St Patrick’s Thursday at the Cheltenham Festival is always a day to savour, and this year Paddy Power are making it even sweeter for new customers. The bookmaker has put together a dual-offer package for Day 3 of the 2026 festival — and the headline act is a seriously tempting 50/1 price boost on Fact To File to finish in the top three of the Ryanair Chase.
If you’re not already signed up with Paddy Power, this is one of the better reasons to do so. The offer gives you a chance to back one of the most exciting chasers in training at a price that is a world away from his standard market odds, all with just a £1 stake on the line. Alternatively, if you’d rather have more flexibility across the day’s card, there’s also a ‘Bet £10, Get £40 in Free Bets’ option available through the same sign-up process.
What Is the Paddy Power Cheltenham Day 3 Offer?
Paddy Power are giving new customers a choice of two welcome promotions for Cheltenham Day 3:
Offer
Details
50/1 Fact To File Boost
Back Fact To File to finish top 3 in the Ryanair Chase at 50/1 (max £1 stake) using promo code YHRCIC
Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets
Place a £10 qualifying bet on any Cheltenham race at EVS (2.0) or greater and receive 4 x £10 free bet tokens
Both are strong offers in their own right, but the 50/1 boost is the one that’s really catching the eye. Fact To File is a warm favourite for the Ryanair Chase, which means the gap between his real odds and the enhanced 50/1 price represents enormous value — even with the winnings above normal odds being paid in free bets rather than cash.
How to Claim the Paddy Power 50/1 Fact To File Offer
Getting your hands on this offer takes just a few minutes. Here’s exactly what you need to do:
Deposit at least £5 using a debit card, Pay by Bank, or Apple Pay.
Navigate to the Ryanair Chase (4:00pm, Thursday 12th March) and find the Top Finish (Top 3) market.
Place a maximum £1 bet on Fact To File to finish in the top 3.
If Fact To File lands in the first three, you’ll receive your winnings in cash at the standard odds, with the additional amount required to reach the full 50/1 payout credited as free bets.
It’s worth noting that deposits made via PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, or Paysafe will not qualify for this promotion. Stick to a debit card or Apple Pay and you’ll be absolutely fine.
The Bet £10, Get £40 Free Bets Alternative
If you’d rather have more firepower to use across the whole of Thursday’s card — or even the rest of the festival — the ‘Bet £10, Get £40’ offer is well worth considering. Place a £10 qualifying bet at minimum odds of EVS (2.0) on any Cheltenham race, and Paddy Power will credit your account with four £10 free bet tokens.
Those tokens are valid for 30 days and can be used on Bet Builders, accumulators, or multiples across any sport. That makes them genuinely useful beyond just the festival itself, giving you a bit of extra ammunition for the weekend’s football or whatever else takes your fancy.
Why Fact To File Is Worth Backing
The 50/1 price is the headline, but it’s worth understanding just how strong a candidate Fact To File is for this race. This isn’t a speculative bet on a 20/1 shot — it’s a heavily backed favourite at a price that’s been artificially inflated by Paddy Power to give new customers a standout deal.
Fact To File is the defending Ryanair Chase champion, having won the race in dominant fashion in 2025. Trained by the incomparable Willie Mullins, he returned to action this season in brilliant form, most recently landing the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February with a performance that underlined his status as one of the best chasers in training.
The Ryanair Chase is run over 2m 4½f on Cheltenham’s New Course — a trip widely regarded as Fact To File’s optimum distance. He’s not an out-and-out two-miler, and he’s not a confirmed stayer, but he’s exactly the type of horse this race was built for: a class act who travels powerfully and jumps with authority.
His main market rivals include Jonbon, the high-class two-mile specialist who has been supplemented into the race, and Banbridge, a strong traveller who looks well-suited to the trip. Both are genuine threats, but the top-3 requirement for this offer means you don’t need Fact To File to beat them both — he just needs to be in the frame.
Full Terms and Conditions
Before placing your bet, here’s a summary of the key terms you need to be aware of:
Term
Detail
Eligibility
New customers only, UK and Republic of Ireland residents
Promo Code
YHRCIC
Min Deposit
£5 via debit card, Pay by Bank, or Apple Pay
Max Stake (50/1 offer)
£1
Payout
Standard odds in cash; extra winnings to reach 50/1 paid as free bets
Free Bet Usage
Bet Builders, accumulators, or multiples on any sport
Free Bet Validity
30 days from credit
Excluded Deposits
PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Paysafe
Excluded Bet Types
Cashed out, Partially Cashed Out, Power Price bets
Free bet stakes are not returned with winnings. Best Odds Guaranteed does not apply to free bets or partial free bets. Paddy Power reserves the right to withdraw or limit the offer at its discretion.
