:Cheltenham Festival

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File:Champion Hurdle (13179141823).jpg, 2014]]

The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/66009.stm |title=Going is good for Cheltenham |publisher=BBC Sport |date=17 March 1998 |access-date=10 March 2009}} The four-day festival takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. It usually coincides with Saint Patrick's Day and is particularly popular with Irish visitors.{{cite news |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/sport/horse-racing/cheltenham-festival-gets-underway-this-afternoon-14219806.html |title=Cheltenham festival gets underway this afternoon |work=The Belfast Telegraph |date=10 March 2009 |access-date=10 March 2009}}

The meeting features several Grade I races including the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Stayers' Hurdle. Large amounts of money are gambled; hundreds of millions of pounds are bet over the course of the week. Cheltenham is noted for its atmosphere, including the "Cheltenham roar", which refers to the enormous amount of noise that the crowd generates as the starter raises the tape for the first race of the festival.

Cheltenham Festival was not held between 1941 and 1945 because of World War II and in 2001 due to the foot-and-mouth disease crisis.

History

=Origins=

File:Flickr - Carine06 - Cheltenham Racecourse.jpg

The Cheltenham Festival originated in 1860 when the National Hunt Chase was first held at Market Harborough. It was initially titled the Grand National Hunt Meeting and took place at several locations since its institution, at the turn of the 20th century it was mostly held at Warwick Racecourse. In 1904 and 1905 it was staged at Cheltenham over a new course established at Prestbury Park in 1902, having previously taken place at Cheltenham in 1861. From 1906 to 1910 it was again held at Warwick but further additions and major improvements made at Cheltenham by Messrs. Pratt and Company, including a new stand (the fourth one), miles of drain to prevent unsuitable racing ground, tar paving in the enclosures and the paddock extended to 35 saddling boxes, proved enough to make the National Hunt Committee decide that the 1911 meeting was to return at Prestbury Park, Cheltenham where it remained to the present day.{{cite web|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000325/19111209/053/0006 |title=1912 Improvemnts and additions at Cheltenham |date=9 December 1912|publisher=Gloucester Citizen|access-date=14 November 2015}}{{subscription required|s}}{{cite web|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000518/19110311/021/0003 |title=1911 National Hunt Steeplechase meeting at Prestbury Park |date=11 March 1911|publisher=Cheltenham Chronicle|access-date=15 November 2015}}{{subscription required|s}}{{cite news|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19130313/225/0014 |title=1913 National Hunt Meeting – a record attendance |date=13 March 1913|newspaper=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer|access-date=14 November 2015}}{{subscription required|s}} The earliest traceable reference to a "Festival" is in the Warwick Advertiser of 1907.Stevens, Peter, History of the National Hunt Chase 1860–2010. {{ISBN|978-0-9567250-0-4}}

The Stayers' Hurdle, which first ran in 1912, is the oldest race from the Cheltenham festival that is currently a championship race. The Gold Cup, established in 1924, was originally a supporting race for the County Hurdle. This was the main event of the first day but that quickly changed, and in the following seasons it became a championship race. For many years it was still used by the trainers as a preparation race for the Grand National. The Champion Hurdle first ran in 1927 and the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1959; they were both championship races from the time they were introduced, unlike the Stayers' Hurdle and Gold Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000329/19240313/002/0002 |title=A head victory for Red Splash |date=13 March 1924|publisher=Western Morning News|access-date=14 November 2015}}{{subscription required|s}}

=Races=

File:Cross-country chase (5583185146).jpg

Until 2005 the festival had traditionally been held over the course of three days, but this changed with the introduction of a fourth day, meaning there would be one championship race on each day, climaxing with the Gold Cup on the Friday. To ensure each day would still have six races, five new races were introduced. Four further races have since been added, bringing the total to 28 races overall, with grade one events including the Champion Bumper, Triumph Hurdle, Ryanair Chase, Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, Arkle Challenge Trophy, Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, Champion Hurdle, Stayers' Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and the feature race, the Gold Cup. The festival also includes one of the two biggest Hunter Chases of the season, the Festival Hunters' Chase, which is run on the Friday over the same course as the Gold Cup.

