HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL IN BRIEF
1911 The Cheltenham Festival is established. 1924 First Gold Cup is run at the Festival, won by Red Splash with prize money of £685.
1927 First Champion Hurdle.
1932-1936 Golden Miller runs up a sequence of five Gold Cups (in 1934 he became the only horse to win the Aintree Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the same season). 1948-1950 Cottage Rake’s hat-trick in the Gold Cup marks the birth of the annual pilgrimage from Ireland.
1954 First locally-trained winner, Four Ten, trained in Prestbury by John Roberts. 1963-1965 Arkle’s hat-trick of Gold Cups. 1978 Gold Cup is abandoned because of snow and is run in April instead. 1989 Desert Orchid brings the house down by winning the Gold Cup.
1990 Norton’s Coin, at 100-1 the longest-priced winner of the Gold Cup,
Istabraq (above with jockey Charlie Swan) runs up a Festival sequence of four victories, first in what is now the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, then a hat-trick in the Champion Hurdle.
2001 Abandoned because of foot and mouth disease. 2002-2004 Best Mate dominates the Gold Cup, the first three-timer since Arkle.
2005 Festival extended from three to four days. 2007 Kauto Star wins the richest ever Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup and picks up a £1m bonus. 2008 Day two of the Festival cancelled due to high winds with all Wednesday races moved to Thursday and Friday. 2019 Record opening day crowd of 67,934 people attended
2020 AL Boum Photo wins second successive Gold Cup
2021 Festival takes place behind closed doors
Champ’s jumping problems have been ironed out and he has proven stamina for the Gold Cup
Unibet Champion Hurdle
Tuesday (3.05)
GAVE her trainer a record eighth Champion Hurdle success with three-length margin over Sharjah 12 months ago.
Impressive in Newcastle’s Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle in November on reappearance but beaten at 1-5 (subsequently reported to be suffering from back issue) by Silver Streak when seeking repeat win in top-level Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.
HENDERSON SAYS: She was very impressive at Newcastle, I thought — she picked up Sceau Royal, who was leading to the last, and went past him with so much class. Kempton was disappointing. She wasn’t herself and we were at no stage in a position to have a crack at Silver Streak.
We had a few things ironed out — she was uncomfortable at Kempton, and she’s always had quite a rigid back.
She had a little bit more than just physio work and I think we’re back in the right place now. She looked wonderful at Newcastle and, if we’re back, I think she’s got as good a chance as any. NEWSBOY’S VERDICT: Kempton represented a blip but it’s hard to see her not being at full strength for her title defence. ODDS: 7-2