Latest news with #StPatrick'sThursday
The Independent
13-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Cheltenham results in full: Every winner from 2025 Festival and today's racecard and runners
Cheltenham Festival is back as the horse racing season gathers pace with the four-day spectacle one of the highlights of the sport's calendar. The Festival began with Champion Day before Style Wednesday and then St Patrick's Thursday, with Gold Cup Day bringing the event to a close on Friday. An action-packed festival last year saw trainer Willie Mullins dominate with jockey Paul Townend riding Galopin Des Champs to victory in one of the most prestigious races in the world. The trainer led Ireland to another prolific week overall, claiming the Prestbury Cup over the UK by an 18-9 scoreline. You can find all the latest Cheltenham odds and free bet offers with Independent Sport, and here is the full list of winners and scheduled race card: Thursday, 13 March - St Patrick's Thursday 1.20: Ryanair Mares Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) Race conditions: £105,000 | 2m1f | 8 hurdles | New Course Runners: Air Of Entitlement; Aurora Vega; Bluey; Brendas Asking; Disco Dancer; Diva Luna; Hollygrove Cha Cha; Jane Eire; Jubilee Alpha; Just A Rose; Karamoja; Karoline Banbou; Kimi De Mai; Kitty Foyle; Lagertha; Magic McColgan; Maughreen; Metkayina; Mystical Goddess; Queen St Clair; Sixandahalf; Tour Ovalie; Venuisienne; Galileo Dame 2.00: Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase (Grade 2) Race conditions: £125,000 | 2m4f | 17 fences | New Course Runners: Springwell Bay; Firefox; Caldwell Potter; Dee Capo; Answer To Kayf; Asian Master; Insurrection; Nurburgring; O'Moore Park; Anyway; San Salvador; The Other Mozzie; What's Up Darling; Pic Roc; Densworth; Moon D'Orange; Lord Of Thunder; Es Perfecto; Ryan's Rocket; Shanbally Kid; Galunggung; The Famous Five 2.40: Pertemps Final (Grade 3) Race conditions: £100,000 | 3m | 12 hurdles | New course Runners: Thomas Mor; Karl Des Tourelles; Bugise Seagull; Win Some Lose Some; Harbour Lake; Supreme Gift; D Art D Art; Feet Of A Dancer; Lucky Lyreen; Jeriko Du Reponet; Patter Merchant; Henri The Second; Will The Wise; One Big Bang; Super Survivor; J'Ai Froid; Maxi Mac Gold; Shanagh Bob; Doddiethegreat; Catch Him Derry; Guard The Moon; Zain Nights; Idem; American Sniper 3.20: Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £375,000 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course Runners: Djelo; Envoi Allen; Fact To File; Hang In There; Heart Wood; Il Est Francais; Jungle Boogie; Master Chewy; Protektorat 4.00: Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £325,000 | 3m | 12 hurdles | New course Runners: Bob Olinger; Buddy One; Crambo; Franciscan Rock; Ga Law; Gowel Road; Home By The Lee; Langer Dan; Lucky Place; Mystical Power; Nemean Lion; Rocky's Diamond; Teahupoo; The Wallpark 4.40: TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Grade 3) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course Runners: Conflated; Ginny's Destiny; Jordans; Fugitif; Path d'Oroux; Shakem Up'arry; Il Ridoto; La Malmason; Masaccio; Gemirande; Seddon; Tahmuras; Jagwar; Thecompanysergeant; Personal Ambition; Riaan; Mars Harper; An Peann Dearg; Demnat; Individualiste 5.20: JRL Kim Muir Challenge Cup (Listed) Race conditions: £75,000 | 3m2f | 21 fences | New Course Runners: Fantastic Lady; Yeah Man; Sa Majeste; Johnnywho; Gelino Bello; Mint Boy; Weveallbeencaught; Cleatus Poolaw; Manothepeople; Sine Nomine; Git Maker; Nine Graces; Midnight Our Fred; Music Of Tara; Where It All Began; Westerninthepark; Wiseguy; Daily Present; Galop De Chasse; Now Where Or When; Pats Fancy; Grozni; Walking On Air; Dom Of Mary Friday, 14 March - Gold Cup Day 1.20: JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m1f | 8 hurdles | New Course 2.00: BetMGM County Hurdle (Grade 3) Race conditions: £98,370 (2024) | 2m1f| 8 hurdles | New Course 2.40: Paddy Power Mares' Chase (Grade 2) Race conditions: £120,000 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course 3.20: Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £150,000 | 3m | 12 hurdles | New course 4.00: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) Race conditions: £625,000 | 3m2½f | 22 fences | New Course 4.40: St James's Place Hunter Chase (Listed) Race conditions: £50 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course 5.20: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Race conditions: £75,000 | 2m4½f | 10 hurdles | New Course Results so far Tuesday, 11 March - Champion Day 1.20: Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1 ) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m½f| 8 hurdles | Old Course Winner: Kopek Des Bordes (4/6F); 2) William Munny (8/1); 3) Romeo Coolio (9/2) 2.00: My Pension Expert Arkle Novices' Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £200,000 | 2m | 13 fences | Old Course Winner: Jango Baie (5/1); 2) Only By Night (25/1); 3) Majborough (1/2F) 2.40: Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3) Race conditions: £150,000 | 3m1f | 20 fences | Old Course Winner: Myretown (13/2); 2) The Changing Man (7/1F); 3) Malina Girl (14/1) 3.20: Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £120,000 | 2m4f | 10 hurdles | Old Course Winner: Lossiemouth (4/6F); 2) Jade De Grugy (5/1); 3) Take No Chances (22/1) 4.00: Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £450,000 | 2m½f | 8 hurdles | Old Course Winner: Golden Ace (25/1); 2) Burdett Road (66/1); 3) Winter Fog (150/1) 4.40: Boodles Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) Race conditions: £80,000 | 2m½f | 8 hurdles | Old Course Winner: Puturhandstogether (17/2); 2) Robbies Rock 50/1; 3) Liam Swagger (12/1 ) 5.20: National Hunt Chase Race conditions: £200,000 | 2m | 13 fences | Old Course Winner: Haiti Couleurs (7/2F), Rock My Way (16/1), Will Do (12/1) Wednesday, 12 March - Style Wednesday 1.20: Turners Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m5f | 10 hurdles | Old Course Winner: The New Lion (3/1); 2) The Yellow Clay (5/2); 3) Final Demand (6/4F) 2.00: Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £200,000 | 3m½f | 20 fences | Old Course Winner: Lecky Watson (20/1); 2) Stellar Story (22/1); 3) Better Days Ahead (13/2) 2.40: Coral Cup (Grade 3) Race conditions: £100,000 | 2m5f | 10 hurdles | Old Course Winner: Jimmy Du Seuil (16-1); 2) Impose Toi (13-2); 3) Ballyadam (16-1) 3.20: Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (Listed) Race conditions: £75,000 | 3m6f | 32 obstacles | Old Course Winner: Stumptown (5-2F); 2) Latenightpass (11-1); 3) Vanillier (15-2) 4.00: Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £400,000 | 2m | 13 fences | Old Course Winner: Marine Nationale (5/1) ; Jonbon (5/6F); Captain Guinness (25/1) 4.40: Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Grade 3) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m½f | 14 fences | Old Course Winner: Jazzy Matty (15-2); 2) Unexpected Party (11-2F); 3) Midnight It Is (25-1) 5.20: Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) Race conditions: £80,000 | 2m½f | 14 fences | Old Course Winner: Bambino Fever (4-1); Heads Up (33-1); Shuttle Diplomacy (66-1) When is 2025 Cheltenham Festival and what races are included? The Cheltenham Festival starts on Tuesday, 11 March and concludes on Friday, 14 March. Fans will be glued to 28 races over four days, with seven races per day, including 13 races run over fences across the week, 13 over hurdles plus a bumper (flat race) and a cross-country chase. The shortest run is a little under two miles, while the longest races almost reach four miles. Fans will look out for 13 of the races run at Grade 1 standard, while five are run as Grade 2s, six Grade 3s and the other four being Listed. The first race is scheduled for 1:20pm GMT each day, with the final race starting at 5:20pm. How can I watch the Cheltenham Festival on TV and is there a live stream? You can watch the first six races of each day at the Cheltenham Festival with the ITV1 broadcast, while full coverage of the meet, including the final race of each day is only available through a Racing TV subscription. Both ITV and Racing TV provide live streams for the coverage through their apps and websites, while fans can of course tune on via the traditional television broadcast. Several online betting sites will also be streaming the event, but in most cases a funded betting account is required. You can secure access to the first three days of the festival through a daily Club Enclosure ticket at £100.80, while Friday is more expensive at £117.90. Tattersalls tickets will cost you £71.10 on each of the first three days, but Gold Cup day is up at £84.60. The cheapest way to experience the festival is through the Best Mate enclosure with a day ticket for the first three days priced at £51.30, whileFriday will set you back £67.50. All details can be found with tickets available to purchase through the Jockey Club here.
