As we move into the second half of the 2010 Cheltenham Festival punters are no doubt feeling slightly dejected after a string of well fancied runners were turned over on Tuesday and Wednesday, much to the delight of the nation’s leading bookmakers.

The layers will be hoping that Big Buck’s fluffs his lines in this afternoon’s World Hurdle and defeat for Paul Nicholls’ star would mean that the first three pre-Festival ‘bankers’ had all been turned over at very short prices.

Practised and inexperienced players will have one eye on the various bookmaker offers available to them and fans who didn’t think fast enough to take the time off work will be doing everything they can to make sure they don’t miss a minute of the action.

To see all the runners and the odds for the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, head to Paddy Power and sign up to get a free £100 bet on any of the races.

Follow this link to see all the best bookmaker promotions available to punters over the course of the day – includingBet365’s remarkable Channel 4/1 free bet offer!

Thursday’s card from the 2010 Cheltenham Festival

13:30 Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase (listed) (5yo+, Class 1, 2m 5f, 20 runners)
14:05 Pertemps Final (handicap Hurdle) (listed) (5yo+, Class 1, 3m, 24 runners)
14:40 Ryanair Chase (registered As The Festival Trophy Chase) (grade 1) (5yo+, Class 1, 2m 5f, 13 runners)
15:20 Ladbrokes World Hurdle (grade 1) (4yo+, Class 1, 3m, 14 runners)
16:00 Byrne Group Plate (handicap Chase) (grade 3) (5yo+, Class 1, 2m 5f, 24 runners)
16:40 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (amateur Riders) (5yo+, Class 2, 3m 1f 110y, 24 runners)

Follow this link to see what our team of experts make of the opening second day’s races at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival.