The four-day, 28-race Festival, which begins on Tuesday, showcases the best Jumps racing and most of the best Jumps horses in the world. Thousands from this area will either be making their annual pilgrimage to the iconic track or they will be glued to their big screens, laptops or mobiles, watching the action unfold on ITV or Racing TV.
So we have grasped the opportunity to highlight 21 horses capable of stealing the show and making the headlines during Cheltenham week. Strongly fancied favourites and form horses, yes, but also lovable veterans and Festival mainstays. They are NOT tips but stars of the sport admired for their achievements, reputation or potential.
The main focus of this year’s meeting is on the 100th running of the Gold Cup, the blue riband event, with GALOPIN DES CHAMPS gunning for back-to-back victories. But another century could also fall under the spotlight because Galopin’s genius of a handler, Willie Mullins, is just six short of becoming the first trainer to saddle 100 Festival winners.
Astonishingly, Mullins is responsible for 23 per cent of all winners at the meeting in the last ten years. And even more astonishingly, he is responsible for the current favourites in 14 of this week's races – a tally boosted by the shock late defections of hotpots Constitution Hill and Marine Nationale.
Mullins spearheads a typically strong party of Irish raiders this year. Indeed, for the first time in Festival history, there have been more entries from across the Irish Sea than within the UK.
That, of course, reflects the fact that most of the best horses are trained in Ireland, where most of the deep-pocket owners choose to place their charges. But it also reflects the ongoing decline of Jumps racing in the UK and the fact that many trainers and owners, in the face of such powerful opposition, appear to have thrown in the towel.
It has been so depressing to hear a stream of comments this winter along the lines of “we’re going to give Cheltenham a miss” or “we’ll look for something at Aintree instead”. Attitudes in stark contrast, for example, to that of Irish ace Gordon Elliott who, quite rightly, relishes the standard-setting challenge posed by Mullins and hails the Festival as “the best week of the year” and the “be-all and end-all” of the Jumps code.
How refreshing then to hear a rallying-cry from one of the UK’s more up-and-coming and ambitious trainers, Ben Pauling. He recently told the ‘Racing Post’: “There are owners and trainers who think: let’s avoid the Irish. No! This is our festival and we’re going to compete, throw our best darts at it and serve it up to whoever turns up. Otherwise, what’s the point? Whether you like it or not, Cheltenham is the pinnacle of Jumps racing. Everyone should want to be there.”
And so say all of us. Let the games begin!
The main focus of this year’s meeting is on the 100th running of the Gold Cup, the blue riband event, with GALOPIN DES CHAMPS gunning for back-to-back victories. But another century could also fall under the spotlight because Galopin’s genius of a handler, Willie Mullins, is just six short of becoming the first trainer to saddle 100 Festival winners.
![Trainer Nicky Henderson has a Festival winner to his name for every one of the 73 years he has been on this planet and, with Constitution Hill sadly sidelined, the main flagbearer for the yard this week will be JONBON. The handsome 8yo has a fantastic record of 13 wins and three seconds from his 16 career outings, but he's been beaten on both of his Festival starts. This year's assignment is the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday (3.30) when he squares up for the fourth time in his career to arch rival El Fabiolo in the duel of the week. His first run of the campaign, here at Cheltenham, was electric, but his prep run for this, back at Cheltenham, was shoddy.](https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjBmODIxZjAzLWZhZGQtNDQ1Zi1hMDNhLWI2YmVmYzkzZTUzYzo2ZjQyNTAzNS05ZGZkLTQ0ZDEtOTkxZi00ODFjMjAwMGQzYTg=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
9. Henderson's main flagbearer in duel of the week
Trainer Nicky Henderson has a Festival winner to his name for every one of the 73 years he has been on this planet and, with Constitution Hill sadly sidelined, the main flagbearer for the yard this week will be JONBON. The handsome 8yo has a fantastic record of 13 wins and three seconds from his 16 career outings, but he's been beaten on both of his Festival starts. This year's assignment is the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday (3.30) when he squares up for the fourth time in his career to arch rival El Fabiolo in the duel of the week. His first run of the campaign, here at Cheltenham, was electric, but his prep run for this, back at Cheltenham, was shoddy.Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
