2014 Cheltenham Festival - Day One Preview

The United Kingdom may have suffered the wettest winter since records began, but come hell or high water race fans will be ready for the tsunami that is the 2014 Cheltenham Festival.

It's time to bring it on!

From Tuesday 11th - Friday 14th March the National Hunt calendar delivers four days of exceptional horse racing including: Champions Day, Ladies Day, St Patrick's Thursday & Cheltenham Gold Cup Day. The festival sees the best of British and Irish-trained horses competing for glory. Watched by millions worldwide, more than two-hundred thousand people attend this annual pilgrimage.

Tuesday, March 11th, brings the first day of the Cheltenham Festival, held at Prestbury Park, Gloucestershire. A seven-race card kicks off proceedings. With an attendance of over fifty thousand people the atmosphere builds to a crescendo with the ''Cheltenham roar'' which refers to the enormous amount of noise generated by the crowd as the starter raises the tape for the first race of the festival (1:30 Cheltenham's Skybet Supreme Novices' Hurdle).

Take a deep breath. Place your bets. Savour every moment of this racing spectacular - where equine stars are hailed. Listen to the sound of winning hooves, beating faster than your racing heart.

Here is a selection of races featuring the favourites of this year's action and nostalgic glimpse of our greatest racing champions.

3:20 Cheltenham (Tuesday 11th March)

The most important hurdle race of the season: The Champion Hurdle. This Grade 1 race, run over a distance of two and a half miles, has eight hurdles. It is open to horses aged four years and older. Notable triumphs include the inaugural winner Blaris (1927), Istabraq (2000) and last triple winner & legendary Dawn Run (1984). She was only the second mare to taste victory in this contest, going on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup (1986). The only horse to ever complete this double. Last year's winner Hurricane Fly, trained by Willie Mullins, was the first horse in 38 years to reclaim the Champion Hurdle after denying old adversary Rock On Ruby, who heads for the Arkle Chase. This bay gelding, a son of Montjeu, is presently 3/1 joint favourite in ante post markets. A true talent, this ten year old has won 21 of his 24 races over hurdles and achieved prize money of over £1.6 million. His main opposition include The New One, My Tent Or Yours & Our Conor, a five year old gelding, who was a facile winner of last year's JCB Triumph Hurdle.

2:05 Cheltenham (Tuesday 11th March)

The second race of the opening day of the festival is the Arkle Challenge Trophy. This Grade 1 Nation Hunt Steeplechase is open to horses aged five years and older. Covering a distance of 2 miles, twelve fences are jumped on the Old Course. This race is for novice chasers and a test of both speed and jumping. Bright Penny prevailed in the first running of this race in 1946, ridden by Glen Kelly and trained by Bobby Norris. Historic winner Alverton (1978) went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Last year's race was won by the Nicky Henderson-trained Simonsig, who is out for the season, recuperating, after developing a splint on his near-fore. Willie Mullins trains the 7/2 ante post favourite, Champagne Fever, who won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham. This grey gelding needs to come back from an odds-on defeat when only third at Leopardstown in December. The main contenders include Dodging Bullets (6/1) who is trained by Paul Nicholls, and bred by Frankie Dettori, Trifolium (6/1), Rock On Ruby (7/1) who won last year's Champion Hurdle for Harry Fry, while Alan King's Valdez (9/1) is another among a large field of entrants.

4:00 Cheltenham (Tuesday 11th March)

The Cheltenham OLBG Mares Hurdle is a fascinating event. This Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race is open to mares aged four years and older. Nine hurdles are jumped over two and half miles on this left-handed course. This race was established in 2008 and the winner's trophy for this event is named in the memory of David Nicholson (1939 - 2006), a talented jockey & trainer. Since the inaugural winner, Whiteoak, this race has been dominated by super mare Quevega. Ruby Walsh has ridden her to success. In fact, this daughter of Robin Des Champs has won the last five contests. The Willie Mullins-trained ten year old is unbeaten in her last eight starts and price 4/5f in ante post markets. Her trainer has a strong hand in this race with 9/2 second favourite Annie Power to test her mettle. This six year old is unbeaten in all of her ten starts, of which seven were over hurdles. The main opposition include: Cockney Sparrow (8/1), Sirene D'ainey (10/1) & Glen's Melody (14/1) from what could be a large field. In previous years this race has fielded up to 21 runners.

Feature Races Of The Cheltenham Festival 2014

Tuesday 11th March - 3:20 Cheltenham - Stan James Champion Hurdle

Wednesday 12th March - 3:20 Cheltenham - Queen Mother Champion Chase

Thursday 13th March - 3:20 Cheltenham - Cheltenham Ladbrokes World Hurdle

Friday 14th March - 3:20 Cheltenham - Betfred Chelentenham Gold Cup

Our Cheltenham Resources

Race cards: Channel4 Race Card

Cheltenham Betting & Odds: Bookmakers

Racing Weather: Met Office (Cheltenham Racecourse)

4:00 Cheltenham (Tuesday, 12th March) Free Horse Racing Tips

4.00 – Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase

This looks one of the more difficult races of the Cheltenham Festival 2013. Arabella Boy should go well on the course and in the ground but may not stay the full 3m 7f. Outlaw Pete won last Decembers race but doesn't look well handicapped. Bostons Angel was second that day but has since disappointed at Punchestown behind Arabella Boy. The fifteen year old, A New Story, has been given a chance by the handicapper and may outrun his odds. Out of the principals in the betting Uncle Junior does appear the best value at around 8/1 but is carrying a lot of weight. However the best handicapped horse in the race looks like Leac An Scail. He ran well to finish third to Outlaw Pete in December on what was his first outing over the cross country course. Horses usually improve on their first outing and if he runs as well as last time he has a good each-way chance.

Leac An Scail 1 pt ew - 25/1

4.40 OLBG Mares Hurdle

Quevega has won this the last four years. This year there's some credible opposition in Une Artiste. Une Artiste is an improving horse. She won the Fred Winter last year and has won a couple of Class 1 mares only hurdles this season beating a few of the opposition in this and not being inconvenienced by a step up in trip. She's a few pounds to find on the ratings but I think she has the scope to do so. She's a battler and I'm certain she'll finish in the places. Quevega looked as good as ever at Punchestown last April and is difficult to oppose. I've backed Une Artiste in the 'without Quevega' market at 11/4 - unfortunately that's all gone now and she's 2/1 which is probably a short enough price. Ladbrokes has a limited offer of a maximum of £25 win on Quevega at 4/5.

1 pt win Quevega 4/5 (with Ladbrokes) 1st

Brilliant performance after looking to be in problem..ran on with real purpose to prove she is exceptional

5.15 Pulteney Land Investments Novices Handicap Chase

Carlito Brigante appears to have been given a very big chance by the handicapper. Over hurdles he won the Coral Cup round here off 142 and was rated 160 at his peak. Over fences he won a novice chase round here and was given a mark of 147. Since then he run a couple of races and been beaten by the likes of Dynaste and Unioniste. He's now on a mark of 137 and his shrewd trainer has given him a recent spin on the all weather to protect his handicap mark. The only slight negative is that he'd probably prefer better going. He's still available at 8/1 and I can see that shortening up nearer the off.

2 pts ew Carlito Brigante 8/1 Unp

Being baldly hampered put lay to any chance...

I would like to thank Sean Kelsey for his superb analysis, the author of this post.