The Cheltenham Festival is the highlight of the National Hunt racing season in the UK and takes place in March every year. The best horses from Britain and Ireland compete over four days for championship races over a variety of distances.
The highlight of the week is the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the closing Friday, the Blue Riband event of the steeplechasing year. Read More for the 2019 coverage:
The Cheltenham Festival is the highlight of the National Hunt racing season in the UK. It takes place in March every year in the Cheltenham racecourse.
The best horses from Britain and Ireland compete over four days for championship races over a variety of distances. The highlight of the week is the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the closing Friday, the Blue Riband event of the steeplechasing year.
The other feature races of the week are The Champion Hurdle, The Queen Mother Champion Chase and The World Hurdle. Total prize money exceeds £4 million during Cheltenham Festival week with hundreds of millions of pounds being wagered.
The start of the first race on the opening day is greeted by the famous “Cheltenham roar” as the huge crowd cheers the runners on their way.
In the Cheltenham jump races of 2019 there was an impressive 266,000 attendance.
The 2019 races at Cheltenham began at 10:30 with the gates opening. Our focus will be on these 4 races:
– Champions Hurdle (Tuesday, 15:30 local time, £450,000 purse)
-Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase (Wedensday, 15:30 local time, £400,000 purse)
-The Ryanair Steeple Chase (Thursday, 14:50 local time, £350,000 purse)
-Cheltenham Gold Cup (Friday, 15:30 local time, £625,000 purse)
At 16-1 Espoir D’Allen was nearly no one’s flutter. The horse ridden by Mark Walsh surprised everyone and gave trainer Gavin Cromwell all the reasons to smile. Melon with 20-1 and Silver Streak with 80-1 came after respectively.
It wasn’t the favourite Buveur D’Air day as the horse fell in the third hurdle.
Day 2 saw the bookies favourite Altior (trained by Nicky Henderson) with a convincing final run to 1 spot. Min came in second and God’s Own completes the top 3.
The Ryanair chase was an historic race. The jockey Bryony Frost riding Frodon is the first women female to have victory in a Cheltenham Festival G1 race. Her brilliant race left no doubt about her victory.
AI Boum Photo is the sensational winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup 2019. With 12/1, not many gave the horse trained by Willie Mullins a chance for victory. AI Boum Photo proved what it takes to win the most illustrious competition of the Cheltenham jump races.
Buveur D’Air provided another winning performance of the Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the Festival. He beat Melon and Mick Jazz respectively.
Day 2 went to Ireland again as Altior raced ahead of Min and God’s Own.
Townend rode a magnificent race to win the Stayers’ Hurdle on day 3 with Supasundae and Wholestone trailing behind.
The highlight of the week was the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, which was won by Native River after finishing 3rd in 2017.
1st Buveur D’Air 8-15, 2nd Melon 16-1, 3rd Mick Jazz 33-1
1st Altior 11-10, 2nd Min 7-2, 3rd God’s Own 50-1
1st Penhill 9-1, 2nd Supasundae 11-2, 3rd Wholestone 14-1
1st Native River 9-2, 2nd Might Bite 10-3, 3rd Anibale Fly 28-1
The first race meeting in Cheltenham was for flat racing and took place on Nottingham Hill in 1815. Three years’ later, the first races took place on Cleeve Hill.
Over the course of the next ten years, the popularity of racing at Cheltenham grew rapidly with crowds of 30,000 attending the annual two-day July meeting.
The feature race was a three-mile race on the flat called the Gold Cup, a forerunner of today’s Cheltenham Gold Cup. The racecourse moved to Prestbury Park in 1831 and steeplechasing began at Cheltenham Racecourse 67 years later.
Cheltenham Racecourse has two separate tracks that run alongside each other, the Old Course and the New Course. The New Course is notable for its awkward downhill fence that is often known to change the outcome of a race. It also has a longer run-in for chases than the Old Course.
Cheltenham Racecourse opened its new, five and a half storey grandstand, the Princess Royal Stand. It oponed on the first day of The Open, Friday 13th November 2015, on time and on budget. The grandstand is the final part of a £45 million redevelopment of the course.
There are around 700,000 visitors to the Cheltenham racecourse during the year. The festival meeting is estimated to boost the local economy by as much as £50m.