Unlike Royal Ascot and many other top flat racing events in Great Britain and Ireland, the Cheltenham Festival does not have a history of attracting many international contenders, though French-trained horses have done well. Baracouda was perhaps the best known, after landing the Stayers' Hurdle twice.

Notable events

=1983–2019=

File:Winners' enclosure (13178144434).jpg

In 1983 Caroline Beasley became the first female jockey to ride a winner at the festival. She won the Foxhunter Chase on Eliogarty.{{cite web |last1=Burton |first1=Scott |title=Long road from Eliogarty to Frodon as women rise to the occasion |url=https://www.racingpost.com/news/long-road-from-eliogarty-to-frodon-as-women-rise-to-the-occasion/371016 |publisher=Racing Post |access-date=6 January 2021 |date=14 March 2019}}

On 17 March 1987, 21-year-old Gee Armytage won the Kim Muir Challenge Cup, back then held on Tuesdays and backed it with another victory the next day in the Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup on a horse aptly named Gee-A, becoming the first female jockey to win a race against professionals at the festival.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eS41AAAAIBAJ&pg=3871%2C4607103|title=Geee upsets odds – and men – at the Festival|date=19 March 1987|work=The Glasgow Herald|access-date=4 November 2015}}

In 2001 the festival was cancelled due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Britain. The meeting had initially been postponed to April, but when a case of the disease was confirmed locally, putting the racecourse within an exclusion zone, all racing had to be called off.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/1254326.stm |title=Cheltenham Festival called off |publisher=BBC Sport |date=1 April 2001 |access-date=10 March 2009}}

In 2008, the second day of the festival was cancelled on safety grounds due to heavy storms making the marquees in the tented hospitality area unsafe. The races scheduled for that day were instead run on the third and final days.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/7291303.stm |title=Cheltenham Festival |publisher=BBC Sport |date=12 March 2008 |access-date=10 March 2009}} In 2019 a record opening day crowd of 67,934 people attended.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/horse-racing/cheltenham/day-two-of-cheltenham-festival-will-go-ahead-despite-strong-winds-and-heavy-rain-37908431.html |title =Day Two of Cheltenham Festival will go ahead despite strong winds and heavy rain|date=13 March 2019|work=Irish Independent|access-date=13 March 2019}}

=2020 coronavirus pandemic=

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and in line with government advice, the festival went ahead from 10 to 13 March 2020. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic on 11 March.{{cite web |title=WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19—11 March 2020 |url=https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020 |publisher=World Health Organization |date=11 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200311212521/https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020 |archive-date=11 March 2020 |url-status=live}} On 16 March, three days after the festival, the British government advised against large gatherings{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-guidance-for-mass-gatherings |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200316221741/https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-guidance-for-mass-gatherings |title=COVID-19 guidance for mass gatherings |publisher=gov.uk |date=16 March 2020 |archive-date=16 March 2020 }} and on 23 March ordered a lockdown.Stewart, Heather; Mason, Rowena; Dodd, Vikram (23 March 2020): [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/23/boris-johnson-orders-uk-lockdown-to-be-enforced-by-police Boris Johnson orders UK lockdown to be enforced by police]. The Guardian. The festival attracted 251,684 visitors that year,[https://www.bbc.com/sport/horse-racing/52164004 "Shadow sports minister says there are 'serious questions' over why Cheltenham went ahead"]. BBC Sport, 4 April 2020. including a final-day crowd of 68,859, fewer than 2,000 down on the previous year's record.{{cite news|last=Cook |first=Chris |title=Cheltenham Festival bubble brings respite despite disbelief elsewhere|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/mar/13/cheltenham-festival-bubble-respite-gold-cup |newspaper=The Guardian |date=13 March 2020}}

