The Cheltenham races was one of the last major sporting events to be held with spectators before the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020.
Last year’s four-day fixture, which usually attracts a total attendance of about 250,000, was held behind closed doors due to the pandemic.
British trainers will aim to do better than a year ago when they went down to a record 23-5 defeat by Irish runners as Rachael Blackmore won more races (six) than all the GB trainers.
Tuesday:
Champion Hurdle: The Irish giants of de Bromhead, Mullins and Elliott have 22 of the meeting’s 28 ante-post favourites. The 2020 champion, Epatante, runs for Henderson.
Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Championship Hurdle in 2021, and will be hoping for a repeat.
Wednesday:
Queen Mother Champion Chase: Henderson’s Shishkin and Energumene, for Mullins – who also runs Chacun Pour Soi – renew rivalry after the former won their first clash at Ascot which was hailed as one of the great races of recent years. Last year’s winner Put The Kettle On and runner-up Nube Negra return.
Cross Country Chase: Will two-time Grand National winner Tiger Roll bow out with a record-equalling sixth Festival win?
Thursday:
The Ryanair Chase, which is scheduled to take place at 2:50 pm on day 3 of the races, promises to be one of the most exciting races of the week. Allaho was one of the most impressive scorers last year and will be sent out to defend his title for Mullins against another Cheltenham 2021 victor Bob Olinger.
The moment Constitutional Hill won the first race of the 2022 Cheltenham Festivalpic.twitter.com/aueoCWRXIi
— Park Life Sport (@ParkLife_Sport) March 15, 2022
Stayers’ Hurdle: Three previous winners of this race line up with Flooring Porter taking on Lisnagar Oscar and Paisley Park, the hurdler named after Prince’s recording studio and owned by Andrew Gemmell, who has been blind since birth.
Cheltenham day one card is already offering some great odds
Friday:
Gold Cup: Mullins will send out two-time winner Al Boum, who was third last year. Elliott runs Galvin and Protektorat is the leading British hope for Dan Skelton.
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