Horse racing fans are in for a treat in April, with several major National Hunt Festivals taking place in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Read on as we take a look at what is store over the next few weeks, starting with a three-day meeting that provides punters with some excellent betting opportunities.
Easter Festival – Fairyhouse – April 8-10
The eyes of the racing world will be on Ireland in early April as the prestigious three-day Easter Festival takes place at Fairyhouse.
The standout event for punters is on Easter Monday, as the Irish Grand National is staged over a marathon three miles and five furlongs distance.
All of the top Irish Grand National betting sites have published odds on a race that has been previously won by some of the sport’s biggest stars.
The roll of honour includes Arkle and Desert Orchid, highlighting the top-class nature of an event that never fails to live up to expectations.
Grand National Festival – Aintree – April 13-15
Attention quickly switches to Aintree a few days later, with the Grand National Festival getting underway on Thursday, April 13.
There are a host of Grade 1 events during the three-day meeting, many of which will feature horses that ran at the recent Cheltenham Festival.
The headline event takes place on the final day, with the long-distance Grand National bringing together the best staying chasers in the business.
Irish-trained Noble Yeats won the race in 2022, but Delta Work is weighted to reverse the form after finishing third last year.
Scottish Grand National Festival – April 21-22
The horse racing bandwagon roll north later in the month as the two-day Scottish Grand National Festival is staged at Ayr.
There is a seven-race card on the opening day, which serves as the perfect aperitif for the most famous jumps race in Scotland the following day.
Up to 30 runners will bid to jump 27 fences over the four-mile distance in the hope of etching their names into sporting folklore.
Welsh trainer Christian Williams saddled a 1-2 in the race last year, with Win My Wings forging clear on the run-in ahead of stablemate Kitty’s Light.
Punchestown Festival – April 25-29
The big meetings in April conclude during the final week with the five-day Punchestown Festival – the Irish equivalent of the Cheltenham Festival.
Increased media coverage has helped the Festival grow in prestige in recent years, helping to make it one of the most competitive National Hunt meetings in the calendar.
Top Irish trainers Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott always have plenty of runners at the Festival, particularly in the Grade 1 events.
Mullins loves winning the Punchestown Gold Cup and secured his sixth victory in the race last year courtesy of a seriously impressive display by Allaho.
