The Cheltenham Festival gets underway on Tuesday in one of the biggest horse racing events in the world, with 28 races spread over four days culminating in the famous Gold Cup.
The Festival is one of the grand events on the National Hunt calendar, with prize money second only to the Grand National meet next month at a total of more than £4.5m.
The opening day’s action kicks off at Prestbury Park in the early afternoon with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, with seven races scheduled for each day leading up to Gold Cup Friday.
Last year saw Al Boum Photo clinch Gold Cup glory for Paul Townend and trainer Willie Mullins, which incredibly came as his first win in the blue-riband event.
Mullins’ charger will challenge again this year and is fancied alongside the Nicky Henderson-trained Santini, but before then there is plenty of action to get through including Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle, Wednesday’s Queen Mother Champion Chase and a double-header on Thursday of the Ryanair Chase and Stayers’ Hurdle.
Here’s the full race card and results (all horses placed).
Tuesday
1:30pm - The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle: 1. Shishkin 6-1 2. Abacadabras 11-5 3. Chantry House 15-2
2:10pm - The Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase: 1. Put The Kettle On 16-1 2. Fakir D’Oudairies 3-1 3. Rouge Vif 9-1
2:50pm - The Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase: 1. The Conditional 15-2 2. Kildisart 10-1 3. Discorama 11-2 Jt Fav 4. Vindication 11-2 Jt Fav
3:30pm - The Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy: 1. Epatante 2/1 Fav 2. Sharjah 16/1 3. Darvar Star 17/2
4:10pm - The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Race:1. Honeysuckle 9/4 2. Benie Des Dieux 4-6 fav 3. Elfile 16/1
4:50pm - The Northern Trust Company Novices’ Handicap Chase:1. Imperial Aura 4-1 Jtfav 2. Galvin 4-1 Jtfav 3. Hold The Note 10-1
5:30pm - The National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup: 1 Ravenhill 12-1 2 Lord Du Mesnil 11-2 3 Lamanver Pippin 33-1
Wednesday
1:30pm - The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Race: 1. Envoi Allen - 4/7 Fav 2. Easy Work - 12/1 3. The Big Getaway - 9/1
2:10pm - The RSA Insurance Novices’ Steeple Chase: 1 Champ - 4-1 2 Minella Indo 3-1 3 Allaho 5-2 Fav
2:50pm - The Coral Cup Hurdle: 1 Dame De Compagnie 5-1 Fav 2 Black Tears 12-1 3 Thosedaysaregone 10-1 4 Cracking Smart 33-1
3:30pm - The Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase:1 Politologue 6-1 2 Dynamite Dollars 7-1 3 Bun Doran 33-1
4:10pm - Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase: 1 Easysland 3-1 2 Tiger Roll 8-11 Fav 3 Out Sam 33-1
4:50pm - The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race:1 Aramax 15-2 2 Night Edition 16-1 3 Saint D'Oroux 14-1 4 Recent Revelations 14-1
5:30pm - The Weatherbys Champion Bumper: 1 Ferny Hollow 11-1 2 Appreciate It 15-8 Fav 3 Queens Brook 6-1
Thursday
1:30pm - The Marsh Novices’ Chase: 1 Samcro 4-1 2 Melon 14-1 3 Faugheen 3-1 Fav
2:10pm - The Pertemps Network Final: 1 Sire Du Berlais 10-1 2 The Storyteller 11-2 Jt Fav 3 Tout Est Permis 12-1 4 Third Wind 12-1
2:50pm - The Ryanair Steeple Chase: 1 Min 2-1 2 Saint Calvados 16-1 3 A Plus Tard 7-4 Fav
3:30pm - The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle: 1 Lisnagar Oscar 50-1 2 Ronald Pump 20-1 3 Bacardys 33-1
4:10pm - The Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate: 1 Simply The Betts 10-3 Fav 2 Happy Diva 20-1 3 Mister Whitaker 22-1 4 Oldgrangewood 11-1
4:50pm - The Festival Mares Novices’ Hurdle: 1 Concertista 9-2 2 Dolcita 9-1 3 Rayna's World 100-
5:30pm - The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup: 1 Milan Native 9-1 2 Kilfilum Cross 8-1 3 Bob Mahler 16-1 4 Plan Of Attack 10-1
Friday
1:30pm - The JCB Triumph Hurdle: 1 Burning Victory 12-1 2 Aspire Tower 5-1 3 Allmankind 7-2
2:10pm - The Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle Race: 1 Saint Roi (B J Geraghty) 11-2 Fav 2 Aramon (P Townend) 8-1 3 Embittered (J J Slevin) 14-1 4 Buildmeupbuttercup (D E Mullins) 16-1
2:50pm - The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race: 1 Monkfish (P Townend) 5-1 2 Latest Exhibition (B J Cooper) 9-2 3 Fury Road (D N Russell) 5-1
3:30pm - The Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase: 1 Al Boum Photo 10-3 Fav 2 Santini 5-1 3 Lostintranslation
4:10pm - The St James’s Place Foxhunter Steeple Chase Challenge Cup: 1 It Came To Pass 66-1 2 Billaway 11-4 Fav 3 Shantou Flyer 3-1
4:50pm - Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase: 1 Chosen Mate 7-2 Fav 2 Eclair De Beaufeu 13-2 3 Us And Them 10-1
5:30pm - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle: 1 Indefatigable 25-1 2 Pileon 9-1 3 Great White Shark 40-1 4 Happygolucky 25-1
