Which is the oldest of the four ‘championship’ races at the Cheltenham Festival?

The so-called ‘championship’ races at the Cheltenham Festival, one of which forms the feature race on each of the four days, are the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup. The first two are run on the slightly sharper Old Course, while the last two are run on the New Course, which places more emphasis on stamina.

A race known as the ‘Cheltenham Gold Cup’ was first run on Cleeve Hill, overlooking the current racecourse, in 1819, long before the establishment of the Cheltenham Festival. However, that race was run over three miles on the Flat and restricted to three-year-olds. In its current guise, as a level weights steeplechase, the Cheltenham Gold Cup was not added to the Cheltenham Festival programme until 1924. Nevertheless, the Cheltenham Gold Cup pre-dates the Champion Hurdle, which was inaugurated in 1927 and, as such, is the oldest of the ‘championship’ races in their recognisable, modern form.

To avoid any confusion, a version of the Stayers’ Hurdle has been run at the Cheltenham Festival, with a few interruptions, since 1912. However, the original incarnation, the Stayers’ Selling Hurdle, ceased to be in 1938 and its successor, the Spa Hurdle, was replaced by the Stayers’ Hurdle, as we know it today, in 1972. The Queen Mother Champion Chase, too, is a relatively recent addition to the Festival programme, having been inaugurated, as the National Hunt Two-Mile Champion Chase, in 1959.

 

Which jockey rode Black Caviar at Royal Ascot?

For the uninitiated, Black Caviar was an undefeated racehorse trained by Peter Moody in Melbourne, Australia. The daughter of champion Australian sire Bel Esprit was retired, as a six-year-old, on April 17, 2013, immediately after winning the fifteenth Group 1 race of her career, the TJ Smith Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney. In so doing, she set a new Australian record for Group 1 wins and brought to a close a perfect 25-25 career, stretching back four years to April 18, 2009 at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne.

In June, 2012, raced for the one and only time outside Australia, in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. Defending a 21-21 record, she faced 13 rivals in the 6-furlong contest, but was nonetheless sent off at prohibitive odds of 1/6 to maintain her 100% record. She was ridden, as she had been for all but three of her previous starts, by experienced Australian jockey Luke Nolen.

Having taken the lead inside the final quarter of a mile, Black Caviar only had to be pushed along with hands and heels to take command inside the final furlong but, inexplicably, in the shadow of the winning post, Nolen stopped riding altogether. His over-confidence allowed the hard-driven Moonlight Cloud, ridden by Thierry Jarnet, to press Black Caviar, before he realised his error and started pushing along again close home.

Thankfully, for Nolen and anyone who laid the odds, Black Caviar just held on to beat Moonlight Cloud by a head with another French-trained runner, Restiadargent, just a neck further back in third place. Nolen accepted the blame for his narrow escape, saying, ‘I probably just underestimated the testing track at Ascot’, but adding that he had ‘got away it’. Moody echoed the latter sentiment, but defended Black Caviar, saying, ‘You only have to win by a quarter of an inch. She got the job done.’

Three Common Mistakes to Avoid When Betting on Horses

Horse race betting is an age-old pastime, but even in 2023, we see millions of people around the world thoroughly enjoying the thrill it brings. With Cheltenham just around the corner and the Grand National following closely, it’s important to brush up on the betting prowess and see if you can still fare well in the current horse race betting landscape. Despite all the joy that horse race betting brings, many common mistakes may cause frustration when yet another bet of yours fails to deliver.

To avoid draining your bankroll, have a look at some of the most common mistakes that both newcomers and seasoned bettors make when indulging in wagering on horse races. It is important to avoid these to make the most of your horse betting experience.

Mistake 1: Over-Reliance on One Market

One common error horse betting enthusiasts make is over-reliance on one betting market. Focusing solely on one market can lead to missing out on profitable bets in other areas. To maximize your odds of success, it’s essential to research different markets and identify those which offer you the greatest opportunities for winning.

By selecting multiple betting markets, you can increase your chances of finding lucrative bets and spread out any potential losses. Furthermore, selecting multiple markets allows for better control over your risks and minimizes the impact of potential losses.

Remember that you don’t necessarily have to bet on the winner of a given race. Some smart choices include place markets which may involve a horse finishing within top-3 as well as each-way bets which are essentially two bets combined — one on the place and one on the win. This way, you can lower your risk without reducing your profit. Each market has its unique features and strategies, making it essential to understand them thoroughly before placing any bets.

