Cheltenham Festival 2023: Roundup

Galopin Des Champs won an eventful Gold Cup in the biggest race of the Cheltenham festival.

The favourite held off the challenge of Bravemansgame to claim victory for trainer Willie Mullins.

It's jockey Paul Townend's third Gold Cup success.

22-to-1 shot Conflated was third - while last year's winner A Plus Tard failed to finish.

Patrick Mullins, representing his father, said: "To win the Gold Cup and the Champion Chase, they are half of the major races so that was fantastic. Galopin Des Champs winning the Gold Cup though really was the cherry on the top.

"Six winners is probably where we need to be hitting at least. The amount of horses we have and the standard we have, we needed to do everything we did this week.

"Last year was just one of those years after Covid and everything and we were never going to match that total of 10.

"Taking the Gold Cup and Champion Chase while El Fabiolo (Arkle) and Impaire Et Passe (Ballymore) look like they could be anything so we were very pleased to see them win as well. Galopin Des Champs really was the big one and thankfully he delivered."

Princess Anne was among 70,000 attending on Day Four of the world-famous hurdle race in Gloucestershire.

Now let's recap the rest of the week:

Day One

The festival got underway, with thousands of people travelling from across the UK.

For the first time, the racecourse limited the attendance to 68,500 people a day - they say, to enhance the experience.

Over four days the town's population triples, with an estimated £274 million being brought into Cheltenham's economy.

7 races were held each day, with an average prize fund of around £172,000 per race.

The first race was the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, with a £135,000 prize fund up for grabs for the winner - the race was won by Marine Nationale.

Construction Hill won the feature race on Day One.

Day Two

Ladies Day sees racegoers compete for the crown of best dressed.

Wetter conditions didn't dampen the spirits of thousands attending on Wednesday.

Day Two is seen as the most flamboyant of the Cheltenham Festival, and before attention turns to the Queen Mother Champion Chase, all eyes were on those looking to impress.

Sarah Speakman runs the Cheltenham Hat Company and says fortune favours the bold when it comes to Ladies Day, "the bolder the better I think for racing, particularly Ladies Day, so a big hat would definitely be the thing I'd recommend for anyone coming through my door.

"Certainly, a smaller understated hat would work for some outfits.

"If you want your outfit to do the talking, then probably go for the understated hat, but if you have a simpler outfit in a bold colour then the bigger the better."

HRH Queen Consort Camilla made a surprise appearance at the festival on Day Two.

The Queen Mother Champion chase cup was the feature race on Day Two - with the winning horse Energumene taking home £225,000.

Day Three

Rail strikes affected travel plans on Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival.

The RMT union announced four 24-hour strikes on Thursday 16 and Saturday 18 March - which affected GWR services through Cheltenham.

Day 3 featured the Ryanair Chase and Paddy Power Stayer’s Hurdle, where endurance and stamina reign.

Envoi Allen and Sire Du Berlais emerged victorious in the Ryanair Chase and Paddy Power Stayer’s Hurdle respectively.