Proving that there’s no such thing as a certainty at the Cheltenham Festival, we celebrated victories from a 40/1 shot and a 33/1 champion on day three.
Two local trainers came up trumps, including H&H’s very own racing columnist Kim Bailey on a thrilling afternoon of sporting action.
Here are some of the highlights from Cheltenham day 3.
Cheltenham day 3 results: fifth time lucky for 33/1 champion
If at first you don’t succeed… Home By The Lee, an 11-year-old gelding trained by Joseph O’Brien and ridden by JJ Slevin proved the expression to be true in his fifth attempt at winning the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle. In 2022 he finished sixth, fifth in 2023, third in 2024 and was unseated last year. But in 2026 he outclassed his rivals, coming home clear of fellow Cheltenham regulars, Ballyburn and Bob Olinger, last year’s winner.
“He trains every day with enthusiasm and when he’s off he gets bored,” said O’Brien. “He loves his work, loves his job, loves his racing and has never had a lame step in his life. He’s a superstar.”
Owner-breeder Sean O’Driscoll added: “Never give up, that’s the moral of the story. He has the heart of a lion.”
Conversely, your heart has to go out to Jonbon after he finished second to the Henry de Bromhead-trained Heart Wood in the Ryanair Chase, unable to brush off his Festival hoodoo. There was a wry smile from jockey Nico de Boinville as he saluted the appreciative crowd – Jonbon is a winning machine, but he’s now run at the Cheltenham Festival four times and finished second in every single one.
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H&H columnist Kim Bailey saddles a Festival winner
Sent off at odds of 40/1, White Noise came home the winner of the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle for joint trainers Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls and owner John Perriss, who has had horses on the yard for nearly 40 years, but this was a first Festival winner.
For 31-year-old jockey Tom Bellamy it was also a first Festival winner.
“I’ve worked my whole life for this day,” he said. “This tops my whole career, not just this season. I’m nearly crying here. I bunked off school as a kid to come and watch the Cheltenham Festival, and I can’t believe I’m walking around at the top here after winning.”
Local trainer keeps the British flag flying
Naunton handler Ben Pauling saddled Meetmebythesea to win the Grade Two Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase on Cheltenham day 3, while Dan Skelton also trained a winner for British supporters – Supremely West, ridden by his brother Harry, landed the Pertemps Network Final.
“I was a bit deflated after the first two days,” said Pauling, whose The Jukebox Man is among the entries for Friday’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. “It’s a stark reminder of how hard it is to win here, because you come with good horses. This was one of the darts we hoped would run well, so it was great to see it come off.”
Teenager is cheered into the winner’s enclosure
Amateur jockey Shane Cotter celebrated his first Festival winner on the Cath Williams-trained Ask Brewster after coming home in front in a thrilling finish to the Rosconn Group Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase, concluding all the action on the track on Cheltenham day 3.
“I’ve dreamt of this since I was seven or eight,” said the teenage rider, having his first ride in England.
Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
