Cheltenham 2024 Day 1 LIVE: Tips, racecards, results, Champion Hurdle betting and TV details

Mirror

12 March 2024

Cheltenham 2024 Day 1 LIVE: Tips, racecards, results, Champion Hurdle betting and TV details

The iconic Cheltenham Festival is under way, promising some of the best horse racing in the world - and you can follow all the action live with Mirror Sport here

The Gordon Elliott string on the gallops at Cheltenham racecourse this morning

The wait is over horse racing fans: Cheltenham Festival 2024 is upon us!

There are 28 races to look forward to over the next four days at the biggest jumps meeting of the year. Things kick off with Champion Day on Tuesday and it promises to be an intriguing day of racing, with seven scheduled.

Willie Mullins is the trainer to beat, having taken the most wins in the last five years. The all-time most successful Cheltenham handler needs just six more winners to reach a landmark century and he is responsible for nine of the 15 horses confirmed for the opening race: the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

The biggest race of the day is the Champion Hurdle, which will see last year's runner-up State Man try and make the most of Constitution Hill's absence.

Here is the full schedule for Tuesday:

13:30 - Supreme Novices' Hurdle

14:10 - Arkle Challenge Trophy

14:50 - Handicap Steeple Chase

15:30 - Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy

16:10 - Mares' Hurdle

16:50 - Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

17:30 - National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup

Hatton and Souness in the house

Ricky Hatton has made his way from the pub to Cheltenham Festival, where he's found himself a pint of Guiness.

Former Liverpool manager and captain Graeme Souness is also in attendance.

State Man's biggest threat: Irish Point

The biggest threat to State Man in the 3:30 is Gordon Elliott’s Irish Point, who for much of the season looked set to contest the Stayers’ Hurdle later in the week.

However, with Constitution Hill not in attendance and Elliott and owners Robcour already responsible for a major Stayers’ Hurdle contender in the form of Teahupoo, they have decided to split their aces.

“If you take the favourite out of it, it looks an open race. I think there’s only two horses in the race under about 10-1, so we have to take our chance,” said Elliott.
“I’m not worried about the trip.”

Non-runners announced

Some horses have been pulled out by their trainers for today's races.

1:30pm GOLD DANCER (FR), trained by W. P. Mullins. Self Cert (Lame)

2:50pm FOUND ON (IRE), trained by Martin Keighley. Going

2:50pm RISK AND ROLL (FR), trained by James Evans. Going

It's still raining at Cheltenham

The rain is supposed to ease off this afternoon, but it's still coming down for now at Cheltenham.

That is not ideal for the racegoers who have donned their best for the occasion.

Mike and Zara Tindall have arrived

Mike and Zara Tindall are among those braving the elements at Cheltenham.

Racegoers are arriving

The weather doesn't appear to be dampening spirits too much at Prestbury Park, where jazzy suits remain the order of the day.

There is around 90 minutes to go until the first race of the festival.

Michelle Mone's horse in action

The horse owned by the couple at the heart of the PPE scandal, the Conservative peer Michelle Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman, will be racing at Cheltenham today.

Monbeg Genius, who was reportedly bought by Mone for £80,000 in 2020 as a wedding gift for her husband, will be in the Handicap Chase at 2.50pm.

Baroness Mone and Barrowman are facing allegations of bribery and fraud in their securing of more than £200million in government contracts for PPE Medpro. Both have now admitted involvement in the company but deny any wrongdoing.

Monbeg Genius' trainer Jonjo O'Neill posted this earlier.

We have one runner at Cheltenham this afternoon.
Jonjo Jr. rides Monbeg Genius (pictured on the gallops with Lisa) in the 2.50 Ultima Handicap Chase. pic.twitter.com/3sFqkSiybA
— Jonjo O'Neill (@JonjoONeill) March 12, 2024

Ricky Hatton enjoying himself

Legendary boxer Ricky Hatton is among those heading to Cheltenham this afternoon.

He's currently busy in the pub, making sure he is well refreshed.

Ricky Hatton is up for Cheltenham. #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/MBcPEO6Kqo
— Stephen R Power (@racingblogger) March 11, 2024

Door open for State Man in Champion Hurdle

With Constitution Hill unable to defend his crown, State Man appears to have been presented with a gilt-edged opportunity to claim Unibet Champion Hurdle glory on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

The seven-year-old has met with defeat only once since joining Willie Mullins – and that was when left trailing in the wake of Nicky Henderson’s brilliant hurdler 12 months ago.

State Man will be cramped odds to provide Mullins with a fifth Champion Hurdle triumph following the previous victories of dual winner Hurricane Fly, Faugheen and Annie Power – but the trainer himself is taking nothing for granted.

“He looks a worthy favourite and hopefully he can prove himself to be a proper favourite,” Mullins said on the Cheltenham gallops on Monday morning. “He’s been doing everything right, so it would be great if he could win a Champion Hurdle, but nothing is a given when you come over here.”

Paul Townend has steered State Man to all but one of his 10 career wins so far and the leading rider hopes he can continue his winning streak on his return to the Cotswolds.

He said: “He’s been excellent this season, hopefully he can keep it going for another day. This is his third time here, so he knows the run of the place already.”

Blackmore confident of Slade Steel success

Rachael Blackmore jockeys Slade Steel in the opening race of the day, the Supreme Novice's Hurdle - and she is confident of a good performance.

"Before I rode him in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle over two miles at the Dublin Racing Festival, I would have said that he would have been better in the longer race. But he was sharp at Leopardstown, I don't think that the two-mile trip will be an issue for him," she told Betfair.

