Frodon to edge Ryanair thriller? - (2025)

Richard Marsh | 13 March 2019

Preview and odds for St Patrick’s Day

St Patrick’s Day comes early this week with day three of the Cheltenham Festival.

We’ve had two cracking days of racing, so there’s no reason to expect anything but another belter, right?

Will Defi Du Seuil come good in the JLT? Can Footpad prevail in the Ryanair? And will Paisley Park delight backers by taking the Stayers’ Hurdle? We’ll find out soon enough …

We start with part three of the fascinating duel between Defi Du Seuil and Lostintranslation.

The latter won part one at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, only for JP McManus’ raider to turn the tables at Sandown last month.

Who wins this time? There won’t be much in it but we’re siding with Defi Du Seuil.

Lostintranslation will be reunited with Robbie Power, and certainly seems suited around Cheltenham, but the expectant rain might swing things. Defi Du Seuil was excellent on tricky ground at Exeter in November, and such conditions would suit.

2.50 Ryanair Chase – Frodon                                       

What a line up we have for the Ryanair. Footpad versus Monalee versus Road to Respect versus Un De Sceaux versus Frodon. Each of the five have strong claims to land the 2m 4f slog.

Of the bunch, it’s Frodon we like the look of. Paul Nicholls’ charger has been excellent this season, with three wins and a second under the guidance of Bryony Frost.

Three of those runs came at Cheltenham, so there should be no concerns about an ill-suiting track.

A fine jumper, the seven-year-old is a much improved runner since a lacklustre run to fifth in this race 12 months ago. That was under Sam Twiston-Davies, but Frost is back in the saddle in a bid to continue what is becoming a very powerful partnership.

Does Paisley Park do the business? It’s hard to argue against the seven-year-old. Emma Lavelle’s impressive charger has landed four wins from four this season, and is the talk of the town.

Nobody can rule out the fabled Faugheen, but does the now 11-year-old still have the legs? Supersundae is no slouch when it comes to the Festival either.

But no runner can match Paisley Park for form this season. The Oscar sire has won on all grounds too, should you think any rain might interfere.

Cheltenham Racing Tips

1:30 JLT Novices’ Chase – Defi du Seuil

2:10 Pertemps Network Hurdle – First Assignment e/w

2:50 Ryanair Chase – Frodon

3:30 Stayers’ Hurdle – Paisley Park

4:10 Brown Advisory Handicap Chase – Siruh Du Lac

4.50 Dawn Run Novices’ Hurdle – Posh Trish

5:30 Kim Muir Challenge Cup Novices’ Hurdle – Kilfilum Cross e/w

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All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing