Cheltenham Festival and Gold Cup

Cheltenham Festival and Gold Cup 2010 will see more horse racing, hats galore, not to mention more than £600 million of wagers at the annual highlight of the jump racing calendar.

With a history dating back almost two centuries, Cheltenham has become synonymous with world class National Hunt horse racing, and from Tuesday 16 March to Friday 19 March 2010 a staggering 230,000 people will descend on Gloucestershire’s spa town for the world-famous spectacle of The Festival.

Encompassing the internationally-renowned Cheltenham Gold Cup 2010, the four-day event will see more than 25 races take place in 2010, with almost £600 million being bet on some of the world’s finest race horses as they speed around Cheltenham Racecourse’s Old Course, New Course and Cross Country Steeplechase Course.

Tickets for the Gold Cup are now sold-out, but are still available from getmein.com where tickets for all four days of the Cheltenham Festival are also still available.

If you’re planning to travel to Cheltenham for the races, find a Gloucestershire hotel pretty smartish or visit booking.com to compare and reserve Cheltenham hotel rooms with no booking fees.

To place your bets on this year’s Cheltenham Festival and Gold Cup 2010 visit paddypower.com, coral.co.uk or betfair.com to find out the latest odds.

Tuesday 16 March 2010 at the Cheltenham Festival

Kicking off the Cheltenham Festival in 2009 was the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle race, set to be another gripping highlight of the four-day event in 2010 – particularly as the winner is granted the most sought after prize anywhere in the world for two-mile hurdlers.

1.30pm Spinal Research Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
2.05pm The Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase
2.40pm William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase
3.20pm Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy
4.00pm Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase
4.40pm David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle

Wednesday 17 March 2010 at the Cheltenham Festival – St Patrick’s Day

A highlight of the second day of Cheltenham Festival is The Seasons Holiday Queen Mother Champion Chase. Today is also St Patrick’s Day – meaning even more excuses to celebrate with a pint of Guinness or two!

1.30pm National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup
2.05pm Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle
2.40pm RSA Chase
3.20pm Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase
4.00pm Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
4.40pm Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
5.15pm Weatherbys Champion Bumper

Thursday 18 March 2010 at the Cheltenham Festival – Ladies Day

Thursday, the third day in the Festival 2010 line-up, sees what is arguably the most important race take place in the form of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle – when only the brave and the strong prevail in the thrilling three-mile race.

1.30pm Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase
2.05pm Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle
2.40pm Ryanair Chase
3.20pm Ladbrokes World Hurdle
4.00pm Byrne Group Plate Handicap Chase
4.40pm Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase

Also, following on from a successful introduction in 2007, Thursday will also mark The Festival’s fourth annual Ladies Day, when fashion provides a very different slant to a day at races. Members of the fairer sex will be showing off their best glad rags and most overstated hats in the hope of scooping an award for the Best Dressed Lady, Best Accessories or Best Hat. So ladies, dress to kill if you have your eyes on this particular set of prizes.

Friday 19 March 2010 at the Cheltenham Festival – The Cheltenham Gold Cup

Undoubtedly the highlight of The Festival – Friday’s Cheltenham Gold Cup 2010 is one of the most famous races in the world, and one which every horse owner, trainer and jockey dreams of winning. The testing three and a quarter mile course was won by Kauto Star in 2009 – who faces arch nemesis Denman again in 2010.

1.30pm JCB Triumph Hurdle Race
2.05pm Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle
2.40pm Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
3.20pm totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup
4.00pm Christie’s Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup
4.40pm Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
5.15pm Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase

With plenty of live music, entertainment, dining and trade stands to indulge in and explore in addition to the races, whether you’re a seasoned Festival fan or not – The Festival and Cheltenham Gold Cup 2010 is not to be missed.