The Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle of British racing and with its unique atmosphere and action-packed race cards the four-day showpiece is considered to be one the most exhilarating sporting occasions of the year.
The combination of massive crowds and sensational entertainment provides fans of the sport with the ultimate racing cocktail and Prestbury Park is the perfect backdrop for the most enthralling week of the season.
Fans of the sport travel from far and wide to be there to witness the action first hand and the greatest horses from either side of the Irish Sea descend on the stunning course to prove they are ready to join some of the most famous jump horses of all time on the Festival roll of honour.
Each year the course can expect to welcome over 220,000 racegoers from all over the world who head to the meeting safe in the knowledge that the action is sure to be as explosive as it is thoroughly intriguing. Those who do make the trip will never regret it and the magnificence of the Festival is as splendid as the breathtaking Cotswold Hills that play host to the best horses, jockeys and trainers in the business.
The four-day extravaganza is the finest show in racing and victory at the meeting is often how greatness is measured in the ‘sport of kings.’ The elation experienced by connections of a horse that manages to find its way into the winner’s enclosure is there for all to see and there is no greater place to taste victory.
While connections are thrilled with a victory, punters are delighted with a winner and with it believed that more than £500 million will be gambled throughout the week, most of racing’s shrewdest punters use the Cheltenham Festival to pulverise the bookmakers and land some of their biggest gambles of the year.
For many it has nothing to do with the gambling, but rather the horses themselves and Kauto Star, Denman, Best Mate and Desert Orchid have all sealed their reputations at Prestbury Park. The list of greats added to the roll of honour continues to grow with every incredible Festival that takes place and a superstar always emerges from the week’s action.
The Cheltenham Festival Opening Day
The opening day of the Cheltenham Festival is considered to be one of the most exciting occasions of the year and Champion Hurdle Tuesday is often remembered for the sensational ‘Cheltenham roar’ that accompanies the first race of the week.
Wednesday’s action revolves around the two-mile Queen Mother Champion Chase which has gone the way of some outstanding horses in the past, but while speed, accurate jumping and a touch of class are essential to win Wednesday’s feature, it’s all about grit, guts and determination on the Thursday when the best staying hurdlers in training battle it out in the World Hurdle.
However, it is very much a case of saving best until last at Prestbury Park and there is no greatest race than the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the ‘Blue Riband’ of British jump racing. The race is jewel in the crown of National Hunt racing and millions of people tune in to watch the action unfold in the ultimate test of horse and jockey.
Check out our Cheltenham tips here.