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The Cheltenham Festival, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

March 2007

The Cheltenham Festival

For four days in March, the spa town of Cheltenham hosts The Cheltenham Festival, a racing event that injects a carnival atmosphere into this usually genteel county town. And amidst the party spirits, ample and unique opportunities await those in search of exhilarating betting.

The highlight is The Cheltenham Gold Cup, the foremost steeplechase in Britain, attracting huge audiences around the globe, and large numbers of bets. The legendary ‘Irish Invasion,' – the Cheltenham Festival is immensely popular with the Irish - creates a colourful cultural melee. The Festival (as it is known as to regulars) is an exciting, as well as a unique, gambling experience.

History of The Cheltenham Festival

The first Cheltenham Festival meeting took place in 1902 and since then has developed into the most important fixture in the jumping calendar. The Cheltenham Gold Cup was first run in 1924; the Champion Hurdle in 1927; and the Queen Mother Champion Hurdle in 1957.

This year a record prize money fund of nearly £3million will be on offer at the Cheltenham Festival.

Previous Winners of The Cheltenham Gold Cup

The feature race of the Cheltenham Festival is The Cheltenham Gold Cup. The first Cheltenham Gold Cup was a three-mile flat race held in 1819. The chase as we know it today was first introduced in 1924 and the winner, Red Splash, won a modest £700 compared to today's prize fund of £350,000.

Best Mate made history in 2004 when he galloped to a third consecutive Gold Cup victory at Cheltenham, joining an elite list of horses to have claimed the honour. The previous horse to achieve the treble was the legendary Arkle, who won the first of his three Gold Cups in 1964.

The last five winners of The Cheltenham Gold Cup were:

Year Horse Jockey Trainer

2006 War of Attrition Conor O'Dwyer Mouse Morris

2005 Kicking King Barry Geraghty Tom Taaffe

2004 Best Mate Jim Culloty Henrietta Knight

2003 Best Mate Jim Culloty Henrietta Knight

2002 Best Mate Jim Culloty Henrietta Knight

Betting at the Cheltenham Festival

At three miles and two furlongs, the Cheltenham racecourse and the race's distance is a mighty challenge. Despite the entrants for the Cheltenham Gold Cup being of a high quality, shock-betting results do happen. Tipsters often focus on a horse's jumping ability when advising on the Gold Cup, so bear this in mind when gambling at the Cheltenham Festival.

Selecting a horse that has shown good form in the top races during the season is possibly the best betting tip for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Millions of pounds are wagered during The Cheltenham Festival, one of the few horseracing events that sees bets placed at over £100,000.

For the many Irish punters, this will be a holiday as much as it is a chance to back famous Irish runners. But the Cheltenham Festival is not just about high stakes – new gamblers should remember that there are plenty of bargains to be had from competing bookmakers.

The market at Cheltenham Festival is always vibrant; punters place bets well in advance to try and get the best price. But it is equally important to be careful about backing your horse well in advance of the big race, as if your horse is a non-runner you will lose your money.

Shop around and try and get the best price for your selection. Take advantage of the bookmaker's need for custom. Consider setting up a number of accounts so you can pick and choose.

Additionally at the Cheltenham Festival, in the big handicap races, a number of bookmakers will offer places on the first 5 horse's home. In some non-handicaps bookmakers can go one quarter the odds for the first 3 horses home. Look out for concessions offered by certain bookmakers, such as deals where if you back a second place runner they will refund your stake.

Interestingly in 2003, when 10 out of 20 races went to the favourite, the bookmakers lost millions. But the Cheltenham Festival is more than simply making bets – it's a friendly, dramatic and unique gambling experience, and offers an education into the culture, adrenalin and fabulous world of horse racing.

Further Information on Betting On Horseracing Events

The Cheltenham Festival is just one of many events in the horseracing calendar. Check out the other forthcoming events!

If you want to bet on The Cheltenham Gold Cup, or on any of the other races taking place at The Cheltenham Festival, but want tips on how to bet on horseracing - visit the Horse Racing – How To Bet section.

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