| The Cheltenham Festival is the most prestigious | | | | place, hundred of millions of pounds is spent on races. |
| meeting in the National Hunt Racing Calendar in the UK. | | | | Jump racing being most popular attracting most of the |
| The race prize is second to the Grand National. The | | | | attention; the entrants for the jump racing are in |
| Cheltenham Festival is a chance for the best Irish and | | | | incredible form with months of training. The three most |
| British horses to come together and race one another. | | | | popular races being Champion Hurdle which is ran on |
| The event takes place every year in March at the | | | | the Tuesday. Followed by the Queen Mother |
| Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, | | | | Champion Chase on the Wednesday and on Friday |
| Gloucestershire. Massive amounts of money are bet | | | | by the Cheltenham Gold Cup. |
| on this occasion, with hundreds of millions of pounds | | | | A number one priority of the Cheltenham Racecourse |
| being gambled over the period of four days. As with | | | | has been to provide the best underfoot conditions for |
| most horse racing events, betting comprises a | | | | the horses. The aim has been to provide the best |
| significant aspect of its appeal. The event is known for | | | | conditions for the Cheltenham Gold Cup but also for |
| its atmosphere, most notably the famous Cheltenham | | | | events taking place throughout the whole year. Using |
| roar. The Cheltenham roar refers to the noise made | | | | the available ground has enable the Racecourse to |
| when he horses enter the home straight and long run | | | | produce fresh ground on the new course for both third |
| in. The roar also refers to the incredible amount of | | | | and in 2005 the fourth day of the festival. Cheltenham |
| noise which is made at the opening race of the | | | | now consists of two racecourses known as the new |
| festival. | | | | course and the old course. |
| Traditionally the race was ran over a period of 3 days, | | | | A day at the Cheltenham Festival comprises of six |
| however this changed in 2005 when a fourth day was | | | | races, with the meeting getting underway with the |
| introduced. There are 24 races altogether, with grade | | | | Supreme Novices Hurdle on Tuesday afternoon, which |
| one events including the; | | | | is the first race of the event. The Feature race |
| * Champion Bumper | | | | however being the Champion Hurdle, which regardless |
| * Triumph Hurdle | | | | of attracting large fields is normally taken by those |
| * Supreme Novices Hurdle | | | | more favoured in the Cheltenham betting markets. |
| * Ballymore Properties Novices Hurdle | | | | The most successful horse in Cheltenham Gold Cup |
| * Arkle Challenge Trophy | | | | history was Golden Miller, who won five times from |
| * Royal & SunAlliance Chase | | | | 1932. There have also been another three horses that |
| * Champion Hurdle | | | | won the gold cup 3 times consecutively. |
| * World Hurdle | | | | * Cottage Rake in 1948 - 1950 |
| * Queen Mother Champion Chase | | | | * Arkle in 1964 - 1966 |
| * Cheltenham Gold Cup (The final race) | | | | * Best Mate in 2002 - 2004 |
| The first Cheltenham Festival took place in 1902 and | | | | The race course has many advantages including |
| since then has continued to gain more and more | | | | onsite accommodation and several restaurants to |
| distinctions within the racing calendar, becoming nearly | | | | choose from. At Cheltenham there is a huge choice of |
| as in important as the Grand National, the prize money | | | | places where food and drink is available, ranging from |
| also seconding the Grand Nationals prize. Every year | | | | bars to seafood and beef burger stalls. An impressive |
| without a fail now, the build up to Cheltenham | | | | range of hotels are in the surrounding area, offering |
| excitement begins months in advance. Most of the | | | | exclusive deals whilst the Cheltenham Festival is on. |
| betting takes place when the actual event is taking | | | | |