The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most iconic events in the sport of horse racing. The Festival is one of the most significant meetings on the National Hunt racing calendar, and it runs for four days each March, starting on a Tuesday and ending on a Friday.
The Cheltenham Festival, on the prize money front, is only second to the Grand National, and it’s the multiple Grade I races that combine across the four-day meeting that makes that so. These Grade I races include the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle, the Stayers Hurdle and the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Thousands of people attend the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, while millions tune in from home, especially on “Cheltenham Friday,” as this is when the Gold Cup takes place.
Cheltenham Festival Dates
The Cheltenham Festival of 2024 is set to begin on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. The first day of Cheltenham is known as Champion Day, and races include the Supreme Novices Hurdle, Arkle, Champion Hurdle and Mares Hurdle.
Wednesday, March 13, 2024, is the second day of the Festival, and races taking place include the Ballymore Novices Hurdles, Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Bumper.
Thursday, March 14, 2024, is the penultimate day of the Cheltenham Festival. The Ryanair Chase, Stayers Hurdle, and Mares Novices Hurdle will all take place on this day.
And finally, the big one, Cheltenham, Friday, March 15, 2024. As well as the Triumph Hurdle, Novices Hurdle, Hunters Chase, and Mares Chase is the iconic Cheltenham Gold Cup, one of the most famous races in the sport of horse racing.
Cheltenham Festival Potential Runners
The Cheltenham Festival 2024 may still be several months away, but punters are already checking the horse racing odds to see who the potential runners will be come the second week of March. And while Cheltenham favourites now may not be the favourites when the action begins, there are some intriguing potential runners worth following already.
Horses such as defending Gold Cup champion Galopin des Champs, Gerri Colombe, Fastorslow and Shishkin are listed as potential Gold Cup runners, with Galopin des Champs the current Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite.
Other potential runners at the Cheltenham Festival 2024 include Marine National in the Champion Hurdle. Ballyburn is expected to take part in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle. Corbetts Cross should run in the Brown Advisory Novices Chase. Aurora Vega is prepped for the Mares Novices Hurdle. State Man could take on the Turner’s Novices Chase, while Love Envoi could run in the Mares Hurdle.
Of course, between now and when runners must be declared, things can change dramatically, with owners and trainers deciding on which path they’re going to take. Performances and injuries can also play a part too.
Cheltenham Festival Early Favourites
Cheltenham Festival odds already have favourites installed for some races, even though the action isn’t due to begin for another few months. As many will expect, the Gold Cup is the “big” race at the Cheltenham Festival, and last year’s champion, Galopin Des Champs, is one of the early Cheltenham favourites.
Other early favourites include:
- Supreme Novices Hurdle – A Dream to Share
- The Arkle – Facile Vega and Marine Nationale
- Champion Hurdle – Constitution Hill
- Mares Hurdle – Lossiemouth
- National Hunt Chase – Stay Away Fay
- Ballymore Novices – Ballyburn
- Brown Advisory – Gaelic Warrior
- Cross Country – Galvin and Delta Work
- Queen Mother Champion Chase – El Fabiolo
- Champion Bumper – Romeo Coolio
- Turners Novices – Gaelic Warrior
- Ryanair Chase – Allaho
- Stayers Hurdle – Theleme
- Mares Novices – Brighterdaysahead
- Triumph Hurdle – Burdett Road
- Albert Novices Novices Hurdle – Fact to File
- Hunters Chase – Ferns Lock
- Mares Chase – Allegorie De Vassy
How many favourites won at Cheltenham Festival 2023?
It’s suggested that in horse racing, the favourites win between 30% and 35% of the time. And the second favourite comes first between 18% and 21% of the time. But just how often do favourites at Cheltenham triumph? And more specifically, how many favourites won at the Cheltenham Festival 2023?
In total, twenty-seven races took place at the Cheltenham Festival 2023 across the four-day meeting. And a grand total of nine favourites, or joint favourites, came first. So, 30% of the races that took place resulted in a favourite winning.
The favourites that won were:
- El Fabiolo
- Corach Rambler (Joint Favourite)
- Constitution Hill
- Honeysuckle
- Gaillard Du Mesnil
- Energumene
- Delta Work
- Lossiemouth
- Galopin Des Champs
It will be interesting to see how many favourites go on and triumph at the Cheltenham Festival 2024 and how that compares to the results seen in 2023. It will also be intriguing to learn how the favourites pan out in comparison to the Grand National odds offered ahead of the Grand National festival in 2024 too.
18+ | Begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly
