Seven storylines to follow at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival
Everything you need to know about this week's Festival
The 2021 Cheltenham Festival gets underway today and it will be without the usual sprinkling of tweed hats and jackets synonymous with the event.
Although this year thousands will not be making the annual pilgrimage to Prestbury Park, it is still one of the highlights of the sporting calendar.
Here are seven storylines to follow:
The Cheltenham Silence
The iconic Cheltenham roar is going to be absent from the Festival this year. All four-days will go ahead behind closed doors, which would normally see up to 280,000 people go through the turnstiles.
The Irish Battalion
The Cheltenham Festival is synonymous with Ireland, where the best national hunt horses from both sides of the Irish Sea compete at Prestbury Park. Due to coronavirus protocols, horses, trainers, jockeys and grooms will all be kept apart in national bubbles. Amateur riders, such as Jamie Codd, will be absent this year due to the current legislation.
The Queen of Ireland
It's not just records which could be smashed at the Cheltenham Festival this year, barriers could be as well. Irish jockey Rachel Blackmore heads to The Festival with a strong book of rides and could become the first woman to be crowned 'Top Jockey' for the most Festival wins. She partners Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle and could become the first female rider to win that particular race at the Cheltenham Festival.
Once, twice, three times a champion
We could witness history on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival. Al Boum Photo could replicate Best Mate's achievement of winning three consecutive Gold Cups.
Envoi All-in-hand?
All eyes will be on the horse who is being called the 'Irish banker' of the week. He is now being trained by Henry de Bromhead after Cheveley Park Stud moved their horses out of Gordon Elliott's yard. Envoi Allen is undefeated heading into the Marsh Novices Chase.
Britain's Big Hope
With Altior now ruled out of the Champion Chase for a second consecutive year, could we see a changing of the guard in Nicky Henderson's yard? Shishkin runs in the Arkle and is Britain's big hope for the week, but attention is already focusing on whether he is good enough to win a Champion Chase at The Festival next season
The Tiger's Last Roll of The Dice?
Is this the last time we see national hunt legend Tiger Roll on a racetrack? The two-time Grand National winner will not head to Aintree next month but compete in the Cross Country Chase. He has not looked himself this year and will go up against Easysland, who beat him in the same race twelve months ago.