Cheltenham Festival 2022 – What To Look Forward To
The Cheltenham Festival has to be one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the racing calendar.
With the last two years being somewhat different, there is much excitement around opening the gates and welcoming back some 250,000 horse racing fans.
This is a horse racing event like no other, with estimates suggesting that some £500 million could be bet over the next four days, now is the time to head over and check out this list of fair UK gambling sites.
Before you place your bets, let’s take a look at what we’ve got to look forward to.
The Return of Rachael Blackmore
The opening day’s Champion Hurdle will see Blackmore return looking to make history yet again.
It was 2021 that saw her become the first woman to become the meeting’s top jockey. This year will see her riding the unbeaten Honeysuckle as she seeks Champion Hurdle success.
Come Friday, we will see Blackmore also looking to take the Gold Cup. This time, she will be on the back of last year’s runner up, A Plus Tard.
British vs Irish
Of course, there has always been fierce competition between the British and Irish when it comes to the Cheltenham Festival.
What was seen back in 2021 was the Irish running amok and showing their dominance over the entire four-day event. With the Irish chalking up an impressive 23 wins, the British saw an abysmal five.
This year, the British will be keen to set the record straight and improve on the disappointments of last.
The Queen Mother Champion Chase
This race is set to be one of the most exciting of the Festival when it takes place on Wednesday.
Here, fans are sure to be delighted to see the return of fast years winner, Put the Kettle On, as well as the runner up, Nube Negra.
When you throw the likes of Shishkin and Energumene into the mix (who had their first head to head at Ascot this year), it is clear that this is a race that you don’t want to miss.
Stayers’ Hurdle
This race can perhaps be seen as the battle of the champions. It sees no fewer than three previous winners lining up to race.
We will get to enjoy the performances of Flooring Porter, Lisnagar Oscar, and Paisley Park.
Ukraine Appeal National Hunt Chase
With 28 races set to take place over four days, Tuesday will come to an end with the Ukraine Appeal National Chase.
While the action on the racecourse is bound to be as thrilling as ever, it is great to see racing supporting the humanitarian efforts following Russia’s invasion.
The Gold Cup
Let’s be honest, this is the race that we all want to see, and the one that everyone wants to win.
Friday will see De Bromhead putting out last years’ first place and runner up in the form of Minella Indo and A Plus Tard.
Add into the mix the two-time winner, Al Boum Photo, and there is certainly a great race ahead.
