The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest events in the horse-racing calendar, and it is much anticipated this year. Rachael Blackmore lit up this event last year, becoming the first female to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, riding on A Plus Tard.
The 2023 Cheltenham Festival features the best horses competing in a four-day event. It kicks off on Tuesday with Champion Day and ends on Friday with the anticipated Gold Cup day. The Cheltenham Festival has an average attendance of 65,000 over the four days.
| Tournament: | Horse Racing Cheltenham Festival 2023 |
| Venue: | Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire |
| Dates: | 14th to 17th March 2023 |
The horse race bookies have released the odds for all the races in the Cheltenham Festival with a focus on the big races like the Gold Cup and the Champion Chase. Galopin Des Champs is top of the pile in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, while Constitution Hill and Edwardstone lead the way in the Champion Hurdle and Queen Mother Champion Chase races, respectively.
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24/7 supportWelcome offersMobile appsGreat marketsWelcome offersHigh oddsGalopin Des Champs is the favorite to win the coveted Gold Cup, and he has another chance after coming close last year. The Willie Mullins-trained gelding recently won the Irish Gold Cup and is the strongest contender in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Bravemansgame enters the Gold Cup as the second favorite to win. The P F Nicholls trained Bay gelding impressed at Kempton Park last year with a victory in a class one race. Since its debut, Bravemansgame has won 60% of the races it entered.
A Plus Tard has racked up over £922,000 in career earnings and also has a good track record over the years. The Henry De Bromhead trained horse has notable wins like the Betfair Chase and Savills Chase. A Plus Tard is the current winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Constitution Hill is the favorite to win the Champion Hurdle, and looking at the horses competing with him, it’s understandable why the odds are this low. The Nicky Henderson-trained six-year-old has had a very good campaign, and it would be difficult to see any other horse beating him to the Champion Hurdle.
State Man is the closest horse to Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle odds list. The 6-year-old gelding is on a six-race winning run heading into the Cheltenham Festival, and he can pose good competition to Constitution Hill. It looks like a two-horse race between Constitution Hill and State Man.
Vauban finished third at the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle last month, and he’s far behind Constitution Hill and State Man in the battle for the Champion Hurdle. The chestnut gelding can make a statement with a win here, although it is unlikely.
Edwardstone recovered from a bruised foot in time for the Queen Mother Champion Chase and entered as the best horse to win. He won the Arkle Challenge Trophy last year and can add more titles to his senior career in the Champion Chase.
Energumene has a lot to prove in this race after finishing third in the Clarence House Chase on Festival Trials Day. The 9-year-old gelding won the Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase in December last year, displaying enormous stamina.
Editeur Du Gite completes the top three favorites to win the Champion Chase. The last two chases have been great for the Gary Moore-trained horse, but he has to improve on stamina if he is to get a shot at victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Blazing Khal returns with a bang after missing a huge part of last year through injury. He was cleared to participate in the Stayers Hurdle, and the main reason he was a big favorite here was his form before the injury. It remains to see if Blazing Khal lives up to the expectations.
Teahupoo gained some valuable experience in the Champion Hurdle last year, and he was almost a clear favorite before Blazing Khal’s return. The 6-year-old would be looking to repay the faith in Gordon Elliott in the Stayers Hurdle.
Maries Rock’s involvement in the Stayers Hurdle makes this one of the most competitive races in the Cheltenham Festival. She has remained a competitive horse and knows what it takes to win at the Cheltenham racecourse, offering a good return for experienced punters and live betting lovers.
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest horse racing events in the United Kingdom and falls under the National Hunt racing calendar. It is an annual event hosted at the Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, spanning four days.
