What to Expect at this Year’s Cheltenham Festival

One of the biggest and most prestigious National Hunt events, the Cheltenham Festival is going to be 163-years old in 2022. Being a festival that celebrates the spirit of horse racing, rather than simply hosting a race or two, the festival has always been a major attraction point for people within the equine community. After being cancelled completely in 2020 due to the pandemic, and somewhat stunted festivities in 2021, the Cheltenham Festival 2022 is all set to return in its full charm. Let’s find out what to expect from the Cheltenham Festival 2022 and when.

Dates and Venues

In 2022, the Cheltenham Festival will start on Tuesday 15^th of March, continuing until Friday the 18^th. As it was in 2021, the venues will be the Cheltenham Racecourse, the Cheltenham New Course, and the Sandown Park Racecourse (Centenary Novices’ Chase). We have listed all the dates for your convenience next:

• Champions Day: Tuesday, March 15^th, 2022
• Ladies Day: Wednesday, March 16^th, 2022
• Patrick’s Thursday: Thursday, March 17^th, 2022
• Cheltenham Gold Cup Day: Friday, March 18^th, 2022

Keep in mind that this is a cashless event, so even if you are planning to attend the festival in person, you may want to maximise your bets beforehand with Ladbrokes Cheltenham Festival offers online.

Races

A total of 28 Races will be held throughout these four days, with each of the days featuring seven jump races each. There will be 14 Grade I thoroughbred jump races in 2022, and you can expect them to be distributed as detailed next.

Day 1: Champions Day

1. The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 1:30 pm (Grade I)
2. The Arkle Challenge Trophy at 2:10 pm (Grade I steeplechase)
3. The Festival Trophy Chase at 2:50 pm (Grade III)
4. The Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy at 3:30 pm (Grade I Hurdle & Main Event of the Day)
5. The David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at 4:10 pm (Grade I)
6. The National Hunt Challenge Cup at 4:50 pm (Grade II)
7. The Centenary Novices’ Chase at 5:30 pm (The listed race will be held at the Sandown Park Racecourse)

Day 2: Ladies Day

1. The Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle Race at 1:30 pm (Grade I)
2. The Broadway Novices’ Steeple Chase at 2:10 pm (Grade I)
3. The Coral Cup at 2:50 pm (Grade III Hurdle)
4. The Queen Mother Champion Chase at 3:30 pm (Grade I Steeplechase & Main Event of the Day)
5. The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at 4:10 pm (Ungraded handicap race)
6. The Boodles Juvenile Hurdle Race at 4:50 pm (Grade III)
7. The Champion Bumper at 5:30 pm (Grade I flat race)

Day 3: St. Patrick’s Thursday

1. The Golden Miller Novices’ Chase at 1:30 pm (Grade I)
2. The Pertemps Final at 2:10 pm (Grade III hurdle)
3. The Ryanair Chase at 2:50 pm (Grade I Steeplechase & 1^st Main Event of the Day)
4. The Stayers’ Hurdle at 3:30 pm (Grade I Hurdle Race & 2^nd Main Event of the Day)
5. The Stable Plate at 4:10 pm (Grade III steeplechase)
6. The Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at 4:50 pm (Grade II)
7. The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup at 5:30 pm (ungraded)

Day 4: Cheltenham Gold Cup Day

1. The Triumph Hurdle at 1:30 pm (Grade I)
2. The County Handicap Hurdle at 2:10 pm (Grade III)
3. The Spa Novices’ Hurdle at 2:50 pm (Grade I)
4. The Cheltenham Gold Cup at 3:30 pm (Grade I Steeplechase and The Main Event of Cheltenham Festival)
5. The St. James’s Place Festival Hunter’ Chase at 4:10 pm (Ungraded)
6. The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase at 4:50 pm (Grade III)
7. The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at 5:30 pm (Ungraded)

Cheltenham Festival has a total purse of £625,000 like last year, but it could get a boost later if the rumours are to be believed. Even as it is, the Grand National is the only jump racing event in the UK that tops it in terms of total prize money. In any situation, expect Cheltenham Festival to be one of the most entertaining National Hunt events of 2022.