Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival is the most important festival of National Hunt racing to be held in the UK. It takes place over four sensational days, Tuesday to Friday, at the Prestbury Park, racecourse, Cheltenham each year in mid-March. During the Cheltenham Festival races of the four days, close to a quarter of a million people, many over from Ireland, will attend the course and around £5,000,000 will be wagered on the outcomes of 26 top quality National Hunt races. Prize Money at the Festival exceeds £3.5m with much of that going on the feature races, that include the premier steeeplechase in the UK, the Cheltenham Gold Cup. It was one of the greatest Festivals in the Horse Racing World.

Featured Races

The feature race on the first day is the Champion Hurdle, which is the highest rated 2 mile hurdle race anywhere in Europe. The first day also includes the Arkle Challenge Trophy, which usually identifies the best two mile novice chaser. On Wednesday, the second day, the six races are headed by the Queen Mother Champion Chase, where the winner will be crowned the top two mile chaser in the land. It a fantastic race, and can only be won by a speedy horse with a flawless jumpiung technique and a sound jockey on board of course. Centre stage on Thursday goes to the long distance World Hurdle over three arduous miles and the final day sees, at long last, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, ran over a little more than 3 miles and contested by the best staying steeplchasers in the land. With the exception of the Grand National the Gold Cup is the most popular horse race in the UK.

Race Cards

Below are the race cards for all four days of the Cheltenham Festival

Tuesday 10th March 2009

Wednesday 11th March 2009

Thursday 12th March 2009

Friday 13th March 2009