The Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle of UK national hunt horse racing, attracting the very best horses, trainers and jockeys.
The festival is a week that punters look forward to for the entire year, with excitement building and people looking to see where they can find value in the Cheltenham races betting markets. There are a total of 28 races across the four days, and here we look at the top 10.
Champion Hurdle
The feature on day one, a race in which the best two-mile hurdlers will go head to head for a unique test, which involves jumping, but is also about speed. At the end though, Cheltenham Hill requires stamina, in what is a very unique test.
Champion Chase
A two-mile contest over fences, again requires speed but also jumping ability, as the race is over the bigger obstacles. Ahead of the 2022 renewal, many Champion Chase tips focus on current event favourite Shishkin, who may be able to dominate this race for years to come.
Stayers Hurdle
The Stayers Hurdle is a three-mile slog, where horses need to prove their stamina if they want to take home the prize. The race has seen some legendary winners in the past, including Big Bucks and Inglis Drever.
Gold Cup
The feature race of the entire meeting, the 2021 Gold Cup was won by Minella Indo, and each year, a big field of runners go to post in a bid for glory. A trip of 3m2f means this really tests stamina, and on top of that, the quality of the contest means that jumping needs to be foot perfect.
Ryanair Chase
A race brought into the festival for those who don’t quite get the Gold Cup distance, and one that has been a real success. With an intermediate distance, horses running in the Ryanair Chase need a little bit of everything, they need jumping ability, speed and stamina, which makes this a great contest to watch.
Another Grade 1 success for @Rachaelblackmor!
Allaho storms away to win the @Ryanair Chase for @WillieMullinsNH#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/TH7PFZMqAd
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 18, 2021
Cross Country Chase
An alternative race at the meeting, running on a cross country course in the middle of the track. If you want something completely different from the festival, this race is definitely the one for you.
Supreme Novice Hurdle
The Supreme Novice Hurdle kicks off the meeting and is a two-mile hurdle contest for novice horses, who may eventually go onto bigger and better things. The 2021 winner Appreciate It is a typical example, a horse who is now seen as a potential Champion Hurdle winner.
RSA Chase
If you want to know where future Gold Cup stars can be found, then it is the RSA Chase. This race is a novice contest over three miles, with jumping superstars of the future on offer, and ones that already show the stamina needed at an early stage.
Champion Bumper
At the other end of the spectrum, the Champion Bumper is the only flat race of the meeting, designed for young horses before they go hurdling. For those who win this contest, the race could be the first of many festival appearances and wins for them.
Triumph Hurdle
The Triumph Hurdle is the only race specifically for four-year-olds only, and while the winner of the race deserves a lot of credit for doing so, this is a great contest to watch back and pick out stars of the future.