LOOKING FORWARD; CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2021 DAY ONE

Each day brings us closer to the first Cheltenham Festival in two years, and that is enough to get the spirit of any horseracing fan up and giddy with excitement. The coronavirus was the party popper of 2020, and had a hand in the disruption of every possible professional sports one could throw at it. Still, in the end, human resourcefulness found a way and here we are on the cusp of another big day at Cheltenham after last year’s absence. Determined to see this one through, it will be interesting to see how authorities manage fans’ absence and find ways to keep them engaged even from afar. As for punters, a slice of your money should be enough to keep us focused and on the lookout for every update, and cheltenhamguides.com [1] has got that covered until The Festival in March and beyond. The official racecards and entries for the showdown are still to be released, but we do have the Trial Day and that super important PADDY POWER COTSWOLD CHASE coming up on January 30th. As usual, The Festival will have four action-packed days of racing, money, prestige and glory to go round. Day one should be a real mouthwatering start, serving up seven races on the card.

The day kicks off at 1:30 pm with the SKYBET SUPREME NOVICES' HURDLE race, a 2m and about half a furlong distance that sets the tone for all that is to come in the day and event as a whole. This is followed by the SPORTING LIFE ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY Steeplechase, going a distance of just under two miles. It won't be long but the horses are giving their all for history and glory. Next up is the ULTIMA HANDICAP STEEPLECHASE. For three miles about just under a furlong, the entries for this race will leave it all out there on the track and fence.

The feature race of the day, the UNIBET CHAMPION HURDLE CHALLENGE TROPHY comes on at the stroke of 30 past three, going the distance of two miles and about half a furlong. The feature race of the day usually lacks the most talent and the biggest prize money of the afternoon. It should be a thrill coming back to this again after not having any sort of view of Cheltenham last year [2]. At just over 4 pm, the feature race now over with, the CLOSE BROTHERS MARES' HURDLE race sets in and it can only be more of the same adrenaline rush as the day draws its curtains closer for the final act. The BOODLES JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE race, a Grade 3 affair, is next up just before the turn of the hour, with the NATIONAL HUNT STEEPLECHASE CHALLENGE CUP, tying up the day in a final knot.