The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar held in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National.
The four-day festival takes place yearly in March at the Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. The festival usually coincides with Saint Patrick's Day and is very popular with Irish visitors.
Featuring 14 Grade One races across four seven-racecards as the best trainers, jockeys and of course horses go head to head.
There are 28 races in total, with the most talented jockeys and trainers from Britain and Ireland attending the event.
Day one kicks off with four Grade 1 races, featuring the Champion Hurdle, while Wednesday's action features the Champion Chase. The Stayers' Hurdle and Ryanair Chase shine on Thursday while the Cheltenham Gold Cup serves as the headliner on the final day.
Cheltenham Festival - When and where
The Cheltenham Festival annually takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire.
Four extraordinary days of horse racing from March 15 to 18, 2022, with seven races taking place each day.
The first day, Tuesday, is traditionally Champion Day, Wednesday is Ladies Day, Thursday is St. Patrick's Day, and Friday is Gold Cup day.
Why is it so important?
The festival is deemed as the peak of the jump racing calendar, and it often marks the target towards which many trainers prepare for months (and years) in advance.
Considered to be the Olympics of jump racing, the festival brings together the most talented horses of the season, to compete over the largest prizes of the year, often pitting the best in Ireland against Britain's leading talents.
Cheltenham Festival 2022 Race Schedule
Day 1
Tuesday, March 15
- 1.30pm, Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 87y
- 2.10pm, The Sporting Life Arkle Novices' Chase (Grade 1), 1m 7f 199y
- 2.50pm, Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3), 3m 1f
- 3.30pm, Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 87y
- 4.10pm, Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 3f 200y
- 4.50pm, The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race (Grade 3)
- 5.30pm, National Hunt Chase (Amateur Riders' Novices' Chase) (Grade 2), 3m 7f 147y
Day 2
Wednesday, March 16
- 1.30pm, Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 5f
- 2.10pm, Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Grade 1), 3m 80y
- 2.50pm, Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3), 2m 5f
- 3.30pm, Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1), 1m 7f 99y
- 4.10pm, Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, 3m 6f 37y
- 4.50pm, The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Grade 3), 2m 44y
- 5.30pm, Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1), 2m 87y
Day 3
Thursday, March 17 (St. Patrick's Day)
- 1.30pm, Turners Novices' Chase (Grade 1), 2m 3f 166y
- 2.10pm, Pertemps Network Final (Handicap Hurdle) (Grade 3), 2m 7f 213y
- 2.50pm, Ryanair Chase (Grade 1), 2m 4f 127y
- 3.30pm, Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 7f 213y
- 4.10pm, Paddy Power Plate (Handicap Chase) (Grade 3), 2m 4f 166y
- 4.50pm, Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2), 2m 179y
- 5.30pm, Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase, 3m 2f
Day 4
Friday, March 18 (Gold Cup Day)
- 1.30pm, JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 179y
- 2.10pm, McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3), 2m 179y
- 2.50pm, Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 7f 213y
- 3.30pm, Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1), 3m 2f 70y
- 4.10pm, Foxhunter Chase, 3m 2f 70y
- 4.50pm, Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase (Grade 3), 2m 4f 127y
- 5.30pm, Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (0-145), 2m 4f 56y
2022 Cheltenham Festival Free Bet Offers
Who should you bet on at the Cheltenham Festival?
To begin with, have a look at the cards and check out their free bet offers, then stay updated with your favorite horse racing website, mobile app or newspaper for expert betting advice and all the latest news.
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Image used: https://www.visitcheltenham.com/whats-on/the-cheltenham-festival-p2745253
