February 2018

This National Hunt Chase, a Grade 3 handicap race open to horses of five years and older. A distance of 2 miles and 5 furlongs, its run on the New Course, with 17 fences to be tackled. The race was founded in the memory of an amateur National Hunt Jockey, the 2^nd Baron Mildmay of Flete who was the champion rider of 3 winners at Cheltenham before his death by drowning in 1950.The initial race in his memory, took place in April 1951, as the scheduled race due to be held in March of that year, was abandoned as a result of the course being waterlogged.

 

The race sponsorship was taken over by Brown Advisory and Merriebelle Stable in 2015. The prize fund for this challenge Cup is £100,000 with the winner receiving £51,255. The Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup will take place on Thursday 15^th March, at 16.10 GMT. Previous winners have been Road to Respect in 2017 ad Empire of Dirt in 2016.

 

This is a wide open race, due to the handicapping of the runners, meaning that almost anyone could be the winner. At this stage in the game, there are three possible entrants to look out for – Village Vic (14/1), Annacotty (16/1) and Champagne West (16/1), although it could be anyone’s race on the actual day at the Cheltenham Festival.

 

 

Sponsored by Sun Bets, this 12 Hurdles race over 3 miles is a Grade 1 feature race on the 3^rd day of the Cheltenham festival. This Stayer’s Hurdle, is very much a specialist race, for the stayers, horses over four years old, with a distance of only 3 miles.

 

Growing in stature and popularity over recent years, this Stayers’ Hurdle has turned out three horses in the last ten years who have remained prominent as multiple winners, Inglis Drever(three), Big Buck’s (four)and Baracouda(two). It’s more difficult this year to predict who will win the Stayer’s Hurdle race, with favourites including Supasundae and Sam Spinner looking promising.

 

Taking place as the feature race on St Patrick’s Day, March 15^th, at 15.30 GMT, all eyes will be on the leading Trainer, Paul Nicholls, with Big Bucks. The 2017 winner of this race was Nichols Canyon ridden by Walsh for trainer Willie Mullins. Jessica Harrington is on form to complete a victory of championship wins with Supasundae, after previously winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Champion Chase and the Champion Hurdle, during her training career, currently at favourite odds of 7/2.

 

This feature race at the Cheltenham Festival is eagerly anticipated by participants and spectators alike. The Stayer’s Hurdle race has an enormous amount of prestige and you can guarantee that the horses will fiercely battle things out up to the final furlong.

 

 

This Grade 1 race, with a distance of 2 miles 5 furlongs over 17 fences on Turf, is for horses over 5 years old. Registered as the Festival Trophy Chase, but sponsored by Ryanair, the total prize money is £300,000, with the first prize winning fund at £148,070 in 2018. To be held on St Patrick’s Thursday, at 14.50 GMT.

 

Since this Ryanair Chase was introduced in 2015 to the Cheltenham Festival, it appears to be a race for the punters, with 9 winners out of 12 coming from the top 3 in the betting stakes. This Chase is meant for competitors that normally find that any longer a distance than 2 miles and 5 furlongs is beyond their stamina proficiencies.

 

Recent winners of this Ryanair Chase have been Un De Sceaux -Willie Mullins at 7/4f in 2017, Vautour, again Willie Mullins at Evens in 2016 and Uxizandre by A King at 16/1 in the year 2015.

 

As with the other Day Three races, this one is also run on the New Course, and is a left handed race. With a weight restriction for horses aged 5 years of 11 stone 9lbs, and for horses aged over 6 years, 11 stone 10lbs, while Mares have a 7 lbs allowance.

 

The Irish connection to this race at Cheltenham, especially as its held on St Patrick’s Day, proves that this Ryanair Chase, sponsored by this Irish company, is always a favourite with the punters.