Cheltenham Festival 2017

The Cheltenham festival is a major horse racing event that attracts horse racing fanatics from different parts of the country. In fact, over 200, 000 people are set to attend next year’s Cheltenham Festival and will come to the event to watch professional jockeys, horse trainers and their owners competing for the honours in the world of horse racing. Including the racing fanatics, they will all come together in this exhilarating event to enjoy yet another action packed edition of sports extravaganza that features explosive horse jumping races and other events.

The whole festival is scheduled to last for 4 days, starting from 14th to 17th March 2017, and it promises lots of fun and excitement for those who will attend.

The Cheltenham festival is set to take place in 4 days. The whole event is divided into 4 events: The Champion day, Ladies day, St. Patrick ’s Day, and Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The first day of the festival features the important Champion Hurdle which involves 6 races. Here is the race schedule for the Champion’s day:

Queen Mother Champion Chase will be held on the second day of the Cheltenham festival, which is the 15th of March. It will feature several competitions, and these are:

RSA Steeple Chase is a grade one race and is run over 3 miles. It is scheduled to begin at 14:10. The significance of this race is that it is considered a stepping stone to competing in the Champions Gold Cup. 

Coral Cup Hurdle race is run slightly over 2miles. It is one of the prominent handicap hurdle races in the festival. It is ranked a grade three contest. It is scheduled to start at 14:50.

BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase is run over a 2-mile distance with twelve fences for jumping over. The race is scheduled to begin at 15:30.

Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase race is run slightly over 3 miles with 32 obstacles. Only horses aged 5 and over are eligible to race. The contest begins at 16:10. 

Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle is a handicap race run slightly over 2 miles and is reserved only for horses that are 4 years old. The race is set to begin at 16:50.

The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Open NH Flat Race) is open to horses that are 4-6 years old. It covers a distance of slightly above 2 miles and is ranked a grade 2 contest. It is scheduled to start at 17:30.

Day three: St. Patrick’s Day

Set to correspond with St Patricks Thursday Day, the event will be marked with celebration. The festival will feature the Landbrokes World Hurdle, which is a collection of 7 racing events. They are as follows, respectively:

JLT Novices Steeple Chase is a 2m5f Grade 2 chase run listed weight-for-age. The prize-pool is £100,000. Should not be confused with the old Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase – because that one was renamed the Pulteney Land Investments Novices’ Handicap Chase

Pertemps Final Handicap is a Class A listed hurdle run over 3m. Only horses aged at least five are allowed and they have to qualify for this in different races in Britain and Ireland.

Ryanair Chase is a Class A Grade 1 chase run over 2m5f. Horses aged at least five are allowed and the total prize will be near the figure of £275,000. It replaced the Cathard Chase, but it restricts novices and 2nd season chasers.

World Hurdle – 15:30 – A Class A Grade 1 hurdle run over 3m and open to horses aged at least four. The total prize fund in 2017 will be £275,000.

Byrne Group Plate Handicap steeple chase is a Class A grade 3 handicap chase run over 2m5f for horses aged at least five. The total prize fund will be about £90,000. Formerly named The Festival Plate, it has proved to be a really successful race in recent years for the likes of David Pipe and Nicky Henderson.

Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase is a Class B handicap chase run over 3m1/2f which is open for horses aged at least five years old. The total prize fund will be about £60,000. Recent winners include Spring Heeled and Same Difference.

St. Patrick’s Derby (Charity Race)

Day four: Cheltenham Gold Cup Day

This is the final day of the festival, and it features an explosive set of events. These racing competitions are listed below in their respective orders:

JCB Triumph hurdle is a Class A Grade 1 hurdle run over 2m1f. Only horses aged at least four years old are accepted (novices). The prize fund will be about £120,000.

Vincent O’Brien county handicap hurdle is a Class A Grade 3 hurdle run over 2m1f. It is open to horses at least five years old. The total prize fund will be about £80,000. Recent winners include Lac Fontana and Ted Veale.

Albert Bartlett novices’ hurdle is a Class A Grade 1 hurdle run over 3m. Only novices aged at least four have access. The total prize fund will be about £120,000.

Betfred Cheltenham gold cup steeplechase is a Class A Grade 1 chase run over 3m and 2.5f. Only horses aged at least five have access. The total prize fund will be a staggering £550,000.

Fox hunter steeplechase is a Class B chase run over 3m and 2.5f. There are special qualifying criteria to enter this race and is open only to horses aged at least five. The total prize fund is £40,000.

Marting pipe conditional jockeys handicap hurdle is quite a new addition to the Cheltenham Festival, being run over 2m and 4½f. The total prize fund is £50,000. Recent winners include Don Poli (2014) and Salubrious (2013).

Johny Henderson grand annual steeplechase is a Class A Grade 3 handicap chase run over 3m and 1/2f which is open to horses aged at least five. The total prize fund is £90,000. Recent winners include Savello (2014) and Alderwood (2013).

The Cheltenham festival offers loads of fun for horse race fanatics. The four days will be packed with exciting races. You cannot afford to miss this one.