Rhys Williams' Cheltenham Festival Tips: 3 Selections For Day 3
Horse racing expert Rhys Williams is sharing his best selections for the Cheltenham Festival.
Rhys has been a racing analyst for over 10 years, working for At The Races and most recently as a tipster for Betfair where his tipping column had a 31% ROI over four and a half years.
He often focuses away from the front end of the market, finding angles that aren't evident to most.
Thanks to last week's 66/1 each-way win at Thurles (Bon Bon Fizz), Rhys has returned a profit of 67.93 points and his profit and loss record for the year stands at +14.43 points from 53.5 points staked.
Here are Rhys' tips for the second day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, using the most up-to-date odds from the best horse racing betting sites.
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13:20 Cheltenham: Carrigmoornaspruce - 1pt Each-Way @ 10/1
The big concern for Carrigmoornaspruce since she finished second against the boys at Leopardstown at Christmas, was that the rain would never stop and she wouldn’t get her ground.
However, it looks like she’s going to get the decent ground she wants and I think she has a strong chance in the opening Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
She was a smart type in bumpers, where she showed plenty of speed and she’s continued her progress over hurdles.
I don’t think she was ideally suited by the race scenario in either of her first two starts over hurdles and going back to being ridden very patiently suited her at Leopardstown.
There’s plenty of early pace in this race, which will suit her, and I think this track could be ideal for her too, so there’s a chance she could take another step forward from the Leopardstown run.
With a horse being ridden patiently in such a big field, there is always the chance that she won’t get a clear path through.
However, I think Carrigmoornaspruce has the ability to be more of a danger to Bambino Fever than the market suggests. Any 8/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 1: 13:20 Cheltenham - Carrigmoornaspruce - 1pt Each-Way
13:20 Cheltenham: Future Prospect - 0.5pts Each-Way @ 20/1
Future Prospect looked to have plenty of ability last season in bumpers, but her keenness meant that she was never going to produce the results that her talent suggested she was capable of.
I’m not sure the hurdles being taken out in the home straight suited her on her hurdling debut at Naas, but she managed to put up a good performance despite that when pulling clear of Newbrook Diamond late on.
Although she’s generally been ridden very prominently, I think trying to settle her in behind the leaders may be a more suitable option in this race given how many of these could be going forward.
If she does settle, I think she will be suited by the good test at this trip.
It might be that her inexperience will catch her out or that her temperament will get the better of her on the big stage, but I think she’s got the talent to run well in this and any 16/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 2: 13:20 Cheltenham - Future Prospect - 0.5pts Each-Way
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16:40 Cheltenham: Ike Sport - 1pt Each-Way @ 50/1
The early money has come for the obvious ones, who have now found their way to the front of the market.
However, there’s one at a big price who I think could run much better than his price suggests.
Ike Sport isn’t the easiest, as shown by the variety of headgear that he’s worn through his career, but I think he has the ability to run well in this off bottom weight.
He shaped well when finishing second behind Absolutely Doyen in the Wincanton qualifier and is now 10lb better off with that rival who is much shorter in the market.
The ground was too soft for him and I’m not sure the track suited him either as he wasn’t going from any early stage.
There is a concern that he might be better off without the hood on now as it could be he’s now switching off too much early on.
However, considering he was too keen without a hood in the Coral Cup last year, it’s understandable that they have left it on him for this.
I think the ground is in his favour and if there’s a good early pace, I think he could pick off more of these late on than the market is currently suggesting. Any 25/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 3: 16:40 Cheltenham - Ike Sport - 1pt Each-Way
All odds correct at time of publish.
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