There were fears in early April that the festival had helped spread the disease widely across the country. One visitor who developed COVID-19 later complained about having been "packed like sardines".Conn, David (3 June 2020). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/03/we-were-packed-like-sardines-evidence-grows-of-mass-event-dangers-early-in-pandemic "'We were packed like sardines': evidence grows of mass-event dangers early in pandemic"]. The Guardian. Hundreds of festival visitors also said that they had developed symptoms.{{cite news |last1=Humphries |first1=Will |title=Fears that Cheltenham Festival may have spread coronavirus throughout country |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/horse-racing/article/cheltenham-festival-spread-coronavirus-across-country-vbzmn5p9q |work=The Times |date=3 April 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200403084840/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cheltenham-festival-spread-coronavirus-across-country-vbzmn5p9q |archive-date=3 April 2020 |url-status=live |access-date=7 April 2020 }}{{cite news |last1=Forte |first1=Joseph |title=Statement released after Cheltenham Festival staff and racegoers develop coronavirus symptoms |url=https://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk/news/18318320.statement-released-cheltenham-festival-staff-racegoers-develop-coronavirus-symptoms/ |work=Stroud News & Journal |date=19 March 2020}} Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which covers Cheltenham, recorded 125 deaths, roughly double that in two nearby trusts at Bristol (58 each), and those covering Swindon (67) and Bath (46).{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/revealed-three-uk-sporting-events-may-have-led-coronavirus-death/ |title=Revealed: The three UK sporting events that may have led to a coronavirus death spike |last=Nuki |first=Paul |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=28 April 2020 |access-date=29 April 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Calvert |first1=Jonathan |last2=Arbuthnott |first2=George |last3=Leake |first3=Jonathan |last4=Gadher |first4=Dipesh |title=22 days of dither and delay on coronavirus that cost thousands of British lives |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/three-weeks-of-dither-and-delay-on-coronavirus-that-cost-thousands-of-british-lives-05sjvwv7g |work=The Sunday Times |date=23 May 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200524150600/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/three-weeks-of-dither-and-delay-on-coronavirus-that-cost-thousands-of-british-lives-05sjvwv7g |archive-date=24 May 2020 |url-status=live |access-date=26 May 2020 }}

Horse-welfare concerns

For several years there have been concerns about the number of horse injuries and fatalities. In 2006, 11 horses died. In response the racecourse decreased the number of runners in certain races and re-sited one of the more difficult fences.

On the opening day of the 2012 festival, three horses were euthanised after suffering bone fractures or breaks, including two during the Cross-Country Chase, becoming the second and third equine fatalities in that race since 2000.{{cite web|author=GMT |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/17360447 |title=Cheltenham Festival: Two more horses die on second day |publisher=BBC |date=14 March 2012 |access-date=15 August 2012}} Another two horses died during the festival.

At the 2018 festival there were six horse deaths, leading to a BHA review into equine safety. The review was published in December 2018 and listed 17 recommendations for future Cheltenham fixtures and jump racing in general, including reduced field size numbers at Cheltenham and a pre-race veterinary check for all runners at the festival.{{cite web |last1=Barber |work=Racing Post |first1=Bill |title=BHA unveils 17 recommendations from welfare review of Cheltenham Festival |url=https://www.racingpost.com/news/cheltenham-review/bha-unveils-17-recommendations-from-welfare-review-of-cheltenham-festival/357347 |date=12 December 2018}} At the 2019 festival there were three horse deaths, leading to another BHA review.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/47585457|title=Cheltenham Festival 2019: Sir Erec suffers fatal injury in the Triumph Hurdle|work=BBC News|date=15 March 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/sport/racing/sir-erec-death-cheltenham-2019-2652180|title=Cheltenham Festival horse Sir Erec's death to be investigated by BHA|publisher=Gloucestershire Live|date=15 March 2019}}

There were two further equine fatalities in 2025,{{cite web |last1=Astley |first1=Oliver |title=Horse deaths at Cheltenham Festival spark anger at animals 'sacrificed for entertainment' |url=https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/cheltenham-news/horse-deaths-cheltenham-festival-spark-10026891?utm_source=linkCopy&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar |website=gloucestershirelive |publisher=gloucestershire live}}

2025 races

The number and type of races at the Cheltenham Festival has changed dramatically over the years of its existence. In particular, it has grown from a two-day meeting to a four-day meeting. In 2025, there will be 28 races as follows:

