I’ll leave you with Greg Wood’s report on a day packed with surprise winners, absent favourites, tetchy trainers and topped off with an awkward handshake.Join us again tomorrow.Bye!It’s never too early to start prepping for Gold Cup day.I’ll be back to guide you through another day of drama.Cheltenham 5.

20 result1 Ask Brewster (Mr S Cotter) 22-1 2 Road To Home (Mr P W Mullins) 9-1 3 Monbeg Genius (Mr J L Scallan) 18-1 4 Kim Roque (Mr J L Gleeson) 9-2 Also: 4-1 Fav Jeriko Du Reponet 23 ran,Non Runner: 12Ask Brewster has led from the front, but Road to Home offers a late challenge on the outside,Ask Brewster holds on to win by a nose!Greg Wood informs me that: “The winner is trained by Cath Williams, who took over the licence at her Welsh stable after Evan Williams, her husband, was found guilty of assaulting a dog walker on their land with a hockey stick,”Kim Muir Challenge Cup: Ask Brewster still leading the way but Daily Present is gaining ground and Sandor Clegane is getting involved,Still up for grabs with two to go …Kim Muir Challenge Cup: Prends Garde A Toi is in a good spot on the outside, but it’s a tightly packed group.

Hung Jury is one runner struggling to keep pace.They’re off in the Kim Muir! Herakles Westwood and Ask Brewster among the early pace setters …Fact to File owner JP McManus has backed up Willie Mullins’ earlier comments about the Cheltenham ground.“I have to say I’m very strong on it,” said McManus.“I walked the course every day.I just always felt it needed more water.

That’s how I felt.Particularly at the top of the course, it’s very beaten up from the previous runs and you’ve a crossover there.”“You’re only as strong as the weakest link in the course and it doesn’t matter if 80% or 90% is right.If 10% of it isn’t right, that’s good enough for me.I was very happy when Willie agreed to take [Fact to File] out.

It was for discussion because we were worried all week about it,“Going forward they’ll have to pay more attention to parts of the track,You’re talking about winter horses in the first half of March, you’re not talking about racing in October, November or whatever,Everybody has a different view, but for me I think they could have done more,”5.

20 Cheltenham 17:20 Kim Muir Challenge Cup oddsJeriko Du Reponet – 4/1 Waterford Whispers – 4/1 Kim Roque – 5/1 Herakles Westwood – 9/1 Gericault Roque – 12/1 Road To Home – 12/1 Prends Garde A Toi – 12/1 Sandor Clegane – 14/1 Daily Present – 18/1 Monbeg Genius – 18/1Bar 18/1Market MoversKim Roque (7/1 into 5/1) Sandor Clegane (18/1 into 12/1)Odds via Oddschecker.Market Movers from Midnite.“In professional sport, you’re never satisfied,” says Harry Skelton, having followed a day-one win on Madara with some frustrating results.His older brother, trainer Dan, is impressed with how Harry delivered victory on the favourite.“Some people when you put them in the limelight, they crack under the heat, but he didn’t.

”Friday is Gold Cup day, and Harry Redknapp is seeking jump racing’s ultimate prize after 35 years as an owner,Cheltenham 4,40 Result1 Supremely West (Harry Skelton) 10-3 Fav 2 Lavida Adiva (B S Hughes) 22-1 3 Ikarak (S Bowen) 40-1 4 Letos (Danny Mullins) 22-1 24 ranHarry Skelton leads the favourite away for a comfortable victory, three lengths clear of Lavida Adiva,Ikarak takes third and there’s three or four horses in contention for fourth, with Letos claiming it by a nose,Pertemps Handicap Hurdle: Supremely West takes the lead with Lavida Adiva emerging from a bunch of five or six down the home straight …Pertemps Handicap Hurdle: C’Est Different leads from Red Dirt Road, with Melbourne Shamrock still in the mix and Supremely West travelling well.

Ace of Spades is pushed on, with Lavida Adiva well placed too …Pertemps Handicap Hurdle: Melbourne Shamrock and Staffordshire Knot are well placed on the outside, with Letos on the inside.C’Est Different edges into the lead, with Minella Emperor struggling a touch.Pertemps Handicap Hurdle: Another false start but they get away at the second time of asking.Ace of Spades, Kikijo and Red Dirt Road at the front of the pack early on.It’s time for the penultimate race of the day: the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle.

