If you are joining the throng travelling to this year’s Cheltenham racing festival to hopefully see some sporting history, lucky you. If not, there are few things you need to be aware of if you want to sound like you know a thing or two about racing.
1. Irish-trained horses look set to dominate once again this year
Adding extra spice to this fact, Galopin des Champs, trained in Co Carlow by Willie Mullins, is going for a third consecutive win in the meeting’s biggest race, the Gold Cup, something achieved by just four horses in the past.
2. Few people get rich backing horses
This is undoubtedly true, but you can have a lot of fun trying, particularly in the Cotswolds.
For weeks, publishers and broadcasters have been producing acres of newsprint and hours or previews dedicated to finding the winners of all 28 races.
How much will have stood up to scrutiny by the time they cross the line in the last race on Friday is anyone’s guess.
3. If studying form, find a guide that suits you
The best thing to do now is narrow things down, cut out the noise and rely on whatever form guide, or other source, that works for you. Ultimately, they all rely on the same hard information.
4. Remember the old ‘horses for courses’ adage
This is never more true than at the Cheltenham Festival. Some horses thrive there and win or run well year after year, rewarding their backers in the process. Others do not. Any half decent form guide will tell you which is which.
5. Ignore the hype
Cheltenham has done plenty for equine reputations in the past, and some of this year’s supposed certainties will not win. Ultimately, fans must rely on their own opinions.
And for its fans, racing is mostly about just that, their opinions. If yours turn out to be right, you get the thrill of cheering home a few winners at jumps racing’s biggest meeting.
6. Enjoy it
As long as being around racing or betting is not problematic for you, enjoy the festival. Soak up the excitement and the romance of it all, absorb the energy and generous sprinkling of Irishness that sits over it all. On a good day, as thousands of Irish fans of all ages will tell you, there’s nothing like it.
