Cheltenham Festival 2015: Gold Cup Day

There is no horse racing event more exciting every year than the Cheltenham Festival.  And what’s the most exciting day to be at the festival?  For many, it will be Day 4, Gold Cup Day.  This event gets started at 10:30 in the morning on Friday the 13^th of March, and ends at 6:00 in the evening. 

There are seven races this day, as there are on the other three days of the Cheltenham Festival, including two Grade 1 events and 3 handicaps.  The Gold Cup race is the crowning jewel of the event, and was won last year by Lord Windermere, a horse trained by Jim Culloty, known by many for his time as a jockey.  Culloty himself rode Best Made in Cheltenham and achieved three Gold Cup victories.  This gives Culloty incredible experience and perspective which he now brings to the course as a trainer. 

What can we look forward to with this year’s Gold Cup race?  The defending champion returns to strive again for Gold Cup victory, and has been having a great year.  But Lord Windermere is hardly the only tough contender for 2015.  Bettors will want to keep a close eye on Silvinaco Conti, who will be making his third attempt at winning this prestigious race.  Silvinaco Conti has won the King George VI Chase twice, but has struggled in past years to win the Cup.  In 2013, he fell in the last third, and last year, he finished fourth.  Trainer Paul Nicholls believes that Silvinaco Conti is in better condition than last year, however. 

Also keep a close watch on Many Clouds.  Many Clouds has demonstrated incredible performance this past season, including a particularly glorious victory at Prestbury Park in January during the Grade 2 chase.  Road to Riches is another promising horse that performed very well in the Lexus Chase, winning against On His Own (a horse that Lord Windermere also beat last year).

Tickets are selling out fast for Gold Cup Day!  The Best Mate and Tattersalls tickets are all gone, but there are still some Club tickets remaining.  You will want to snap these up fast if you intend to be at Cheltenham to witness the big event in person.  There is nothing like being able to watch the race you are betting in, and getting swept up in the energy of the crowd!

If you are unable to make it, you can turn on Channel 4 for live coverage of the Gold Cup race as well as the other events during the Cheltenham Festival.  BBC Radio 5 Live will also likely be providing live audio broadcasting of the races.  The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most thrilling horse racing events in the world, and the Gold Cup is arguably the most exciting horse race of the year anywhere in the UK.  Watching the race is thrilling in itself.  If you are placing a wager, you will have an even more exhilarating time—especially if you win!