Cheltenham Festival Day 1 – Champions Day – Tips & Predictions

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For four days in March the racing world centres on the Cotswolds countryside and the famous Cheltenham Festival. This spectacular showpiece is rightfully labelled ‘the greatest show on turf’ and racing does not have anything quite like it for atmosphere, occasion and pure sporting theatre.

The action gets underway on Tuesday 15^th March 2022 with Champion Hurdle Day. The feature race is the two-mile Championship contest for older hurdlers, while the Cheltenham Festival gets underway with the always intriguing Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, greeted of course by the famous ‘Cheltenham roar’. There’s also the Arkle Challenge Trophy, a two-mile speed-test for novice chasers, on a seven-race card.

Betting Tips & Predictions

The countdown is almost done and racing enthusiasts are all set for day one of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday afternoon.

Our tipster marks your card for the day one action in the Cotswolds.

For the latest betting tips and predictions click on the relevant race from the first day of the Cheltenham Festival below:

Time	Race Tips	Distance	Prize Money
13:20	Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)	2m½f	£125,000
13:55	Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase (Grade 1)	2m	£175,000
14:30	Festival Handicap Steeple Chase	3m1f	£110,000
15:05	Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)	2m½f	£450,000
15:40	Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1)	2m4f	£120,000
16:15	Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle	2m4½f	£70,000
16:50	National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Grade 2)	3m6f	£125,000

The opening afternoon from Cheltenham features a quartet of Grade 1 contests headlined by the Champion Hurdle. The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, The Arkle and the Mares’ Hurdle are part of the supporting act.

Race 1 – 13:20 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

The traditional curtain-raiser at the Cheltenham Festival is the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and this race is always greeted by the famous ‘Cheltenham roar’ when the tapes go up. The acid test for the seasons’ most promising up-and-coming two-mile hurdlers.

Year	Winner	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
2021	Appreciate It	Willie Mullins	P Townend	8/11 Fav
2020	Shishkin	Nicky Henderson	Nico de Boinville	6/1
2019	Klassical Dream	Willie Mullins	Ruby Walsh	6/1
2018	Summerville Boy	Tom George	Noel Fehily	9/1

Race 2 – 13:55 Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase (Grade 1)

The first race over fences at The Festival and it’s another two-miler for novices’. The Arkle is a race steeped in racing history and named in honour of one of the all-time greats. Fast, efficient fencing is the order of the day.

Year	Winner	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
2021	Shishkin	NJ Henderson	Nico de Boinville	4/9 Fav
2020	Put The Kettle On	Henry De Bromhead	Aidan Coleman	16/1
2019	Duc des Genievres	Willie Mullins	Paul Townend	5/1
2018	Footpad	Willie Mullins	Ruby Walsh	5/6fav

Race 3 – 14:30 Festival Handicap Steeple Chase

A fiercely competitive start to the Cheltenham Festival handicaps with this contest over three-miles and a furlong. There’s no hiding place in these races across the four days at Prestbury Park.

Year	Winner	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
2021	Vintage Clouds	Mrs S Smith	Ryan Mania	28/1
2020	The Conditional	David Bridgewater	Brendan Powell	15/2
2019	Beware The Bear	Nicky Henderson	Jeremiah McGrath	10/1
2018	Coo Star Sivola	Nick Williams	Lizzie Kelly	5/1

Race 4 – 15:05 Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)

The main event on day one and one of the four Festival features, the Champion Hurdle is a real test of speedy, accurate hurdling and has been one by some superstars of the jumping game. Nicky Henderson has trained a record eight winners – including three of the last four.

Year	Winner	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
2021	Honeysuckle	H de Bromhead	Rachael Blackmore	11/10 Fav
2020	Epatante	Nicky Henderson	Barry Geraghty	2/1fav
2019	Espoir D’Allen	Gavin Cromwell	Mark Walsh	16/1
2018	Buveur D’Air	Nicky Henderson	Barry Geraghty	4/6fav

Race 5 – 15:40 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

A relatively new addition to the Cheltenham Festival programme, the Mares’ Hurdle was won on six occasions by the mighty Quevega from 2009 onwards. Her trainer Willie Mullins has dominated this race but he was denied by the superb Honeysuckle in 2020.

Year	Winner	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
2021	Black Tears	Mrs D Foster	JW Kennedy	11/1
2020	Honeysuckle	Henry De Bromhead	Rachel Blackmore	9/2
2019	Roksana	Dan Skelton	Harry Skelton	10/1
2018	Benie Des Dieux	Willie Mullins	Ruby Walsh	4/6fav

Race 6 – 16:15 Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase (Listed)

Another fairly new addition, this was introduced to the programme in 2005 and is open to novices with a rating up to 145.

Year	Winner	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
2021	Jeff Kidder	N Meade	SW Flanagan	80/1
2020	Imperial Aura	Kim Bailey	David Bass	4/1
2019	A Plus Tard	Henry De Bromhead	Rachel Blackmore	5/1
2018	Mister Whitaker	Mick Channon	Brian Hughes	13/2

Race 7 – 16:50 National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Grade 2)

Day one concludes with an exacting stamina test over 3m6f or Amateur Riders. Endless reserves are a required here, despite the trip recently being dropped from what was the traditional ‘four-miler’.

Year	Winner	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
2021	Galvin	IR Ferguson	JW Kennedy	7/2
2020	Ravenhill	Gordon Elliott	Jamie Codd	12/1
2019	Le Breuil	Ben Pauling	Jamie Codd	14/1
2018	Rathvinden	Willie Mullins	Patrick Mullins	9/2

Be sure to check out our daily Cheltenham Festival tips from insiders and racing experts on all four days of the iconic Festival.

Next: Cheltenham Festival Day 2

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