Day	Race	Obstacles	Distance	Class	Sponsor
class="wikitable sortable"
Tuesday	Supreme Novices' Hurdle	Hurdles	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|1/2\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	SkyBet
Tuesday	Arkle Challenge Trophy	Fences	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	My Pension Expert
Tuesday	Festival Trophy Handicap Chase	Fences	{{cvt\|3\|mi\|1\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Premier Handicap	Ultima Business Solutions
Tuesday	David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle	Hurdles	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|4\|furlong\|0\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	Close Brothers Group
Tuesday	Champion Hurdle	Hurdles	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|1/2\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	Unibet
Tuesday	Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle	Hurdles	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|1/2\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Premier Handicap	Hallgarten and Novum Wines
Tuesday	National Hunt Challenge Cup	Fences	{{cvt\|3\|mi\|6\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Ungraded	–
Wednesday	Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle	Hurdles	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|5\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	Turners
Wednesday	Brown Advisory Novices' Chase	Fences	{{cvt\|3\|mi\|1/2\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	Brown Advisory
Wednesday	Coral Cup	Hurdles	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|5\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Premier Handicap	Coral
Wednesday	Cross Country Chase	Cross Country	{{cvt\|3\|mi\|6\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Ungraded	Glenfarclas
Wednesday	Queen Mother Champion Chase	Fences	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	BetMGM
Wednesday	Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase	Fences	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|sortable=on}}	Premier Handicap	–
Wednesday	Champion Bumper	NHF	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|1/2\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	Weatherbys
Thursday	Golden Miller Novices' Chase	Fences	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|4\|furlong\|0\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	Turners
Thursday	Pertemps Final	Hurdles	{{cvt\|3\|mi\|sortable=on}}	Premier Handicap	Pertemps
Thursday	Festival Trophy	Fences	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|5\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	Ryanair
Thursday	Stayers' Hurdle	Hurdles	{{cvt\|3\|mi\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	Paddy Power
Thursday	TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase	Fences	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|4+1/2\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Premier Handicap	TrustATrader
Thursday	Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle	Hurdle	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|1\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Grade 2	Ryanair
Thursday	Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup	Fences	{{cvt\|3\|mi\|2\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Ungraded	JRL Group
Friday	Triumph Hurdle	Hurdles	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|1\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	JCB
Friday	County Handicap Hurdle	Hurdles	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|1\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Premier Handicap	BetMGM
Friday	Spa Novices' Hurdle	Hurdles	{{cvt\|3\|mi\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	Albert Bartlett
Friday	Cheltenham Gold Cup	Fences	{{cvt\|3\|mi\|2+1/2\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Grade 1	Boodles
Friday	Foxhunter Chase	Fences	{{cvt\|3\|mi\|2+1/2\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Ungraded	St James's Place
Friday	Liberthine Mares' Chase	Fences	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|4+1/2\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Grade 2	Paddy Power
Friday	Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle	Hurdles	{{cvt\|2\|mi\|4+1/2\|furlong\|sortable=on}}	Ungraded	–

Top jockeys

The top jockey for the festival is the jockey who wins the most races over the four days. The winners since 1980, with wins in brackets, are:{{cite web|title=2015 Top Jockey|url=http://www.irishracing.com/cheltenham-leading-jockey.html|publisher=Irish Racing|access-date=13 March 2015}}{{cite web|title=Top Jockeys 2014-1997|url=http://cheltenham.thejockeyclub.co.uk/pr-policies/press-releases/leading-jockeys-at-the-festival|publisher=Cheltenham|access-date=13 March 2015}}