More Reasons to Join Paddy Power for Cheltenham
The 50/1 boost and the free bets offer are just the entry point. Once you’re signed up, Paddy Power’s Cheltenham coverage is genuinely excellent. The platform runs daily price boosts throughout the festival, meaning there’s often extra value to be found beyond the headline promotions.
Paddy Power are also well known for their money-back specials — a feature that’s particularly popular during Cheltenham, where they’ll often refund stakes if your horse falls, is brought down, or finishes second in a tight finish. It’s the kind of customer-friendly touch that makes a real difference when you’re betting across a four-day festival.
The mobile app is slick and easy to navigate, and the live streaming service means you can watch every race directly through the platform without needing a separate subscription.
Our Verdict
This is a genuinely strong offer from Paddy Power. The 50/1 price on Fact To File to finish in the top 3 of the Ryanair Chase is exceptional value — even with the enhanced winnings paid in free bets, you’re looking at a potential return of around £50 on a £1 stake, with the cash element alone likely to be a solid return given his market position.
The top-3 requirement is the key detail that makes this so appealing. You don’t need Fact To File to win — you just need him to run a race in keeping with his ability and his form. Given his record at Cheltenham and the way he’s been trained this season, that feels like a very achievable ask.
#AD | 18+ New Customers Only | Max stake £1 | Fact To File to finish Top 3 in the Ryanair Chase (4:00pm, 12th March) | Winnings paid in cash at normal odds, topped up to 50/1 in Free Bet Builders, Accumulators or Multiples | Free bets valid 30 days | Only deposits via Pay by Bank, Cards & Apple Pay qualify | T&Cs apply | Please Gamble Responsibly | begambleaware.org
18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
T&Cs Apply
New Customer Offer
#AD 18+ New customers only. You must place a single win-only bet of £10 or more with odds of evens (2.00) or greater to qualify. Money back as £10 in free bets. Free bet is credited the day after the qualifying bet has settled. Must use code B10G10 when creating an account. Full T&Cs apply.
18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
T&Cs Apply
New Customer Offer
#AD 18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs Apply. 18+. Digital customers only. Min Odds of (3/1). Max stake 20. Available on one bet per selected event. 25% Boost. Boost will be added once all selections have settled. Max boost payout £/€1,000. Offer does not apply to multiple bets. Free/void/cashed out bets won’t qualify. T&Cs apply.
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T&Cs Apply
New Customer Offer
#AD 18+ New customers only. Place a £10+ bet at min odds 1/1 (2.0) within 14 days of sign-up. Get £30 in Free Bets, valid for 7 days on selected bets only. Free stake not returned with winnings. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org
18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
T&Cs Apply
New Customer Offer
#AD 18+ New cust. Deposit £10+ in 7 days & bet on sports. Min odds apply. Reward = 4 x £10 Free Bets (2 x £10 Bet Builders & 2 x £10 Sports bet). Valid 7 days. Free bets not valid on e-sports & non UK/IE horse racing. 18+. T&Cs apply.
18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
T&Cs Apply
New Customer Offer
#AD 18+ New customers only. First single & E/W bet only. Odds of 1/1 or greater. 3 X £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets exclude virtuals. Free bets are non withdrawable. Free bets expire after 30 days. Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply.
18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
T&Cs Apply
New Customer Offer
#AD 18+ New Customer offer. Place a min £5 bet on the sportsbook at odds of min EVS (2.0) and get £40 in free bets. Free bet rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via Pay by Bank, Debit Cards & Apple Pay will qualify for this offer. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly
18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
T&Cs Apply
New Customer Offer
#AD 18+ New UK Customers Only. Bet £10+ on any sportsbook markets at odds of evens (2.00) or greater. No cash out. Get 50% back of your first day’s losses (until 23:59) as a Free Bet up to £25, valid for 7 days. Min. 3 bets required, with 2 bets being at least 50% of your largest stake. Place at least 1 bet of £10+ at odds 2.00+ to receive a £5 Free Bet even if your account is up or losses are under £5. Gamble Responsibly. T&CS Apply.