Twenty-four runners, a pinsticker’s paradise, but Supremely West is a well-backed favourite.4.40 Pertemps Network Final Handicap HurdleSupremely West – 10/3 Bold Endeavour – 6/1 Cest Different – 7/1 Absolutely Doyen – 8/1 Electric Mason – 9/1 Kikijo – 14/1 Ace Of Spades – 16/1 Yeah Man – 20/1 Staffordshire Knot – 20/1 Champagne Chic – 20/1Bar 20/1Market MoversKikjijo (16/1 into 12/1) Absolutely Doyen (14/1 into 13/2)Odds via Oddschecker, Market Movers from Midnite.4.00 Cheltenham result1 Heart Wood (Darragh O’Keeffe) 9-22 Jonbon (N de Boinville) 2-1 Fav3 Banbridge (S Bowen) 3-17 ran.

Non Runners: 2,3 Also: 18-1 JPR One 4thJockey Darragh O’Keeffe: “He jumped well, got a great rhythm … he was second last year, so I thought he could do it again this time.Sure look, it’s unreal, I wanted to get [trainer Henry De Bromhead] a winner this year.These [Robcour] colours have always been good to me.”JPR One can’t maintain his pace and Heart Wood takes charge, bolting clear to lead by a distance, and once safely over the last, there’s no stopping him.Jonbon comes home second, Banbridge in third.

Ryanair Chase: Heart Wood moves alongside JPR One as they head up the hill, with Jonbon trying to stay with them.Impaire Et Passe has been pulled up.Ryanair Chase: Impaire Et Passe is at the back of that second group, behind Matata and Banbridge.JPR One still leads from Jonbon, who clips a fence but stays in the hunt …Ryanair Chase: Jonbon joins JPR One at the front of the pack, with Master Chewy struggling at the back.Heart Wood leads the group in midfield with nine to jump.

Ryanair Chase: The field of seven runners get away first time, with JPR One and Heart Wood the early pace-setters.Still a full 15 fences to go …Here we go with the second of today’s feature races, the Ryanair Chase.Can Nico De Boinville lead the new favourite, Jonbon, home? Will Sean Bowen earn a first festival victory on Banbridge? We’re about to find out.4.00 Ryanair ChaseJonbon – 2/1 Impaire Et Passe – 5/2 Banbridge – 3/1 Heart Wood – 6/1 Matata – 25/1 Jpr One – 25/1 Master Chewy – 60/1 NR – Croke Park, Fact To FileMarket Movers:Jonbon (4/1 into 15/8)Impaire Et Passe (6/1 into 5/2)Odds via Oddschecker, Market Movers by MidniteSome strong words from Willie Mullins on the ground, after his decision to withdraw Fact to File from the Ryanair Chase.

“Looking at the ground, I thought it looked too good for Bambino Fever, and so it proved,We waited for rain that hasn’t come, so we’ve made a decision,These horses are too hard to find, it’s jump racing, we’d like to have soft in the ground,”“Good ground is not good enough for the individual we’re trying to race, at the best festival,” Mullins adds,“If the ground’s going to be like this, we’re not going to bring them.

We were promised watering, and I’m not sure that’s been done, so I’m a little bit annoyed about that.”All of this delivered in a measured, articulate manner by a man who appears to be absolutely fuming on the inside.Cheltenham 3.20 result1 Home By The Lee (J J Slevin) 33-12 Ballyburn (Paul Townend) 11-23 Bob Olinger (Darragh O’Keeffe) 13-210 ran.Non Runner: 4Also: 9-4 Fav Teahupoo, 4-1 Kabral Du Mathan 4th Well, 33-1 shot Home by the Lee doesn’t get reeled in by the favourites, holding on and even finding a bit extra down the home straight.

Victory on his fifth attempt in this race.Stayers’ Hurdle: The field fans out approaching the last, with Home by the Lee still leading from Kabral Du Mathan, and Ballyburn switching to the inside …Stayers’ Hurdle: As the name suggests, this is a race where stamina is required, so the presence of the three bookies’ outsiders at the front – Doddiethegreat joining the fray – probably won’t last.Ma Shantou and Honesty Policy are the best placed behind.Stayers’ Hurdle: All 10 runners are closely grouped together, with outsider Hewick leading from Home By The Lee and Ma Shantou.Ballyburn currently bringing up the rear with six to jump.

