The Cheltenham Festival: 12th – 15th March
The month of March gets highlighted by one of the most awaited National Hunt Racing events in the horse racing calendar, the Cheltenham Festival. It is the second richest event after the Grand National. The four-day event is a true test of all who celebrate
the sport. Collection of one the bravest horses and the most courageous jockeys make sure that the audience and the crowds have many memorable moments to take back until the year clocks away.
The race has proved career defining for many horses, jockeys, trainers and the overall connections.
The event takes off with the Champion Day on 12th March which serves as the commencement of thrill and sensation that the four days are filled with. The very next day, 13th March, is devoted to the ones who make extra effort for getting
dressed impeccably, and are then awarded on the Ladies Day.
The third day, the St Patrick’s Day on the 14th of March defines an altogether new level and bench mark of hurdles each year. Ladbrokes World Hurdle is scheduled for the day, and is one of the phenomenal races that no one would ever want to miss.
The last day, 15th March, marks the end of the exhilarating festival which is featured by the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup. The spectacle closes the curtain for the jump racing season.
The Festival is famous for the environment that it generates each year, the endless roaring of the crowds that express their anxiousness as soon as the tape for the first race of the Festival is cut lose.
The actual title for the event is the National Hunt Meeting, originated in 1860, the pattern was revised in the coming years. The Cheltenham Gold Cup was introduced in 1924 while in 1927, the Champion Hurdle became part of the Festival.
Queen Mother Champion Chase made its way in 1959 and 1972 witnessed the commemoration of the Stayers Hurdle.
It was in 2008 that the three-day event was taken on to four days. One championship race has been reserved for each day, and to make sure that the same card had five more races, a list of challenges was populated.
The Festival is still to see participation from other countries as is the trend at Royal Ascot.
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