Cheltenham Festival Day 1 – Champions Day – Tips & Predictions

All betting tips and prediction for day one of the Cheltenham Festival: Champions Day.

Jockey celebrates winning at Cheltenham in the middle of crowds of people

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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 15th 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:

TimeRace TipsDistancePrize Money
13:20Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)2m½fÂŁ125,000
13:55Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase (Grade 1)2mÂŁ175,000
14:30Festival Handicap Steeple Chase3m1fÂŁ110,000
15:05Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)2m½f ÂŁ450,000
15:40Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1)2m4fÂŁ120,000
16:15Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle2m4½f£70,000
16:50National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Grade 2)3m6fÂŁ125,000

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.

YearWinnerTrainerJockeyOdds
2021Appreciate ItWillie MullinsP Townend8/11 Fav
2020ShishkinNicky HendersonNico de Boinville6/1
2019Klassical DreamWillie MullinsRuby Walsh6/1
2018Summerville BoyTom GeorgeNoel Fehily9/1

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.

YearWinnerTrainerJockeyOdds
2021ShishkinNJ HendersonNico de Boinville4/9 Fav
2020Put The Kettle OnHenry De BromheadAidan Coleman16/1
2019Duc des GenievresWillie MullinsPaul Townend5/1
2018FootpadWillie MullinsRuby Walsh5/6fav

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.

YearWinnerTrainerJockeyOdds
2021Vintage CloudsMrs S SmithRyan Mania28/1
2020The ConditionalDavid BridgewaterBrendan Powell15/2
2019Beware The BearNicky HendersonJeremiah McGrath10/1
2018Coo Star SivolaNick WilliamsLizzie Kelly5/1

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.

YearWinnerTrainerJockeyOdds
2021HoneysuckleH de BromheadRachael Blackmore11/10 Fav
2020EpatanteNicky HendersonBarry Geraghty2/1fav
2019Espoir D’AllenGavin CromwellMark Walsh16/1
2018Buveur D’AirNicky HendersonBarry Geraghty4/6fav

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.

YearWinnerTrainerJockeyOdds
2021Black TearsMrs D FosterJW Kennedy11/1
2020HoneysuckleHenry De BromheadRachel Blackmore9/2
2019RoksanaDan SkeltonHarry Skelton10/1
2018Benie Des DieuxWillie MullinsRuby Walsh4/6fav

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.

YearWinnerTrainerJockeyOdds
2021Jeff KidderN MeadeSW Flanagan80/1
2020Imperial AuraKim BaileyDavid Bass4/1
2019A Plus TardHenry De BromheadRachel Blackmore5/1
2018Mister WhitakerMick ChannonBrian Hughes13/2

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’.

YearWinnerTrainerJockeyOdds
2021GalvinIR FergusonJW Kennedy7/2
2020RavenhillGordon ElliottJamie Codd12/1
2019Le BreuilBen PaulingJamie Codd14/1
2018RathvindenWillie MullinsPatrick Mullins9/2

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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