The Cheltenham Festival starts today.

For those of you unfamiliar with horse racing, the Cheltenham Festival.  It is a great racing event held in the UK.  Essentially, it is the second biggest meet of  the National Hunt racing season, (Jump courses).  The Grand National being the first.  The best trained horses are entered into the races and the challenge of getting a winner is on.

I’m a little bit of a fan of the races, and I do love horses.  Takes me back to when I used to ride.  One of my earliest memories of learning about this exciting racing event, was through a movie.  It was called “The yellow Rolls Royce”.  Made in 1964, it was one of those multiple story movies, with a yellow rolls royce being the continuing link.  It starred Rex Harrison, Ingrid Bergman, Omar Sheriff, Shirley MacLaine, Joyce Grenfell and others.  The Rex Harrison story centered around his wife having an affair with a collegue, and his hopes to bring home the Gold cup.

Getting back to the 2012.  The Cheltenham Festival is called the jewel in the crown of racing, because it is the start of the JUMP season.  The horses jump hurdles around the course, a big prize money pay out and of course the prestigious Gold Cup for the winner.  This could be a very exciting day out for you and a group of friends.  Definitely worth taking a day off work, you never know.  You just might pick a winner.

The Itenary.

This is an exciting four day event, it runs from today (Tuesday 13th March 2012), to Friday 16th March 2012.  Each day has it’s own special theme, ending with the big race that earns the winner the gold cup.  If you want to know more about the whole event just visit the official website to get a full run down of each day’s activities.  In brief, it shapes up like this.

Tuesday 13th March 2012 – Know as Champion Day.  
This is where it all begins, thier under starters orders (as is sometimes said).  The gun is fired, the horse burst out of the starter cage and there off..  The crowd roars as the horses take their first strides and build up to into full gallop.

Wednesday 14th March 2012 – Ladies Day.
Tomorrow is Ladies Day. Get those hats out ladies and shine in the promised sunshine.  Watch the news tomorrow and you will get a mini fashion show.  Bright angled coloured hats, wide brimmed, a maybe a tower or two.

Thursday 15th March 2012 – St Patrick’s day.
On St Patrick’s day, this is the day of the World Hurdle race.  It is a three mile raced with twelve hurdles to jump.  It is only for horses that are four years old or above.  The grassed acreage of the racecourse supplies the traditional green for St Patrick’s day and  Labrookes state to give the best betting odds on all bets.

Friday 16th March 2012 – Gold Cup Day.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup Day is the highlight of the Cheltenham festival. The presentation of the Gold Cup to the winner and a big money prize to the owner of the winning horse.  The race for the gold cup is the biggest of seven races on the day, so there is plenty of action and lots of excitment to enjoy.

Unfortunately, tickets for Friday’s Gold Cup Day are all sold out.  However, tickets are still available on the day for all the other days.  From London Trains run from Paddington Station.  The gates open at 10:30am for a full day of great racing.

Photo by: lhourahane.