Tickets sell fast for the best four days of National Hunt racing in the world so don’t delay – reserve your Cheltenham tickets today!
Bookmakers are bracing themselves for a busy opening day at the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday. There are three strongly fancied favourites from Ireland as well as the odds-on Buveur D’Air in the featured Champion Hurdle. The latter is regarded by many as the banker bet of the week for the home team and can give Nicky Henderson a record seventh win in the race.
Getabird is expected to get punters off to a flying start for Willie Mullins in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Footpad may have most to fear from old rival Petite Mouchoir in the Arkle but Apples Jade is difficult to oppose in the Mares’ Hurdle.
Samcro is rated the best of Gordon Elliott’s strong raiding party in Wednesday’s opening Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. The highlight of day 2 will be the Champion Chase with Nicky Henderson’s Altior bidding to follow up last year’s Arkle victory.
Un De Sceaux has enjoyed a smooth preparation and can repeat his 2017 victory in the Ryanair Chase on Thursday. Supasundae had enough speed to beat Faugheen in the Irish Champion Hurdle last time out. He steps back up to his optimum trip in the Stayers Hurdle.
Henderson has yet another leading contender in Friday’s Triumph Hurdle with Apple’s Shakira. He is already leading trainer in the race with six winners and the French filly has won all three starts impressively this season.
The big race of the week is the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Henderson seeking his third victory in eight seasons. Might Bite won the King George on Boxing Day and was successful at the corresponding meeting as a novice. He faces a strong Irish challenge but his biggest danger may be the soft ground loving Native River.
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Buveur D’Air provided Nicky Henderson with a record sixth winner of the Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the Festival. He beat stable companion My Tent Or Yours who was finishing runner-up for the third time in the race.
The big prize on day 2 went to Ireland as Henry De Bromhead’s Special Tiara held off the fast-finishing Fox Norton by a head. The race had been expected to go to his compatriot Douvan but he injured himself during the race and could never get competitive.
Ruby Walsh rode a masterful race to win the Stayers’ Hurdle on day 3 with Nichols Canyon for Willie Mullins. He delivered a perfectly timed challenge to beat outsider Lil Rockerfeller with the favourite Unowhatimeanharry back in third place.
The highlight of the week was the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, won by Sizing John for Jessica Harrington and Robbie Power. He stayed on strongly to repel the favourite Djakadam who weakened to finish fourth. Minella Rocco stayed on into second place with Native River a one-paced third.
1st Buveur D’Air 5-1, 2nd My Tent Or Yours 16-1, 3rd Petit Mouchoir 6-1
1st Special Tiara 11-1, 2nd Fox Norton 7-1, 3rd Sir Valentino 33-1
1st Nichols Canyon 10-1, 2nd Lil Rockerfeller 33-1, 3rd Unowhatimeanharry 5-6 Fav
1st Sizing John 7-1, 2nd Minella Rocco 18-1, 3rd Native River 7-2
Cheltenham is the most complete Regency town in Britain and one of the few English towns in which traditional and contemporary architecture complement each other.
Cheltenham lies beneath Cleeve Hill, the highest point in the Cotswolds and above the Vale of the River Severn. It is known as ‘The Western Gateway to the Cotswolds’.
Local attractions include The Wilson, Cheltenham’s Art Gallery & Museum, which opened to the public on 5th October 2013.
There are also The Gardens Gallery in Montpellier Gardens, Whitewall Gallery at the back of Cavendish House on the Promenade and Castle Fine Art nearby.
The Promenade is considered to be one of the most beautiful thoroughfares in the country, with its tree lined avenue flanked by smart shops and cafés.
Racing fans should visit the Hall of Fame at Cheltenham Racecourse which is open to both Club and Tattersalls ticket holders. Among its many treasures are Cheltenham Gold Cup winners’ silks, racing trophies, the history of Cheltenham and a hologram of the popular grey Desert Orchid.
Book your trip to the beautiful Cotswolds now!
There is a wide range of accommodation on offer in the Cheltenham area. The fashionable Montpellier area is within walking distance of the racecourse while there are many luxury rentals in Cheltenham’s Cotswold villages.