The Cheltenham Festival was first held in 1860 at Market Harborough. There are 28 races in the Cheltenham Festival 2023, but the key races like the Champion Gold Cup and Champions Chase attract more viewers and punters.
| Day | Race | Obstacle | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Arkle Challenge Trophy | Fences | 2 mi (3.2 km) |
| Supreme Novices’ Hurdle | Hurdle | 2 mi 1⁄2 furlong (3.3 km) | |
| Champion Hurdle | Hurdle | 2 mi 1⁄2 furlong (3.3 km) | |
| David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle | Hurdle | 2 mi 4 furlongs (4 km) | |
| Wednesday | Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle | Hurdle | 2 mi 5 furlongs (4.2 km) |
| Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase | Fences | 3 mi 1⁄2 furlong (4.9 km) | |
| Queen Mother Champion Chase | Fences | 2 mi (3.2 km) | |
| Champion Bumper | NHF | 2 mi 1⁄2 furlong (3.3 km) | |
| Thursday | Golden Miller Novices’ Chase | Fences | 2 mi 4 furlongs (4 km) |
| Stayers’ Hurdle | Hurdle | 3 mi (4.8 km) | |
| Festival Trophy | Fences | 2 mi 5 furlongs (4.2 km) | |
| Friday | Cheltenham Gold Cup | Fences | 3 mi 2+1⁄2 furlongs (5.3 km) |
| Spa Novices’ Hurdle | Hurdle | 3 mi (4.8 km) | |
| Triumph Hurdle | Hurdle | 2 mi 1 furlong (3.4 km) |
The Cheltenham Gold Cup falls under the Grade 1 National Hunt horse race at Cheltenham Racecourse. This race spans a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs, and during its running, there are 22 fences to be jumped. Only horses five years and above are eligible for the Gold Cup, and the prize money is worth £625,000, with the winner taking £351,688.
The Champion Hurdle is also a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race. It began three years after the Gold Cup in 1927. This race covers a distance of about 2 miles and ½ furlong, during which there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The qualification age for horses in the Champion Hurdle is set at 4yrs, and the total prize money is worth £450,000, with the first position claiming £253,215.
The Queen Mother Champion Chase also known as the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase for sponsorship reasons, was inaugurated in 1959 and is the leading shortest distance chase in the National Hunt calendar, spanning over 1m 7ft 199yards Only horses above five years can participate in this race, and the total prize money is valued at £400,000. The winner goes home with £225,080.
The Stayers Hurdle is the longest hurdle event in the National Hunt calendar with almost 5000 km (2m 7f 213 yards). Its inaugural race was held in 1912, and the prize money has been on the increase since then, starting at £200 in 1913 and now a total prize fund worth £325,000. Horses four years and above are eligible to participate in the Stayers Hurdle, and the first position takes £182,878.
The bookmakers are quite generous on the odds for A Plus Tard here. He is one of the best horses that entered the Cheltenham Gold Cup this year, and he does so on the back of a win in this event last year, finishing 1st by 15 lengths. A Plus Tard has a lot of stamina, and he has a good chance even to retain his Gold Cup title. With all the attention drawn to the likes of Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame, A Plus Tard should perform well but backing him to finish in the top three is a much safer option.
Maries Rock has been on a great run since last year, and the decision has been made to see her take part in the Stayers Hurdle instead of participating in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle. The seven-year-old horse is in the best form of her life, and her potent speed gives her a good advantage over the other two favorites. Blazing Khal is the biggest challenge to Maries Rock, and he is just returning after a season of inactivity. With the form and abilities of Maries Rock, she should be winning the Stayers Hurdle over the other horses.
This year’s Champion Hurdle isn’t as competitive as last year’s event, and it is a two-horse race. Constitutional Hill is the better horse here, and he’s expected to come out on top. He doesn’t have a strong competitor like the last time he met with Honeysuckle, and he is in line for a sixth consecutive race win. State Man is not as good as Constitutional Hill; the best he can do is finish in second place. Backing this order in the exacta is a good bet on Cheltenham Festival.
With over 20 races in the Cheltenham Festival 2023, we’ve looked at the key races, and these are the best Cheltenham Festival betting odds for this event:
The Cheltenham Festival comes with a lot of excitement and is also a money-making machine for punters. You can get the best offers from this competition by using our expert betting tips and predictions.
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