Cheltenham jumps festival ‘the Olympics of racing’

Cheltenham Racecourse

As the modern footing evolves, some sporting institutions seem to endure on the wane – precisely the Cheltenham Festival continues to larn bigger as well as better, says Nick Wilby.

Springtime inwards Britain used to endure when 3 annual sporting events the viewing populace never missed took house – the FA Cup Final, the Grand National as well as the Boat Race.

These days, it appears few people exterior the academy cities of Oxford as well as Cambridge tending what happens on the River Thames, football’s FA Cup has been left behind yesteryear the Premier League as well as Champions League, as well as the Grand National is straight off overshadowed yesteryear the Cheltenham Festival.

But why is iv days of Equus caballus racing inwards the picturesque Gloucestershire countryside becoming a bigger bargain yr upon year?

The fact is that the Cheltenham Festival, running this yr from March 12 to 15, is marketed every bit the Olympic Games of Equus caballus racing, generating a unique atmosphere enjoyed yesteryear all walks of social club from betting store punters to the gentry to TV celebrities.

Whereas the Grand National suffers from an prototype occupation whereby, every bit a one-off annual spectacle, it has larn tainted yesteryear equine fatalities, Cheltenham is remembered instead for thrilling racing as well as recognisable perennial heroes.

Part of its appeal is that instead of relying on weekend dates to attract its 50,000-strong daily crowds, the coming together takes house from Tuesday to Fri when, during the daytime at least, it stands lone every bit a sporting highlight.

The Cheltenham executive should endure applauded for non bowing to pressure level to movement their feast to covert a weekend. But their production is potent plenty for that to endure unnecessary amongst many people basing their whole calendar week around the Festival – taking fourth dimension off operate to attend it is every bit natural to many every bit non having to clock on at Christmas.

Basically, everything virtually the Cheltenham Festival works.

The format has changed petty since the 1960s, the biggest divergence coming inwards 2005 when 3 days became four, amongst Fri added to the traditional Tuesday to Th gatherings as well as 7 novel races introduced, all of which get got been retained.

The venue is stunning, inwards a perfect natural amphitheatre at the base of operations of the Cotswolds; the course of didactics lends itself to thrilling races amongst a long uphill complete that produces many a closed battle; as well as many of the same protagonists maintain on returning, doughty champions trying to fend off the latest batch of pretenders to the crown.

This year, maybe the most famous equine hero of the recent era, Kauto Star, volition non endure vying for the gem inwards the crown, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, for the outset fourth dimension inwards 7 years.

Twice a winner as well as twice placed inwards his vi attempts, he is straight off inwards happy retirement as well as embarking upon a novel career inwards dressage, leaving sometime rivals Long Run as well as Imperial Commander to get got on the curtain of the housewives’ Gold Cup choice.

They volition aim to resist the younger brigade, headed yesteryear Bobs Worth, Sir Des Champs as well as Silviniaco Conti, amongst thousands of people around the UK of Britain as well as Northern Republic of Ireland certain to endure planning a Fri afternoon flutter, both on the racecourse itself as well as elsewhere, desperate to honor who triumphs.

You wouldn’t larn that happening for whatever other termination – as well as it’s what makes the Cheltenham Festival as well as then special.

 

Article written yesteryear Nick Wilby from Cheltenhamfestival.net.

 

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