debut for the yard in the Triumph two years ago, beat Gentleman De Mee easily on his chase debut and has only run in Graded races since.

He would have beaten Fakir D'Oudairies at Thurles two starts ago but for falling at the last and was staying on behind Janidil last time. With top claimer Michael O'Sullivan taking 3lb off, he is worth backing on his handicap debut.

Haut En Couleurs16:10 Cheltenham

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Jky: Michael O'Sullivan (3lb)Tnr: W P Mullins

Read this next:

Paul Kealy's play of the day on Thursday 

Cheltenham Festival day 3 tips: five horses to back on Thursday 

The Punt Acca: Harry Wilson's best three tips at the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday 

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