If there’s one event featured on the horse racing calendar that is the largest, most anticipated or most enjoyed it simply has to be the Cheltenham Festival. Held over four days in mid-March at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucester, the event is a wonderful mix of racing, style, and excitement that begs to be experienced, and although there’s plenty at the festival geared towards hardcore racing lovers, there’s equally as much on offer to those that are unfamiliar with the sport.
Day one of the festival takes place on Tuesday 10 March, and the aptly named Champion Day is the festival’s most enjoyable. The Champion Hurdle, Arkle Trophy and Supreme Novices Hurdle, plus the Festival Handicap and Cross Country Chases all take place on the Monday, proving a hit for those that want to place a little wager to liven up their day!
Wednesday is Ladies Day, but as well as flamboyant hats and classy gowns, punters will also be presented with a hearty mix of racing action played out over a great seven race card. The Queen Mother Champion Chase is set to be a riveting race, as is the ever-raucous Champion Bumper (so named for the rather un-gentlemanly tactics of the horses running) and the Cross Country Steeple Chase.
St Patrick’s Day bursts its way into the Racecourse on Thursday as the Festival turns party-mad, with all manner of Irish entertainments and pints of Guinness available to punters. Alongside the libations will be the JLT Novices’ Chase, Ryanair Steeple Chase and the World Hurdle Race; all great races for those wanting to wager!
Finally on Friday the most prestigious day of the festival takes place; Gold Cup Day. The culmination of the entire racing season, Gold Cup Day features Cheltenham’s most anticipated race, the Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase, and the Steeple Chase Challenge Cup, among others. If you find yourself in Cheltenham on Friday the 13th, one thing you can do to make it easy is log on to Coral; their app features live odds, live horse racing feeds and all the top racing news regarding horses and riders meaning you’ll be completely informed of all the most important goings on!
In recent years Scotland has been making itself known at the usually Irish-dominated festival, Trainer B Mactaggart and jockey Lucy Alexander truly making their mark on the perennial race series. Although this year there aren’t as many Scottish horses running as there have been in previous years, there will be plenty of exciting thrills and spills.