Stayers’ Hurdle: Off they go at the first time of asking – the jockeys were in formation, almost like they’re taking matters into their own hands,4,00 Ryanair Chase PreviewWith the favourite, Fact To File, now a late non-runner, the ever-popular Jonbon may well now set off as favourite for the feature in the same green-and-gold colours of JP McManus,Jonbon is not just one of the best chasers in training but also one of the most consistent – everywhere but Cheltenham, that is, as he has won just two of his six starts here,Willie Mullins has already had a couple of second-string winners this week and Impaire Et Passe is around 5-1 to be another, while Banbridge, touched off by one of tomorrow’s big Gold Cup fancies, The Jukebox Man, in the King George last time, is the only other runner at a single-figure price.

He took the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle over two-and-a-half miles back in 2022 and his chance should not be lightly dismissed.Timeform Top-Rated: Jonbon.Selection: Banbridge.ITV have had a chat with Towie legend Gemma Collins, who reveals she won £5,000 betting on Meetmebythesea.“I just had a feeling … it was intuition,” adds Collins, who also encourages more women to attend Cheltenham.

“It’s not just for the men – ladies, the money to be won is unbelievable,” You’ve got to love the GC, and I’m not being sarcastic,As was widely expected, Fact to File has been confirmed as a non-runner in the Ryanair Chase, with Willie Mullins unwilling to send out the favourite on drying ground,3:20 Market MoversTeahupoo (3/1 into 85/40)Impose Toi (9/1 into 13/2)Market Movers from Midnite3,20 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle Teahupoo – 3/1 Kabral Du Mathan – 4/1 Ma Shantou – 5/1 Ballyburn – 6/1 Impose Toi – 7/1 Bob Olinger – 8/1 Honesty Policy – 10/1 Home By The Lee – 40/1 Hewick – 50/1 NR - Gwennie May BoyOdds via Oddschecker.

“It’s been a frustrating couple of days, but with a mare like this, you’ve got a real shot of getting on the board,” says Kennedy.“It was a long, long way up the straight, but she’s so honest, she’s got me out of a hole here.”Ten out of 11 race wins for Wodhooh now, her only defeat coming at the hands of Lossiemouth at last year’s Aintree Hurdle.Cheltenham 2.40 result1 Wodhooh (Jack Kennedy) 5-6 Fav2 Jade De Grugy (Paul Townend) 2-13 Feet Of A Dancer (Sean O’Keeffe) 8-17 ran.

Also: 12-1 Take No Chances 4thWodhooh wins the Mares’ Hurdle! Jade De Grugy offers a late surge but Wodhooh has enough in the tank to win by a length.Jack Kennedy delivers Gordon Elliott’s first winner of the week!Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle: Feet of a Dancer and Jade De Grugy at the back, and need to keep up the pace.They do so, with all six in contention approaching the final hurdle – but Wodhooh is making her move …Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle: Wodhooh moves up to join the leading pair, and Sunset Marquesa goes down at the fifth last.Take No Chances is, appropriately enough, waiting in the middle of the pack.Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle: Dream On Baby the early leader, although outsider Jetara takes up the running at a decent pace.

Six hurdles left to jump …Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle: Just seven runners in this one, bunched together against the wind and rain behind the starting line.Spring in south west England.Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle: This race has moved from Tuesday on the old course to a new slot on Thursday.Last year it was won by Lossiemouth, who claimed the Champion Hurdle in style this year.On that subject, the two jockeys have just appeared together on ITV, and are shaking hands.

“All sorted, just a heat of the moment battle,” says Queally.“All is forgiven, and I wish Nico the best for the future.”“I appreciate Declan and wish him the best, and big thanks to Davy Russell for sorting this out,” adds De Boinville.There’s another handshake, and that’s that – something of an uneasy truce, but a truce nonetheless.This article includes content provided by Instagram.

We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies.To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'.Nico de Boinville has denied the allegations of racial abuse made by fellow jockey Declan Queally after the Turners Novices’ Hurdle on Wednesday.Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, De Boinville said: “The stewards are gathering all the evidence they can from all the video footage.From my point of view, I deny all the allegations against me.

I can categorically say there wasn’t any racial slurs or anything like that,Let’s let it play out,”2,40 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Wodhooh – 10/11 Jade De Grugy – 9/4 Feet Of A Dancer – 8/1 Take No Chances – 14/1 Dream On Baby – 33/1 Jetara – 40/1 Sunset Marquesa – 100/1Market Mover: Jade De Grugy (4/1 into 2/1)Odds supplied by Oddschecker Market Mover from MidniteCheltenham 2,00 result1 Meetmebythesea (Ben Jones) 9-12 Gold Dancer (Sean Cleary-Farrell) 25-13 Regent’s Stroll (H Cobden) 5-1 Jt Fav4 King Alexander (Danny Mullins) 20-118 ran