![Favourite Galopin Des Champs might be a short price to land a second successive Boodles Gold Cup on Friday (3.30), but that won't worry connections of FASTORSLOW, who has beaten him twice since last year's renewal. The 8yo, trained by Grand National-winning handler Martin Brassill, has improved dramatically over the last 12 months and although his rival gained revenge at Leopardstown last month, this horse looked in need of the run after a three-month absence and is sure to be sharper now. He ran well in a handicap at last year's Festival, just behind the subsequent National winner.](https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmI3ZjE5YzBmLWZiNzktNGRjZi04NmUyLTQ1MDRjNWYxYmIzNDo5ODk5MDBjOC03ODNlLTQ3NGEtYTAzNi05ZTcwNTA3NGY3MGE=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
10. He's already beaten the Gold Cup favourite twice
Favourite Galopin Des Champs might be a short price to land a second successive Boodles Gold Cup on Friday (3.30), but that won't worry connections of FASTORSLOW, who has beaten him twice since last year's renewal. The 8yo, trained by Grand National-winning handler Martin Brassill, has improved dramatically over the last 12 months and although his rival gained revenge at Leopardstown last month, this horse looked in need of the run after a three-month absence and is sure to be sharper now. He ran well in a handicap at last year's Festival, just behind the subsequent National winner.Photo: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
![So scintillating was she on her seasonal reappearance here at Cheltenham that many think the speedy grey LOSSIEMOUTH should be contesting the Champion Hurdle this week. But Willie Mullins's grey, owned by Rich Ricci, is only a 5yo after winning the Triumph Hurdle for juveniles at last year's Festival, so she takes in the Mares' Hurdle 40 minutes later on Tuesday (4.10) instead before tackling the big one next term. Questions have been raised about her stamina for the 2m4f trip, but she oozes class and is odds-on to see off the considerable challenge of stablemate Ashroe Diamond.](https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjY2M2RjYmEyLWVmYjQtNDEwYS1hZmUyLTMyY2IxMWQ1YWNkOToxZWRlOGExOS1iMzQ4LTRiNmMtOGJlNC1hZWUzMmUxY2Y0Nzc=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
11. Classy grey fancied to be number one mare
So scintillating was she on her seasonal reappearance here at Cheltenham that many think the speedy grey LOSSIEMOUTH should be contesting the Champion Hurdle this week. But Willie Mullins's grey, owned by Rich Ricci, is only a 5yo after winning the Triumph Hurdle for juveniles at last year's Festival, so she takes in the Mares' Hurdle 40 minutes later on Tuesday (4.10) instead before tackling the big one next term. Questions have been raised about her stamina for the 2m4f trip, but she oozes class and is odds-on to see off the considerable challenge of stablemate Ashroe Diamond.Photo: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
![Crack trainer Nicky Henderson has won the Triumph Hurdle for 4yo hurdlers no fewer than seven times in the past. But it's doubtful the Lambourn veteran has ever gone to war in the race with a better juvenile than SIR GINO, which explains why the French-bred star is an odds-on shot for Friday's JCB-sponsored renewal (1.30). After a promising UK debut at Kempton over Christmas, the gelding demolished a decent field here at Cheltenham in January, bulldozing his way up the famous hill. For once, this prize might not be heading to Ireland.](https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjkzMWNhMDNmLWNiYjItNDEyYi1hYTFkLTM4ZTk4N2FiNTE1NTpkODNlZjliYy01OTMzLTQ5OTAtYjUzYS1kZGFkN2Y0ODY2OGE=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
12. Yes Sir! Henderson on course for another Triumph
Crack trainer Nicky Henderson has won the Triumph Hurdle for 4yo hurdlers no fewer than seven times in the past. But it's doubtful the Lambourn veteran has ever gone to war in the race with a better juvenile than SIR GINO, which explains why the French-bred star is an odds-on shot for Friday's JCB-sponsored renewal (1.30). After a promising UK debut at Kempton over Christmas, the gelding demolished a decent field here at Cheltenham in January, bulldozing his way up the famous hill. For once, this prize might not be heading to Ireland.Photo: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images