CHELTENHAM TIPS: Day three | Daily Mail Online

Sportsmail provides all the tips ahead of the third day of Cheltenham Festival with selections from Britain’s No 1 tipster Sam Turner, eight-time champion jockey Peter Scudamore and festival winning jockey Lizzie Kelly. 

The Willie Mullins bandwagon engaged top gear yesterday and KLASSICAL DREAM (Cheltenham, 3.30) could provide further Grade One success for the Closutton handler in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle this afternoon.

Victories for Sir Gerhard and Energumene re-established the National Hunt order at Prestbury Park and Klassical Dream could add another top-flight success to a lengthy rollcall if he can resist the challenge of Flooring Porter and the dangerous Royal Kahala who will relish conditions following yesterday’s rain.

At first glance, the selection’s effort at Gowran last time (when in arrears of winner Royal Kahala) was underwhelming, however connections didn’t appear to be too disconcerted with the defeat at odds on and he could be worth forgiving at a track which was the scene of his 2019 Supreme Novice Hurdle win.

Klassical Dream could provide further Grade One success for Willie Mullins on Thursday

I am not convinced Klassical Dream needs to make the running as he did at Leopardstown when seeing off Flooring Porter at Christmas and he may have most to fear from the mud-loving Royal Kahala today.

There may only be four going to post in the Turners, but two of them have the potential to be top-class chasers and the prevailing conditions may just favour GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (Cheltenham, 1.30) over Bob Olinger.

Willie Mullins probably made a wise call swerving L’Homme Presse yesterday in conditions which would have required copper-bottomed stamina at three miles and that decision could be vindicated with victory here.

ALAPHILIPPE (Cheltenham, 2.10) may instigate a good day for local handler Fergal O’Brien in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle.

The Cotswold trainer has one or two nice chances through the card and his representative in the final of this series caught the eye when I was present at Warwick in January.

Looking as though the run would improve him, the selection made up ground quickly before fading late on in the straight and it’s worth bearing in mind he finished off strongly in last year’s Albert Bartlett from an uncompromising position so today’s test on deep ground should be ideal.

ALLAHO (Cheltenham, 2.50) dismantled his rivals in last year’s Ryanair Chase with a performance of sheer brutality and, with this renewal looking no stronger, he is a difficult horse to oppose.

The selection dismantled Fakir D’oudairies in a Thurles Grade 2 en route to defending his crown here and his old adversary subsequently upheld the form in the Ascot Chase to strengthen the claims of Allaho.

If Alaphilippe puts up a bold show it will increase confidence in stablemate IMPERIAL ALCAZAR (Cheltenham, nap, 4.10) who has had the Paddy Power Plate as his target ever since he landed a novice handicap chase on trials day in January.

Imperial Alcazar has had the Paddy Power Plate as his target ever since trials day in January

A winner on heavy ground as a hurdler, the eight-year-old should appreciate the prevailing conditions even on the New Course which is used for the first time this week.

It is perhaps a shade surprising that Willie Mullins hasn’t chosen to run DINOBLUE (Cheltenham, 4.50) again following her highly authoritative success at Clonmel in January.

However, she was professional that day, hurdling slickly before easing clear, so the master trainer must be content that she boasts enough street craft today. The time of that Clonmel success certainly suggests she could be a sixth winner of this race for her handler.

MISTER FOGPATCHES (Cheltenham, nb, 5.30) couldn’t keep tabs on the aggressively-ridden Commodore in a handicap here before Christmas and again ran a blinder in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran seven weeks ago.

A repeat of those performances on ground which should suit could make him an interesting contender.