Irish racing fans are continuing the countdown to the 2021 Cheltenham Festival with less than two weeks to go.
The four-day event, which takes place in March, features the Magners Gold Cup, which has been won by many top class horses over the years.
The horse racing industry has been reeling after a picture of top trainer Gordon Elliott sitting on a dead horse emerged.
Al Boum Photo has taken the past two renewals of the prestigious race and bids to become only the fourth horse to land a hat-trick.
If successful he will join all-time greats Best Mate, Arkle, Cottage Rake and Golden Miller – the chaser with five victories to his name.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, fans won't be in attendance and many Irish people will watch the action unfold on TV instead.
When is the 2021 Cheltenham Festival?
It is scheduled to take place from March 16-19.
The feature Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup (3.30) is run on the fourth and final day.
The other championship races are the Unibet Champion Hurdle (Tuesday), Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Wednesday) and Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Thursday).
What is happening to Gordon Elliott trained horses?
Horses moving yards a fortnight ahead of the 2021 Cheltenham Festival could have a "massive impact" in terms of their diet, Paul Nicholls has suggested.
The 11-time champion trainer was giving his insight into the routines of horses, after Cheveley Park Stud sent eight trained by Gordon Elliott to other stables.
They made their decision after Elliott was prevented from having runners in Britain while a picture of him sitting on a dead horse is investigated by racing chiefs.
Unbeaten novice chaser Envoi Allen is the most high-profile horse making the switch – and will be prepared for Cheltenham by Henry de Bromhead.
What time does each day start?
The first race is usually on the programme at 1.30pm.
On the Tuesday, the meeting begins with the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
In a normal year, fans in the grandstands would cheer when the tapes go up, which is known as the 'Cheltenham roar.'
However, there will be no fans at the 2021 event.
Gold Cup runners
A total of 41 horses have been entered for the race.
Joe and Marie Donnelly's star Al Boum Photo is one of 17 Irish horses in the potential line-up, with Henry de Bromhead's Savills Chase victor A Plus Tard and his stablemate Minella Indo among them.
The six horses behind Al Boum Photo in last year's race; Santini, Lostintranslation, Monalee, Delta Work, Real Steel and Kemboy could renew rivalry.
Other key contenders include Nicky Henderson's Champ, King George VI Chase winner Frodon and Colin Tizzard's 2018 hero Native River.
Will fans be allowed to attend?
No fans will be at the Cheltenham 2021 festival.
Usually the four-day meeting has an overall attendance of around 250,000 people, but this year the grandstands will be empty.
The Cheltenham roar, the collective noise from the crowd when the tapes go up for this first race, will be absent on March 16.
TV channel
Virgin Media in Ireland, ITV and Racing UK will be providing coverage throughout the week, with top presenters and pundits.
2021 Cheltenham Festival provisional schedule.
Tuesday.
1.20 Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
1.55 Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
2.30 Ultima Handicap Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
3.05 Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
3.40 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
4.15 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
4.50 National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Chase – Racing TV
Wednesday.
1.20 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
1.55 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
2.30 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
3.05 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
3.40 Glenfarclas Cross country Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
4.15 Johnny Henderson Grand Handicap Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
4.50 Weatherbys Champion Bumper – Racing TV
Thursday.
1.20 Marsh Novices’ Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
1.55 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
2.30 Ryanair Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
3.05 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
3.40 Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
4.15 Daylesford Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
4.50 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase – Racing TV
Friday.
1.20 JCB Triumph Hurdle – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
1.55 Randox County Handicap Hurdle – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
2.30 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
3.05 WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
3.40 St. James Place Festival Open Hunters’ Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
4.15 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase – Virigin media/ ITV/Racing TV
4.50 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle – Racing TV
Irish runners
An Irish travel ban on inward movements from Britain ended on January 8.
Every year there are dozens of Irish runners at the meeting.
Irish trainer Gordon Elliott is not permitted to send horses to race meetings in Britain as the authorities continue to investigate a picture which showed him sitting on a dead horse.
Staff who have travelled over with them will have to give a negative PCR test for Covid-19 at the point of re-entry into Ireland, followed by a period of self-isolation.
Irish jockeys will also have separate changing facilities to the home riders on-course.