Mistake 2: Neglecting the Odds

While odds are arguably the first parameter that any bettor considers, it often happens that even an experienced player chooses sub-optimal odds for a race. It is crucial to pay attention to the odds and not neglect them when placing bets.

To make informed betting decisions, look at odds from multiple sources. Compare the odds across different websites to find the best value. A well-rounded platform like https://www.stakers.com is fine for checking the available promotions as well as reading up the reviews and insights on UK bookies. Additionally, it’s essential to keep an eye on odds fluctuations leading up to the race as they may change based on new information or changes in weather conditions.

Mistake 3: Not Doing Your Research

No one can predict the outcome 100% sure, but if past records and current circumstances are taken into account, unwanted surprises can be more than avoided. Moreover, learning more about the current terrain of horse race betting may be fun. For example, Sky Sports’ racing coverage can provide a wide array of interesting tidbits about the current horse racing events as well as point out who you should keep track of.

The more seasoned you become as a player, the easier it is for you to evaluate a given horse or jockey. Still, even betting veterans should keep in touch with the current scene. Professional betting tips are not to be underestimated, either. These can provide you with plenty of expert-backed options that have a decent chance of succeeding. Find out which horses will be competing, explore their past records, and pick the favourite to win.

By following these tips and strategies, you can maximize your horse betting experience and boost your chances of long-term success. So go ahead — apply these tactics and let your betting journey take you to new heights! Good luck and happy betting!

Cheltenham Festival is coming

The most important part: horse racing betting

 

Let’s discuss one of the most exciting parts of the preparation for the Cheltenham Festival!

Odds provided by bookmakers do not always reflect the current state of competitors. For example, we can look back to the Cheltenham Gold Cup 2021, where Minella Indo became the 1/9 winner of the race. That’s why it is indispensable to build your own opinion based on all the available analytics of the participants and stand your ground while making predictions. Another part of getting profit is finding the best odds in the market. There are a lot of websites that could provide you with a list of the best odds available at the moment. But the more you bet, the more you get, so it’s a good idea to multiply your betting budget with the help of the best payout online casino UK from a reputable source.

 

Some facts about Cheltenham Festival

 

Added to the National Hunt racing calendar, Cheltenham Festival is a four-day event hosted by Cheltenham Racecourse. According to the prize fund, it takes second place of all horse racing events in the UK, second only to Grand National. This year the Festival takes place from the 14th of March to the 17th of march.

The event was named Grand National Hunt Meeting when first set in 1860. It used to be hosted in several locations, but since 1911 it is held in Prestbury Park, Cheltenham.

Since 1860, the festival was cancelled only once in 2001 due to the outbreak of FMD (Foot-and-mouth disease). The disease affected more than 2,000 farms across the United Kingdom. More than 6 million ships and cows were euthanised, and all the horse racing events in the UK were called off to stop the disease.

 

The most anticipated races

 

Traditionally, Supreme Novices and Champion Hurdle make up the most attractive events on the first day for visitors. The favourite, for the Supreme Novices is Facile Vega and Constitution Hill for Champion Hurdle.

On the second day, the most competitive rivalry will occur at Champion Chase and Cross Country, Energumene and Delta Work being the favourites.

The third day will be remarkable for Ryanair Chase, where Fakir Doudairies is likely to take the trophy and Stayers’ Hurdle with Blazing Khal contenders for first place.

The most prestigious Gold Cup race takes place on the 4th day of competitions, and Galopin Des Champs is considered the most obvious contender to be awarded.

 

The top list of favourites is based on the bookie rates, so take advantage of the current odds because the dark horse isn’t always that obvious.


Remarkable jockeys

 

Here are the best performers in the horse racing history of Cheltenham. Check these out to make the most out of the races!

Ruby Walsh twice won Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2007 and 2009, riding the same horse. Also, he has a streak of winning the most races over the four days on five festivals in a row, from 2013 to 2017. He won 7 races during the event, and this result hasn’t been surpassed yet, since 2016.

Tony McCoy, was twice awarded Jump Ride of the Year. In 2009 he won William Hill Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival, and in 2012 he won Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Make sure to book tickets on the official website and have fun!

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