Ladies’ Day at the Cheltenham Festival is one of the most popular race days of the year and it is rapidly becoming the number one choice for all racegoers.
This year the fixture takes place on Wednesday 26th March and there is plenty for punters to look forward.
The full schedule for Ladies’ Day 2016
Race One – The Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle Race
Competing over a trip of 2m 5f, the best novice intermediate distance horses come together for this Grade One contest.
Recent past winners of this classy day two opener include Faugheen, The New One, Simonsig, First Lieutenant and Peddlers Cross; and the race can prove a strong pointer to both the Champion Hurdle and the World Hurdle in later seasons.
Race Two – The RSA Steeple Chase
Also a Grade One, this competitive novices’ chase takes place over an extended three miles, and can often give significant clues to future Gold Cup winners. It is perhaps the main supporting act to the Queen Mother Champion Chase, which features later on the day two card.
Recent past winners have included Gold Cup winners Lord Windermere, Bobs Worth and Denman, as well as Don Poli, Albertas Run and Trabolgan amongst others.
Race Three – The Coral Cup Hurdle
A competitive handicap that usually sees the winner of Sandown’s Imperial Cup the week before chase a big bonus pot, this wide-open contest takes place over 2m 5f, and has been sponsored by bookmaker Coral since it was first run in 1993.
Whisper, Medinas, Carlito Brigante and Monkerhosten all feature as past winners of this race.
Race Four – The Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase
The highlight of the second day of action at the Cheltenham Festival featuring the very best two mile chasers for the top-class Grade One event, and the race has been won by some of the biggest names in the sport.
In the recent past the fantastic race has been won by Sire De Grugy, Sprinter Sacre, Sizing Europe, Master Minded and Moscow Flyer amongst a real stars’ roll-of-honour.
Race Five – The Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase
The sole visit of the week to this unique course which takes in fences, ditches, mounds and walls amongst a variety of obstacles to be navigated by participants in this near-four mile race.
A recent addition to the Festival programme, the race was first run in 2005 and for several years had been the property of Enda Bolger, who won the race four times – twice with Garde Champetre – in the first five renewals of the race.
Other recent winners include Phillip Hobbs’ dual-winner Balthazar King and Henry de Bromhead’s Sizing Australia, and the Irish raiders have a strong grip on this contest winning all bar two renewals of the race.
Race Six – The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race
A Grade Three event, the race was first run in 2005 as one of several new races introduced when the Cheltenham Festival expanded from three days to four days.
Contested over two miles, this contest has been won by some smart juvenile types including flaxen Flare, Une Artiste and Crack Away Jack.
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