One of the biggest events in racing is under way, with the eagerly anticipated Cheltenham Festival returning for another year.
The festival, which started on Tuesday, will finish on Friday, March 18 and will showcase seven races every day. Races start at 1:30pm every day, with the final race of each day at 5:30pm. Crowds have returned to the Cheltenham Festival for the first time in two years, with 60,000 people expected to attend the four-day event.
The Gold Cup, set to take place on Friday, is the most hotly-anticipated race, with horses such as Arkle, Best Mate, Golden Miller and Mill House featuring on the steeplechase’s roll of honour. In 2021, horses crossing the line received applause only from the few staff present at the course, but this year, 28 races will take place.
Read more: Which horses are Rachael Blackmore riding at the Cheltenham Festival day one?
What is the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt run over a distance of about 3 miles 2 ½ furlongs with 22 fences to be jumped. The race is open to horses aged five and over with a weight of 11st 9lb for five-year-olds and 11st 10lb for those six and over.
The most successful horse at the event is Golden Miller, who secured five wins between 1932 and 1936. The first-ever winner of the Gold Cup was Red Splash who won his owner £685. The race is set to take place on Friday, March 18 at 3.30pm.
Who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup last year?
Minella Indo took home the Cheltenham Gold Cup last year in the hands of Jack Kennedy, as Henry de Bromhead's horse delivered the winner. A Plus Tard came in second, followed by Al Boum Photo, Native River and then Frodon.
The nine-year-old bay gelding is trained by Henry de Bromhead and owned by Barry Maloney. He currently has three Grade One victories to his name, including the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Henry de Bromhead said after Minella Indo’s Cheltenham Festival victory: “It’s unbelievable and I’m delighted for everyone — he’s an incredible horse and he comes alive here. In my head it’s still Monday evening and I’m about to wake up in my hotel room and nothing has even started yet — it’s brilliant and both Jack and Rachael are amazing.”
You can see the latest odds here.
What TV channel is the Cheltenham Gold Cup on?
ITV1 will have live coverage of each day's first five races, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, which starts at 3.30pm.
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