The Independent
11-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
What is a handicap? A brief guide to horseracing jargon for Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is a rare occasion when the world of horseracing breaks into the collective consciousness of the general public. It starts with Champion Day on March 11 before Style Wednesday, St Patrick's Thursday, and Gold Cup Day bringing the event to a close on Friday 14. Along with the Grand National in April, Cheltenham attracts the eyes of many people who would otherwise be disengaged by the regular horseracing meetings up and down the country. It is a festival that all can enjoy but the terminology can be a bit confusing for those who only tune in once or twice a year. Below we break down everything we think you'll need to know to get the most out of the Cheltenham Festival this year: What is a handicap race? A handicap is a race where each horse is allocated a weight according to its ability and winning record. This aims to create a more level playing field. The idea behind handicaps is that the weight a horse carries affects the speed at which it will gallop. Handicap weights are calculated on the official ratings published by the British Horse Racing Authority. Horses that carry heavier weight tend to have more ability to win races. Horses with less ability will carry less weight which aims to give them a better chance of winning. The Grand National is the most famous handicap race in the world. What is jump racing? The first thing you should know is that the Cheltenham Festival is the culmination of the National Hunt jump racing season. Jump races are races that include obstacles for the horse and jockey to jump over. These obstacles are known as hurdles or fences and the season usually takes place across autumn, winter and spring. Jump races test stamina and jumping ability and horses that take part tend to be older than those who run flat races (races without jumps). The courses are a variety of distances from 2 to 4½ miles. Within jump racing there are different designations of races and Cheltenham will showcase most, if not all, types of them. What is a bumper race? The first type is called a bumper, which is a flat race run under the rules of jump racing. It is for horses who have not previously run on the flat to get experience of racing. Despite being run on the flat (meaning no jumps), bumpers do not use starting stalls. The Champion Bumper (Wednesday 12 at 5.20pm) at the Cheltenham Festival is the most prestigious bumper in jump racing. What is a hurdle race? The first 'big' race at the festival is the Champion Hurdle (Tuesday 11 at 4pm). A Hurdle race is where the horses jump over small obstacles called hurdles. These are a minimum of 3½ feet high and typically made of a series of flexible brush panels. Hurdle races have a minimum of eight hurdles and a minimum distance of two miles but can be longer. The longer races are known as stayers' hurdles. What is a steeplechase race? The other main type of jump race is called a steeplechase, or more commonly just a chase. Cheltenham's Gold Cup (Friday 14 at 4pm) is a steeplechase event. Chases are run over distances that range between 2 and 4½ miles with obstacles including plain fences, water jumps or open ditches. The fences are taller than hurdles being a minimum of 4½ feet high and are made of a mixture of birch and spruce. Horses that run in steeplechases are called chasers and tend to be older having previously run in hurdle races to gain experience and learn how to jump. The horses start behind tapes that stretch across the racecourse and when the tape drops the race begins. What do trainers do? Trainers of the horses you'll see at Cheltenham make the day-to-day decisions on how a horse is cared for. They plan its exercise schedule, what it eats, and how it is schooled (taught to race) in order to achieve peak physical condition for racedays. They are also responsible for deciding which races a horse enters to give it the best chance of success. There is a Champion Trainer title for jump racing that is decided by the amount of prize money won at the end of each season. What do jockeys do? Jockeys are the riders of racehorses. On a daily basis they ride and school horses in the morning and compete in races in the afternoon and evenings. Jump racing jockeys tend to be taller and weigh more than flat jockeys because they require strength and stamina for the longer races. The majority of jockeys are male but female jockeys compete equally with the likes of Rachael Blackmore and Bryony Frost excelling on the biggest stage. What about betting? Betting on horseracing is common and can make a day at the races even more exciting. The different types of bets you can make and what all the technical jargon means needs its own explainer which can be found here. Always remember betting is not a way to make money and should only be considered as a form of entertainment. If you sign up to any betting sites for Cheltenham week, set budgets and remain in control, even if you're using free bets.
