The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest horse racing events of the year and has the second highest race prize money in the United Kingdom, with only the Grand National awarding more. Cheltenham features several Grade I races, which are some of the most prestigious in horse racing. These races include the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother’s Champion Chase and Stayers’ Hurdle. The Gold Cup is seen as the highlight of the week and is the most valuable non-handicap chase in Britain. The jockey who has won the most races over the course of the week is named as the Top Jockey and the current holder is Ruby Walsh, who has won this title 11 times in his career.
This year’s event will begin on Tuesday 13 March and features four action packed days which conclude with Gold Cup Day on Friday 16 March. Over the course of the Festival it is expected that 200,000 racegoers will attend, including tourists from all over the world. These 200,000 people from home and abroad are predicted to bet £500 million over the four days.
Although the festival itself begins in March, you can already check some of the Cheltenham odds for 2018 as the Festival Trials Day takes place on Saturday 27 January. The Trials Day helps to build the momentum ahead of the big event six weeks later and the horses have their final race before the festival. There are also shopping opportunities on this day as there are many trade stands that sell everything from horse racing related art to clothing to make you look perfect for your day at the races.
Champion Day kicks off the festival in March and it is at the start of the first race, the Supreme Novices Hurdle, where the famous Cheltenham roar can be heard. Champion Day is 13 March this year and features the most important hurdle race of the season; the Champion Hurdle. Buveur D’Air was the winner of this race in 2017 and the horse, trained by Nicky Henderson, and ridden by Noel Fehily last year, is the current favourite to retain the trophy.
The second day of the races is Ladies’ Day, where the ladies have the opportunity to dress to impress in their favourite outfits and have the opportunity to win prizes for the best dressed lady, best accessories and best hat. The Queen Mother Champion Chase will be the pick of the day’s races with Altior being the current favourite to win the race this year, trained by Buveur D’Air’s trainer Nicky Henderson. Special Tiara won the race last year with Noel Fehily winning for the second day in a row, having won the Champion hurdle with Buveur D’Air a day earlier.
St Patrick’s Day is the third day of the Cheltenham Festival and features plenty of Guinness in the Guinness Village for those racegoers who enjoy the dry Irish stout. The Stayers’ Hurdle will be the main race of the day, which features twelve hurdles over a three mile course. Nichols Canyon, trained by Willie Mullins won the race last year with Ruby Walsh as the jockey. Unfortunately Nichols Canyon will not be able to defend his title as he suffered a fatal injury at the fifth flight at Leopardstown on December 28th. Sam Spinner, trained by Jedd O’Keeffe is the current favourite to win the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Day is the final day of the festival and features the Gold Cup race, which features twenty two fences and is considered to be the most prestigious National Hunt event. Sizing John won the 2017 Gold Cup and is currently the second favourite to win the event, with Might Bite the favourite. The festival comes to a close with the final race, the 5.15 Grand Annual Steeple Chase.
