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The final race of the day is the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase.
24 runners go to post for this Amateur Jockeys' race run over 3m 2f. You won't go far wrong going for the better jockeys in this race. Jamie Codd (retired) won it twice in the last ten years, and other top amateurs like R James, Derek O'Connor and Gina Andrews have all won too.
Cheltenham 5:30 – Rapper 20/1 (0.5pt EW, SkyBet/PaddyPower 6pl) & Where It All Began 12/1 (0.5pt EW, Bet365 6pl)
To end Day 3 we have the amateur jockeys' race which isn't my favourite race of the week, as you're putting money on the line on jockeys who aren't professionals, and you might get a honking ride.
I'm having two darts at this race and my first fancy is an old selection of the thread, Rapper. Over the last few years this horse has been laid out for a big run around New Year's Day, but this year he didn't make an appearance until the Classic Chase at Warwick which was a very poor performance. I was more than happy to give him another chance the time after at Ascot where he finished 2nd at odds of 18/1 and with an extra furlong, or even a few extra yards he probably would've won. That race was over 3m, and it simply wasn't long enough for him, as he is a true stayer. He is a C&D winner from back in 2023 on NYD, winning a Class 2 handicap by 8.5L off a mark of 137. I have no doubts about the trip or the ground and with A J O'Neill taking off 3lbs, putting him on a mark of 135 I think he can run a huge race.
Inothewayurthinkin could go ahead and win this race, but based on what I've seen from him so far I think he is a horrible price. He is running off 12st and is yet to prove he stays anywhere near this trip. He was third in a Grade 1 behind Gaelic Warrior which looks like good form, but that is over 2m 3f and he was a short-ish price for a competitive Leopardstown handicap in February off a mark of 144 and I can't find any reason to why he was poor. He got slightly hampered by a faller, but not enough for excuses and he was 30L behind the winner that day, surely if he was an out-and-out stayer that would've seen him staying on stronger than what he did. It could've been the plan for that to happen, to get a run under his belt at an attempt for this, but if you're backing him for this you're a braver man than I am.
Venetia Williams won this race a couple of years ago and her main chance is surely Cloudy Glen with main rider Lucy Turner choosing to ride this old boy. The 11yo still has plenty of ability and is a capable front-runner as we've seen this season already. He has finished 2nd, 5th and 3rd from his runs this season, and if he was to be in the places I wouldn't be shocked. I think he is still on a tough handicap mark and others might be better treated.
I was tempted going for another Ben Haslam runner in this, as Wave Of The Sea hasn't made great inroads since moving from Joseph O'Brien's yard to Ben Haslam's but he comes here which suggests a big run could be on the cards. He is a strange horse who seems to be capable of running good races over 2m and even 4m+ as he was a finisher in the Grand National. He is interesting off a mark of 137 and similar to Ben's runner earlier on the card, the headgear returns for this horse. I won't be tipping him up, but I'll be having a small saver on him, and might even have a quid EW double on the Haslam pair…just in case.
Where It All Began is my second fancy for the final race of Day 3. This horse put a dampener on me the last time he ran as he beat my strongly fancied runner, We'llhavewan in the Grand National Trial. That was a seriously strong staying performance and to beat the runner-up by 16L, who was clearly a non-stayer, was visually very impressive and with him still being unexposed at this trip he is a huge player for me in this race. He has gone up 12lbs in the handicap, but that was such a likeable performance last time out, beating a well-handicapped horse by 16L isn't something to laugh at. Gordon has won this race twice in the last ten years and I prefer this runner from his yard than the others he has.
