Cheltenham Festival day three updates: Banbridge a confirmed runner in the Ryanair, Dysart Enos ruled out of Mares' Novice

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Grade 1 winner Banbridge will add some lustre to the Ryanair Chase (2.50) with connections confirming they will let the horse take his chance.

The Joseph O'Brien-trained eight-year-old skipped the festival last year due to similarly soft ground, going on to win at Aintree instead, but after the team walked the course O'Brien's race planner, and ITV pundit, Kevin Blake confirmed he would take part in this year's running.

Blake posted on X: "Banbridge WILL run in the Ryanair Chase."

Banbridge has shortened into 7-2 (from 5) on the back of the confirmation he will run. 

The other major running news on Thursday morning was that Dysart Enos will not run in the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle (4.50).

Trainer Fergal O'Brien posted on X: "Absolutely devastated that Dysart Enos has pulled out slightly lame this morning. Unfortunately that means she won’t be able to run this afternoon. Gutted for her owners and the team here at Ravenswell. Tough game."

She was a major fancy alongside Brighterdaysahead and Jade De Grugy in a really exciting renewal of the race.

The big two remain, but the loss of Dysart Enos's speed changes the complexion of the race and denies would-be big-race partner Paddy Brennan his best chance of adding to his tally of Cheltenham winners at what could be his last festival.

Updated at 12.52pm

Dibble backed for Pertemps

The Pertemps Final (2.10) has a new favourite with the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Cuthbert Dibble backed into 5-1 (from 8).

The progressive six-year-old has won four of his last five starts, including his last two on heavy ground, and qualified for this last time out on his first start over three miles.

Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore have visited the winner's enclosure on both of the first two days and there's every chance they could be back again on day three if the market is to be believed, with Arctic Bresil almost halving in price for the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (4.10). He is into 15-2 from 12-1.

Teahupoo has hardened at the head of the market for the feature race on day three, the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (3.30), with Gordon Elliott's star 6-4 (from 7-4).

The money has also come for two Cheltenham regulars, with dual Cheltenham Festival winner Sir Gerhard and three-time hero Sire Du Berlais well supported.

Sir Gerhard, tipped by Pricewise expert Tom Segal, is into 6-1 (from 13-2) to add to his victories in the 2021 Champion Bumper and 2022 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.

Sire Du Berlais (right): bids for a fourth Cheltenham Festival victoryCredit: Patrick McCann

The dual Pertemps and 2023 Stayers' Hurdle winner Sire Du Berlais has been backed into 10-1 (from 12) to join a very elite club of four-time winners at the meeting, but he might not even be the first horse to do so on day three.

With three shortening it is Crambo who has been pushed out, and a day that has started poorly for O'Brien with the scratching of Dysart Enos is being compounded by Crambo drifting, with the seven-year-old now 15-2 (from 6).

Updated at 11.43am

• Triumph Hurdle favourite Sir Gino and Albert Bartlett hope Shanagh Bob ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival by Nicky Henderson 

Thursday's Cheltenham Festival day three race schedule

• 1.30pm - Turners Novices' Chase
• 2.10pm - Pertemps Handicap Hurdle
• 2.50pm - Ryanair Chase
• 3.30pm - Stayers' Hurdle
• 4.10pm - TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase
• 4.50pm - Mares' Novices' Hurdle
• 5.30pm - Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase

Going improves to soft but rain is forecast at lunchtime on Thursday

The big development late on Wednesday was the going description for the New course changing to soft – but with rain around, how long will it last?

Well, according to clerk of the course Jon Pullin, all day.

The man charged with preparing Cheltenham's hallowed turf believes, with just 2-3mm forecast, that we will start and finish on soft.

Speaking on Thursday morning, Pullin said: "We were dry overnight and we're soft this morning. We'll be dry this morning and then there are a few showers moving in from around lunchtime, in the range of 2-3mm.

"The forecast suggests there's a little bit of drizzle around through the night, but nothing really measurable, and then we have a similar situation tomorrow with some brighter spells and some showers, around another 2-3mm."

Given how high the water table is at Prestbury Park, you might assume it would not take much to tip the balance back to heavy.

Asked if the word 'heavy' could return at some point during the day, Pullin said: "I wouldn't have thought so at this stage, not with only a couple of millimetres. It walked really nicely this morning and hopefully as long as we don't get too much, I wouldn't envisage that. I'd expect it to stay soft today."

Of course, forecasts can be wrong. Around 2-4mm was predicted on Tuesday but like a good house party way more turned up than expected, with the track getting 11mm in total.

Day three means the action switches to the New course and all week long that has been given as slightly less wet than the Old. Not since the Arkle on day one – when the ground was described as soft, heavy in places – has soft been the dominant description.

The rails on the chase course have also been moved out five yards to protect the innermost line for Friday's Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, adding 46 yards to the Turners, Ryanair and Plate, and 62 yards to the Kim Muir.

Updated at 7.13am

Market movers: big price changes

Backed
1.30: Zanahiyr 12-1 (from 20)
2.10: Cuthbert Dibble 5-1 (from 8)
2.10: Gabbys Cross 8-1 (from 10)
2.50: Banbridge 7-2 (from 5)
3.30: Teahupoo 6-4 (from 7-4)
3.30: Sir Gerhard 6-1 (from 13-2)
3.30: Sire Du Berlais 10-1 (from 12)
4.10: Arctic Bresil 15-2 (from 12)
5.30: Where It All Began 15-2 (from 9)

Drifting
1.30: Ginny's Destiny 11-2 (from 9-2)
3.30: Crambo 15-2 (from 6)
5.30: Inothewayurthinkin 3-1 (from 11-4)

Updated at 11.37am

Non-runners: day three absentees

2.10: 2. Springwell Bay – self cert (going)
2.10: 20. Judicial Law – self cert (going)
3.30: 3. Champ – self cert (other)
4.50: 4. Casa No Mento – going
4.50: 5. Dysart Enos – self cert (lame)
4.50: 7. Little Miss Dante – self cert (infection)

Updated at 10.46am

Going update: track description changed to soft

Going: Soft (GoingStick: 4.4 at 9am on Thursday)
Rail movements: Chase rail five yards off the inner, adding approximately 46 yards to the Turners (1.30), Ryanair (2.50) and Plate (4.10) and 62 yards to the Kim Muir (5.30).
Weather: 11mm of rain on Sunday and an additional 11mm on Tuesday. Dry on Wednesday. Showers forecast from late morning on Thursday (2-3mm). Daytime temperatures of 13 degrees.

Updated at 9.17am

Read these next:

David Jennings' Cheltenham Festival tips on Thursday: '16-1 is a huge price' 

Paul Kealy's Cheltenham Festival day 3 racing tips: Thursday's play of the day 

Which horses will be suited by testing ground on day three of the Cheltenham Festival? 

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