Rachael Blackmore lands Stayers' Hurdle on Bob Olinger - day three at Cheltenham

Langer Dan misses Stayers' Hurdlepublished at 13:52 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Cheltenham

Two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Langer Dan will miss the Stayers' Hurdle this afternoon with a respiratory infection.

"I've made him a non-runner which is very disappointing. I'm absolutely gutted for Colm [Donlon] who owns him," said trainer Dan Skelton.

Langer Dan will instead be aimed at the Aintree Hurdle at the Grand National meeting on 3 April, and is one of four non-runners confirmed so far for today.

Today's non-runners

14:00 Ryan's Rocket

16:00 Langer Dan, Monmiral

16:40 Lord of Thunder

17:20 Where It All Began

Double chance for Fergiepublished at 13:50 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been present at Cheltenham this week and is well known for his love of horse racing.

Sir Alex has plenty of interest in today's races, with horses running in two events this afternoon.

Caldwell Potter goes in the Jack Richards Novices' Chase at 14.00 GMT, followed at 15.20 GMT by Protektorat running in the Ryanair Chase.

O'Neills target success with Springwell Baypublished at 13:48 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

14:00 Jack Richards Novices Chase 2m 4f

Springwell Bay is a course and distance winner for Jonjo O’Neill and his son AJ while another son Jonjo junior takes the ride on the eight year old who has looked good since switching from hurdles to fences.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Firefox finished third in last year’s Supreme Novices Hurdle but has shown plenty of good form this year and could run well again

Trainer Ben Pauling has high hopes for Pic Roc who fell at Carlisle in November before two second places in January and February.

And don’t rule out the Paul Nicholls-trained Caldwell Potter, co-owned by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and a former Grade 1 winner over hurdles when with the Elliott yard.

Get Involvedpublished at 13:46 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

#bbcracing, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

One down, six to go, and already plenty of excitement and drama at Cheltenham today.

What has been your standout moment of the Festival so far? Are you down at the course? And who are you backing in the races to come? Get in touch using the details above.

Blackmore is 'so good around here'published at 13:44 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

13:20 Mares Novices Hurdle

BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Air Of Entitlement's trainer Henry de Bromhead, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra: "Rachael [Blackmore] was brilliant on her, she gave her some spin. She was brilliant and stayed well. We knew she had the stamina but it was whether she had the pace.

"She's class, she's just class. She's so good around here as we've seen for years. We're delighted to have her. You can't get to where she has got to and doubt yourself."

Racecards for beginnerspublished at 13:42 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

If you are looking for a detailed list of all the races, runners and riders today, you can find it through our racecard here.

The key thing to look out for is form. A horse’s recent form is usually displayed near their name and shows how the horse has performed in their most recent outings.

Form should be read from left to right, with the number on the furthest right indicating the horse’s most recent run. The number represents the position the horse finished in.

You will also find abbreviations if the horse has failed to finish a recent race. These are: P = Pulled Up, F = Fell, UR = Unseated Rider, BD = Brought down, R = Refused.

Cheltenham for beginnerspublished at 13:40 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

If you're just joining us for Cheltenham and are desperately looking to BBC Sport for guidance, we'll do our best to help you through.

The festival takes place over four successive days with today being the third. There are seven races per day, and the fifth race is the headline event.

All the races for the remaining two days are jump races, meaning the horses and jockeys must navigate fences or hurdles around the course; hurdles are slightly smaller than fences. Cheltenham is regarded as the blue riband event in the jump racing calendar.

The races will generally take place over distances between two and four miles, and have very variable numbers of runners taking part.

'She was totally overpriced'published at 13:37 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

13:20 Mares Novices Hurdle (2m 1f)

BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Air Of Entitlement owner Brian Acheson, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra: "If you look at her form, she was totally overpriced and the forgotten lady in the race. She is named after her trainer so I'm delighted for Henry and the yard. It's the first winner of the week and hopefully not the last.

"We were talking about going out there. She [Rachael Blackmore] said she would sit in fifth or sixth and I said to her that she rides this place better than anybody and to go and do her stuff."

Let's hear it for the girlspublished at 13:35 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Cheltenham

Well that was a cracking ride in the mares' race on Air Of Entitlement from Rachael Blackmore, getting up by half a length from favourite Sixandahalf.

The pioneering female rider is no stranger to success here - she became the first woman to be leading jockey at this meeting with six victories at the 2021 fixture.

This was her 17th Cheltenham Festival victory overall.

Maughreen was an unlucky runner, left adrift after facing the wrong way when the race began after a false start.

'I am very lucky'published at 13:33 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

13:20 Mares Novices Hurdle (2m 1f)

Winning jockey Rachael Blackmore tells ITV Racing: "It's a magical place to be. She was brilliant and did really well and came through lovely.

"I want to dedicate this win to my cousin Robert who died at the weekend. His funeral was today.

"We have had a quieter two days. I felt like I had been spoiled the last few years but Henry [De Bromhead, Air Of Entitlement's trainer] does such an incredible job and I am very lucky to be on some of their backs."