As the third and penultimate day of Cheltenham racing is upon us, the festival has once again proved to the world why it holds such a special place in the hearts of horse racing fans.
This year’s meeting has already provided some key talking points; day one proved to be a historic one as Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle and the legend that is Tiger Roll claimed his fifth victory at Cheltenham on day two.
On Saint Patrick’s Day, and day one, the Irish dominated the proceedings and looked on course to claim this year’s Prestbury Cup.
The Prestbury Cup pits Ireland and England against each other as the two horse racing nations fight tirelessly to claim the coveted prize.
The cup is a fairly recent addition to the silverware on offer at the festival – it was introduced in 2014 and takes its name from the course’s near-by village.
Since 2014, the Irish have had the edge over England after claiming the title in four of the last seven meetings.
As things stand at the start of day three Ireland currently hold a resounding 11-3 lead over England, causing Paddy Power to have already paid out on an Emerald Isle win.
Ireland certainly look the favourites to claim this year’s cup and could wrap the competition up on day three as they only require five more wins.
