Day three of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, known as St Patrick's Thursday, saw several long-shot winners, including 33-1 Home By The Lee in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and 40-1 White Noise in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. Heart Wood triumphed in the Ryanair Chase after favourite Fact To File was withdrawn due to unsuitable ground. British trainers secured multiple successes, narrowing the Prestbury Cup gap to 10-11 in favour of Ireland.
The Cheltenham Festival's third day delivered thrilling results on March 12, 2026, with upsets dominating the card at the Prestbury Park course.
In the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle, 11-year-old gelding Home By The Lee, trained by Joseph O’Brien and ridden by JJ Slevin, secured victory on his fifth attempt, finishing ahead of Ballyburn and Bob Olinger. O’Brien praised the horse: “He trains every day with enthusiasm... 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.”
The Ryanair Chase saw Henry de Bromhead’s Heart Wood, at 9-2 and ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe, beat 2-1 favourite Jonbon after Fact To File was scratched 45 minutes before the start due to the ground conditions. O’Keeffe said: “I'm very grateful to be racing for Henry.” Owner Brian Acheson credited the jockey: “Darragh on the horse is the hero.”
White Noise, a 40-1 shot trained by Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls with jockey Tom Bellamy, shocked in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, outpacing odds-on favourite Bambino Fever who faltered over a hurdle. Bellamy, emotional after his first Festival win, stated: “I’ve worked my whole life for this day... I’m nearly crying here.” Bailey, a former Gold Cup winner with Master Oats in 1995, called it “a great result for the whole yard.”
Other British highlights included Ben Pauling’s Meetmebythesea winning the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at 9-1, and Dan Skelton’s Supremely West taking the Pertemps Network Final at 10-3, ridden by Harry Skelton. Pauling noted: “It’s a stark reminder of how hard it is to win here.” Gordon Elliott’s Wodhooh won the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.
The day ended with amateur Shane Cotter, 22-1 on Ask Brewster, edging Road To Home in a dramatic Rosconn Group Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase. Cotter said: “I’ve dreamt of this since I was seven or eight.”
These results left Great Britain trailing Ireland 10-11 in the Prestbury Cup, with the Gold Cup looming on day four.
