15:20 Cheltenham Tips: Ryanair – élémentaire, mon cher …
Day 3, dear reader, of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, and our focus turns to the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase (2m 4.5f). Off time is 15:20, and there's a definite international flavour as GB, Ireland and France are set to do battle for a mouth-watering pot of some £211,000 to the winner.
I fancy one to prevail this afternoon, and let's try to find one to run at a slightly bigger price that's got each-way potential, too. Ryanair Chase tips here we come.
Il Est Francais to win @ 3/1
A Gallic challenge now, as trainers Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm aim their talented, precocious seven-year-old Il Est Francais at this very prestigious prize.
The horse won a King George no less at just five years of age and was a highly creditable second in the same contest this time around when last seen 77 days ago to Banbridge; himself a single-figure price in Friday's Gold Cup. Our French guest is a very serious racehorse indeed, with nine wins from 16 starts under rules.
I think he'll love this intermediate trip, too; he's pretty versatile on that score at distances between in excess of two miles and up to three, and to potentially make all here is arguably easier at a smidge over two-and-a-half than further, for a class horse that uses his pace aggressively.
He'll be ridden as usual by James Reveley, son of former trainer Keith and grandson of the mighty Mary Reveley, a huge name predominantly in the north of England with over 2000 career winners in her own stellar training career. Cab On Target was probably her most notable inmate, and she was no slouch when it came to plundering big handicaps on the flat, too.
I can see Il Est Francais giving a proverbial bold sight in front and repelling all would-be boarders. I fear last year's hero Protektorat very much and I'm putting him up as my each-way alternative, but if James can settle into a nice rhythm I wouldn't swap him for anything in the race.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Protektorat each-way @ 6/1
A ten-year-old French-bred gelding that took this race very impressively last term, and arrives here fresh from an outstanding success in a richly-endowed Windsor chase 53 days ago.
This Grade 1 is of course a level-weights affair (11st 10lb), and on official marks Dan Skelton's Protektorat is one of four of the likely nine starters at the top of the tree, on 166.
The others are likely favourite Fact To File, Il Est Francais, and Djelo - who my selection put firmly in his place at Windsor, but who has to be fair won really well at Newbury since then.
Team Skelton will have Protektorat fully revved for his title defence and will be a tough nut to crack. At the odds, an each-way tickle is a not a bad option, and Sir Alex, Ged Mason and company could be smiling broadly at around 3.25 but they've the Frenchman to beat for me, and that won't be easy.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
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Cheltenham Tips from Betfred Insights.
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