2025 Paul Townend (4)
2024 Paul Townend (6)
2023 Paul Townend (5){{cite web |last1=Keogh |first1=Frank |title=Cheltenham 2023: Willie Mullins savours 'mind-blowing' Festival success |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/64995363 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=17 March 2023 |date=17 March 2023}}
2022 Paul Townend (5)
2021 Rachael Blackmore (6)
2020 Paul Townend (5)
2019 Nico de Boinville (3)
2018 Davy Russell (4)
2017 Ruby Walsh (4)
2016 Ruby Walsh (7)
2015 Ruby Walsh (4)
2014 Ruby Walsh (3)
2013 Ruby Walsh (4)
2012 Barry Geraghty (5)
2011 Ruby Walsh (5)
2010 Ruby Walsh (3)
2009 Ruby Walsh (7)
2008 Ruby Walsh (3)
2007 Robert Thornton (4)
2006 Ruby Walsh (3)
2005 Graham Lee (3)
2004 Ruby Walsh (3)
2003 Barry Geraghty (5)
2002 Richard Johnson (2)
2001: Festival cancelled
2000 Mick Fitzgerald (4)
1999 Mick Fitzgerald (4)
1998 Tony McCoy (5)
1997 Tony McCoy (3)
1996 Richard Dunwoody (2)
1995 Norman Williamson (4)
1994 Charlie Swan (3)
1993 Charlie Swan (4)
1992 Jamie Osborne (5)
1991 Peter Scudamore (2)
1990 Richard Dunwoody (2)
1989 Tom Morgan (2)
1988 Simon Sherwood (2)
1987 Peter Scudamore (2)
1986 Peter Scudamore (2)
1985 Steve Smith Eccles (3)
1984 Jonjo O'Neill (2)
1983 Graham Bradley (2)
1982 Jonjo O'Neill (1)
1981 John Francome (3)
1980 Jim Wilson (3)

Leading trainers

The leading trainer for the festival is the trainer who trains the most winners in the races over the four days. The winners since 1997, with wins in brackets, are:{{cite web|title=Cheltenham Festival Top Trainers 2004–2013|url=http://eclipsemagazine.co.uk/features/interviews/trainers/5771-cheltenham-festival-2014-most-successful-trainers-henderson-leading-the-way|publisher=Eclipse|access-date=3 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150224234025/http://eclipsemagazine.co.uk/features/interviews/trainers/5771-cheltenham-festival-2014-most-successful-trainers-henderson-leading-the-way|archive-date=24 February 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|title=Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer 2014-1997|url=https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/the-festival/|publisher=Cheltenham Festival|access-date=3 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221204757/http://www.thecheltenhamfestival.net/cheltenham-festival-top-trainers|archive-date=21 February 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|title=2015 Leading Trainer|url=http://www.irishracing.com/cheltenham-leading-trainer.html|publisher=Irish Racing|access-date=13 March 2015}}

2025 Willie Mullins (10)
2024 Willie Mullins (9)
2023 Willie Mullins (6)
2022 Willie Mullins (10){{cite web |last1=Harding |first1=Jonathan |title=Mullins finishes top trainer with record ten winners after dominant final day |url=https://www.racingpost.com/news/cheltenham-reports/willie-mullins-top-trainer-with-record-ten-winners-after-dominant-final-day/544988 |publisher=Racing Post |access-date=22 March 2022 |date=18 March 2022}}
2021 Willie Mullins (6){{cite web |last1=Riley |first1=Stuart |title=Willie Mullins top festival trainer as Galopin Des Champs strikes in Martin Pipe |url=https://www.racingpost.com/news/willie-mullins-top-festival-trainer-as-galopin-des-champs-strikes-in-martin-pipe/476713 |publisher=Racing Post |access-date=22 March 2022 |date=19 March 2021}}
2020 Willie Mullins (7)
2019 Willie Mullins (4)
2018 Gordon Elliott (8)
2017 Gordon Elliott (6)
2016 Willie Mullins (7)
2015 Willie Mullins (8)
2014 Willie Mullins (4)
2013 Willie Mullins (5)
2012 Nicky Henderson (7)
2011 Willie Mullins (4)
2010 Nicky Henderson (3)
2009 Paul Nicholls (5)
2008 Paul Nicholls (3)
2007 Paul Nicholls (4)
2006 Paul Nicholls (3)
2005 Howard Johnson (3)
2004 Paul Nicholls (4)
2003 Jonjo O'Neill (3)
2002 Martin Pipe (3)
2001: Festival cancelled
2000 Nicky Henderson (4)
1999 Paul Nicholls (3)
1998 Martin Pipe (4)
1997 Martin Pipe (4)