Cheltenham Festival LIVE: Latest updates, racecards and results from Day Three as Sir Alex Ferguson has a handful of runners for St Patrick’s Day Thursday including a defending champion

Danny Dyer, Peter Crouch and Georgia Toffolo have all shown up for Day Three of the festival.

Toffolo even dresses on theme for day, wearing a gorgeous green jacket.

Royalists may recognise the jumper she is sporting underneath her jacket. The striking red jumper with sheeps dotted all over was infamously worn by Princess Diana

Grade One and Cheltenham Festival winning jockey Lizzie Kelly is back to take you through the seven races on day three.

Kelly has decided to take on heavy favourite Fact To File in the Ryanair but has she stuck with the well-backed Teahupoo in the feature?

You’ll have to watch to find out…

Although Sir Alex Ferguson’s Cheltenham winner from last year, Monmiral, was declared a non-runner for the Stayers’ Hurdle, the legendary Man United boss has the opportunity to claim three wins in the West Country this afternoon.

The first comes in the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, Caldwell Potter, before Protektorat looks to retain the Ryanair Chase at 3.20pm

Il Ridoto, in the Plate Handicap Chase, rounds out the day.

But this isn’t Ferguson’s first trip to Prestbury Park this year – watch how he was sought out by grateful fans yesterday…

Stop right there – don’t even think about making your selections for Day Three without having a pick of the collective brains of Mail Sport’s crack tipsters.

I’ve helpfully linked these, below.

Willie Mullins and JP McManus – there hardly seems a more Cheltenham combination of owner and trainer going. And today’s pick of the bunch from the dream team is Ryanair Chase favourite Fact To File.

The eight-year-old won the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase last year – and looks hotly tipped to make the step up today.

On that subject, Thursday is not without the chance for a similar narrative, as O’Sullivan’s brother Alan is set to make his Cheltenham debut in the Kim Muir with Walking On Air.

The eight-year-old has been well backed on Paddy Power, with the odds 9/2 before the start of raceday.

Alan was at the Festival at the start of the week, alongside O’Sullivan’s girlfriend Charlotte Giles, to watch the curtain-raiser, named in his late brother’s honour.

Wednesday afternoon saw a hugely special moment as two of the late Michael O’Sullivan’s former rides – Marine Nationale and Jazzy Matty – claimed back-to-back winners less than one month after the jockey’s tragic death.

Here, Mail Sport’s DOMINIC KING assesses yet another magical Cheltenham moment.

The Gordon Elliott-trained horse was pulled up during the Cross Country Chase and was later assessed by course vets. The good news at the time was that he had walked into the ambulance from the course – but now there’s a better one from County Meath.

Like clockwork, I’m here to deliver today’s edition of Cheltenham Breakfast, brought to you by Mail Sport’s DOMINIC KING and poised to offer the perfect primer to Day Three of this year’s event.

Why not have a browse, below.

A real shame for a Cheltenham crowd favourite, but as trainer Dan Skelton explains, the yard had no choice but to look out for his best interests.

He had a slightly dirty nose and we had the vet look at him. There’s a bit of mucus in his track wash, which is a test of his airway, and unfortunately there’s too much.

He’s going to have to not run today. It’s very disappointing that we can’t go there, he’s a horse that’s turned up every year since he was four years. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get to go and perform today.

He should go to Aintree. This shouldn’t take long to clear up – it’s just bad timing.

It was a beautiful morning for those out on the gallops at sun-up this morning, in marked contrast to yesterday’s altogether more wintry scene.

But that’s not to say we’re in for a totally serene day – there’s the threat of scattered showers around 2pm and more drizzle towards the end of the day.

However, Clerk of the Course Jon Pullin informs us that there’s no change in the going yet: it’s good to soft.

Hello and welcome to Mail Sport’s live coverage of Day Three of Cheltenham Festival – as you might be able to tell from my greeting, things take on an Irish tinge today, St Patrick’s Thursday.

Thursday also sees us spoilt for choice, with not one, but two feature races to keep an eye on amid a sea of competitive action. The first, at 3.20pm, will see Sir Alex Ferguson’s Protektorat try and retain his crown in the Ryanair Chase. Then, at 4pm, the Stayers’ Hurdle, with Gordon Elliott-trained Teahupoo the pick of an extremely distinguished field.

With just under two hours to go until the first horses set off at Prestbury Park, let’s get underway, shall we?