Cheltenham Races

The 2024 Cheltenham Festival was notable for the centenary of the ‘Blue Riband’ event, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which first won, as a steeplechase, by Red Splash, trained by Fred Withington, in 1924. To the surprise of no-one, though, the 2024 renewal went to the defending champion, Galopin Des Champs, trained by Willie Mullins and […]

The 2023 Cheltenham Festival represented what had become business as usual for Irish-trained runners, with the visitors winning the Prestbury Cup 18-10, exactly the same scoreline as in 2022. Willie Mullins, with six winners, including Energumene in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, was leading trainer for […]

With all remaining legal Covid restrictions lifted in England on February 24, 2022, spectators returned to the Cheltenham Festival with a bang, leading to a record aggregate attendance of 280,627 across the four days and a daily record attendance of 73,875 on Gold Cup Day alone. Pioneering female jockey Rachael Blackmore made headlines, as she […]

With a nationwide lockdown still in place, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the 2021 Cheltenham Festival took place behind closed doors, with no owners or spectators in attendance. Covid-19 restrictions also meant that amateur jockeys were not permitted to compete, such that the three traditional amateur riders’ races, the National Hunt Chase, the Fulke […]

The 2020 Cheltenham Festival was staged, as usual, between Tuesday, March 10 and Friday, March 13 and, according to a Jockey Club spokesperson, “…went ahead under the clear and ongoing guidance from the government and its science experts throughout…”. Nevertheless, with extensive nationwide lockdown measures announced shortly afterwards, intended to curb the spread of Covid-19, […]

If you’re a follower of the sport of kings (that’s surely a given since you’re here), then there’s few racing festivals that you’ll be looking forward to that match the excitement of the Cheltenham Festival. Bundled up with so much history, rivalry and determination, it’s both cemented and created a number of horses, jockeys and […]