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Ellenborough Park has just completed a substantial refurbishment and this elegant hotel now offers exquisite rooms and first class food, just a few miles from the centre of Cheltenham. Set in the Cotswold countryside, Ellenborough Park is a magnificent English country estate with a luxury spa, fine dining and beautiful grounds.
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Holiday Inn Express in Cheltenham Town Centre provides modern, en suite rooms and a bar, lounge and courtyard and is opposite The Brewery Quarter and 1 mile from Cheltenham Racecourse. For those on a tighter budget, there are Holiday Inn and Premier Inn within easy reach of the racecourse.
Book your accommodation for the Cheltenham Festival now to avoid disappointment!
Cheltenham prides itself on providing a wide variety of eating establishments within the confines of the racecourse.
These range from the Gold Cup Restaurant Packages from £75 up to the exclusive Final Fence Restaurant Packages which start at £515. The Gold Cup Restaurant is located close to the Hall of Fame, and offers family and friends a great value day out with easy access to the main viewing grandstand.
The Panoramic Restaurant Package is situated on the fifth level of the grandstand overlooking the Winning Post. You can enjoy first-class cuisine, excellent table service and Totepool betting from the comfort of your dining table.
The Istabraq Restaurant is a stylish and modern facility located in the heart of The Centaur near the Hall of Fame.
The Moscow Flyer Restaurant is located close to the Guinness Village, this facility provides a cost-effective way to enjoy excellent food with a base for the day.
If you wish to dine outside the Racecourse, why not try the Hotel Du Vin on Parabola Road near the Ladies College. It is particularly popular with racing fans during the Gold Cup week. The HDV Full Breakfast is the obvious choice but alternatives include Eggs Benedict and Brioche French Toast.
The Beehive at the end of Montpellier Villas provides the Full English plus transport via a minibus to the races for just £15. Boston Tea Party offers everything from an almond croissant with an espresso to a super smoothie with a bowl of creamy porridge.
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Birmingham and Bristol airports provide flights to many national and international destinations. The walking route from the station is well maintained and easy to follow, taking approximately 40 minutes.
Trains from London to Cheltenham Spa station run hourly with a journey time of about two hours. Trains from Birmingham to Cheltenham run every half an hour and take only 35 minutes. From Bristol, trains leave every hour and take about 35 minutes. The racecourse is only a 10 minute taxi ride from the station.
Stagecoach bus service D and E runs every 6 or 7 minutes during the day with bus D being rerouted around the course during Cheltenham Festival week. Service 527 also provides a regular service from Cheltenham Centre to Bishops Cleeve and Gotherington via the Racecourse Roundabout.
There is also a shuttle bus service operating, picking up at Cheltenham Spa Railway Station and outside WH Smith in the centre of town before dropping off at the Racecourse.
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The Festival meeting has been held at Prestbury Park, Cheltenham since 1911 to the present day. Until 2005 the festival had traditionally been held over the course of three days, but this changed with the introduction of a fourth day, meaning there would be one championship race on each day, climaxing with the Gold Cup on the Friday.
Istabraq won the Champion Hurdle three times between 1998 and 2000, equalling the record of Hatton’s Grace, Sir Ken, See You Then and Persian War. Popular dual winners include Sea Pigeon, Night Nurse and Hurricane Fly. Dawn Run won the Champion Hurdle in 1984 and added the Gold Cup in 1986, the only horse in history to win both Cheltenham races.
Five-time Gold Cup winner Golden Miller and three-time winner Arkle are widely acknowledged among the greatest steeplechasers of all-time.
Best Mate was the last horse to dominate the Gold Cup, winning three times between 2002 and 2004. Other notable Gold Cup winners include Desert Orchid and Kauto Star. One of the most memorable of all Cheltenham Races was the Gold Cup in 1983 when Michael Dickinson trained the first five horses to finish led by Bregawn.
Ruby Walsh was top jockey for the festival for the tenth time in 2016, equalling his best-ever total of seven winners for the week. Willie Mullins was the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival five times between 2011 and 2016. He was beaten in 2012 by Nicky Henderson who is the winning-most trainer of all-time at the Festival meeting.
The Cheltenham Festival attracts massive betting business worldwide. Check the latest prices with the online bookmakers and take advantage of their introductory offers and free bets!
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