The Independent
18-02-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Cheltenham Festival 2025 race card, dates, start times and full four-day schedule
Cheltenham Festival is back as the horse racing season gathers pace with the four-day spectacle one of the highlights of the sport's calendar. The Festival in March starts with Champion Day before Style Wednesday and then St Patrick's Thursday, with Gold Cup Day bringing the event to a close on Friday. An action-packed festival last year saw trainer Willie Mullins dominate with jockey Paul Townend riding Galopin Des Champs to victory in one of the most prestigious races in the world. The trainer led Ireland to another prolific week overall, claiming the Prestbury Cup over the UK by an 18-9 scoreline. You can find all the latest Cheltenham odds and free bet offers with Independent Sport in the build-up to the big week, but here is the schedule and race card: When is 2025 Cheltenham Festival and what races are included? The Cheltenham Festival starts on Tuesday, 11 March and concludes on Friday, 14 March. Fans will be glued to 28 races over four days, with seven races per day, including 13 races run over fences across the week, 13 over hurdles plus a bumper (flat race) and a cross-country chase. The shortest run is a little under two miles, while the longest races almost reach four miles. Fans will look out for 13 of the races run at Grade 1 standard, while five are run as Grade 2s, six Grade 3s and the other four being Listed. The first race is scheduled for 1:20pm GMT each day, with the final race starting at 5:20pm. How can I watch the Cheltenham Festival on TV and is there a live stream? You can watch the first six races of each day at the Cheltenham Festival with the ITV1 broadcast, while full coverage of the meet, including the final race of each day is only available through a Racing TV subscription. Both ITV and Racing TV provide live streams for the coverage through their apps and websites, while fans can of course tune on via the traditional television broadcast. Tuesday, 11 March - Champion Day 1.20: Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1 ) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m½f| 8 hurdles | Old Course 2.00: My Pension Expert Arkle Novices' Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £200,000 | 2m | 13 fences | Old Course 2.40: Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3) Race conditions: £150,000 | 3m1f | 20 fences | Old Course 3.20: Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £120,000 | 2m4f | 10 hurdles | Old Course 4.00: Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £450,000 | 2m½f | 8 hurdles | Old Course 4.40: Boodles Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) Race conditions: £80,000 | 2m½f | 8 hurdles | Old Course 5.20: National Hunt Chase Race conditions: £200,000 | 2m | 13 fences | Old Course Wednesday, 12 March - Style Wednesday 1.20: Turners Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m5f | 10 hurdles | Old Course 2.00: Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £200,000 | 3m½f | 20 fences | Old Course 2.40: Coral Cup (Grade 3) Race conditions: £100,000 | 2m5f | 10 hurdles | Old Course 3.20: Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (Listed) Race conditions: £75,000 | 3m6f | 32 obstacles | Old Course 4.00: Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £400,000 | 2m | 13 fences | Old Course 4.40: Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Grade 3) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m½f | 14 fences | Old Course 5.20: Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) Race conditions: £80,000 | 2m½f | 14 fences | Old Course Thursday, 13 March - St Patrick's Thursday 1.20: Ryanair Mares Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) Race conditions: £105,000 | 2m1f | 8 hurdles | New Course 2.00: Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase (Grade 2) Race conditions: £125,000 | 2m4f | 17 fences | New Course 2.40: Pertemps Final (grade 3) Race conditions: £100,000 | 3m | 12 hurdles | New course 3.20: Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £375,000 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course 4.00: Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £325,000 | 3m | 12 hurdles | New course 4.40: TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Grade 3) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course 5.20: JRL Kim Muir Challenge Cup (Listed) Race conditions: £75,000 | 3m2f | 21 fences | New Course Friday, 14 March - Gold Cup Day 1.20: JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m1f | 8 hurdles | New Course 2.00: BetMGM County Hurdle (Grade 3) Race conditions: £98,370 (2024) | 2m1f| 8 hurdles | New Course 2.40: Paddy Power Mares' Chase (Grade 2) Race conditions: £120,000 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course 3.20: Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £150,000 | 3m | 12 hurdles | New course 4.00: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) Race conditions: £625,000 | 3m2½f | 22 fences | New Course 4.40: St James's Place Hunter Chase (Listed) Race conditions: £50 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course 5.20: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Race conditions: £75,000 | 2m4½f | 10 hurdles | New Course Can I still get a ticket and how much do they cost? You can secure access to the first three days of the festival through a daily Club Enclosure ticket at £100.80, while Friday is more expensive at £117.90. Tattersalls tickets will cost you £71.10 on each of the first three days, but Gold Cup day is up at £84.60. The cheapest way to experience the festival is through the Best Mate enclosure with a day ticket for the first three days priced at £51.30, whileFriday will set you back £67.50. All details can be found with tickets available to purchase through the Jockey Club here.