"Obviously this is a very good race, it's a Supreme Novices' Hurdle and it's very competitive, but I think that he is bang in there with his chance. He's a horse we've always held in high regard and soft ground won't be an issue for him. We're hoping for a big run."

The 6 Horses Challenge returns with over £500,000 in jackpots

The free-to-play 6 Horses Challenge requires bet365 users to pick six winning horses across six chosen races, on a given day. The 6 Horses Challenge gives new and eligible customers the chance to win a share of a Jackpot by correctly predicting six winners from six selected races.

Cash prizes are also available for players who don’t manage to correctly pick all six, with a share of the prize pool available for selecting four or five winners. Across the Festival, we’ll be running the challenge every day, giving four separate opportunities for customers to win thousands in jackpot and consolation prizes!

(18+ only, T&Cs apply)

England rugby team getting into the spirit of things

On Saturday, Danny Care was busy supplying the pass which saw Marcus Smith kick the winning drop goal for England against Ireland in the Six Nations.

Today, it seems the veteran scrum-half will be joining his team-mates at Cheltenham for a spot of horse racing.

‘Twas the night before Cheltenham…best of luck everyone. See you on the other side! pic.twitter.com/YbWlrdLh87
— Danny Care (@dannycare) March 11, 2024

Jockey Club release statement on waterlogged course

The Jockey Club have released a statement this morning following a heavy night of rain, which could impact tomorrow's cross-country race.

It reads: "Following 6mm of rainfall overnight, which is a significant change from the 2mm-4mm initially forecast, and with a further 4mm-6mm forecast today (Tuesday 12th March), there will now be an inspection on the Cross-Country course at 8am tomorrow (Wednesday 13th March). The Cross-Country course is currently waterlogged in places.

"In the unfortunate event that the Cross-Country course fails tomorrow’s inspection, we are working alongside the BHA on a contingency plan for the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase to be run on Friday 15th March, Gold Cup Day. We will keep everyone informed as and when decisions have been made. The Old and New Course have taken the rain well and the Going is now Soft, Heavy in Places."

National Hunt Chase promises poignant result for Mullins family

There could be emotional scenes at Cheltenham if Embassy Gardens were to prevail in the Maureen Mullins National Hunt Chase.

The race is named in honour of the matriarch of the great Irish racing family, who died last month at the age of 94 and whose son Willie trains Embassy Gardens – the mount of grandson Patrick on the opening day of the Festival.

This year’s contender was pulled up on his previous visit to Prestbury Park in last year’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, but has thrived since switching to fences this term. However, there is a big threat lurking from within the Mullins family, with Emmet Mullins’ Corbetts Cross another Irish raider predicted to play a leading part.

“It was very kind of Cheltenham to name the National Hunt Chase after granny and I think Embassy Gardens is going to have a huge chance,” said Patrick Mullins.
“However, I think my cousin Emmet might have the edge with Corbetts Cross – his form looks that bit stronger, but I guess his prep has not been ideal. Hopefully one of us can do it, but I would prefer it if it was me.
“It is a lucky race for us and Jamie Codd has 10 Cheltenham winners, I have eight, so I need another three before I retire to try to pass him. I need to put them away if I can.”

For the final time

It's the end of an era at Cheltenham, with today marking Love Envoi's final journey to the racecourse.

She will retire after the Mares' Hurdle.

Here she is heading on her way.

Ready for the soft ground!

After the wettest February on record, the water table remains exceptionally high which meant a relatively dry weekend at the track came in very useful.

But soft ground looks assured today - with more rain potentially in the offing.

“We’re happy and the track is in good shape, we’re pleased with how that looks,” said clerk of the course Jon Pullin.
“We faced a few challenges last year with grass cover, but that was on the back of a cold spell throughout the winter. It’s been a very different story this year and obviously very wet, which has given us other challenges, but we’re happy with conditions.
“We’re soft on both the Old and New course and heavy, soft in places on the cross-country. We had seven millimetres overnight into yesterday and a further 4mm throughout the day. We’re forecast to be dry today, but then we have some more showers moving in tomorrow morning before a dry afternoon.
“I think we’ll be soft ground for the first race, particularly if we get a few showers in the morning."

Mullins aiming to make history

Willie Mullins in the trainer to beat this week.

The 67-year-old Irishman needs six more winners to reach a landmark century of victories at Cheltenham. He will have a good chance, given he is responsible for nine of the 15 horses confirmed for the opening race, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Best bets on Day One and Newsboy's 1-2-3 for every race

Champion's Day kicks off four days of action, with seven races scheduled for Tuesday.

The Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy is the showpiece event of the opening day, with that race getting underway at 3.30pm.

And the question you all want to know is which horses will get you off to the perfect start?

Get your Cheltenham Festival guide

Today's Mirror has a comprehensive 32-page guide to the Cheltenham Festival.

It is recommended reading this morning. Go out and get one.

There is a Cheltenham guide in today's paper

All aboard Lossiemouth!

Willie Mullins’ Lossiemouth will bid for more Cheltenham glory as she leads the stable’s string in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.

The grey was a highly impressive nine-and-a-half-length winner of the Unibet Hurdle on Trials day in January, defeating Love Envoi in a performance that brought the Champion Hurdle into question.

Connections ultimately decided to leave the mare with her own sex and she is completely dominant in the market as she steps up to two and a half miles for the first time.

She was a Festival winner last season when taking the Triumph Hurdle over two miles and a furlong, however, Mullins has few doubts about her ability to stay the extended trip.

“Lossiemouth was very good here on Trials day and most of my horses have been improving all season for their second run, so fingers crossed everything goes right for her,” he said.
“The race is two and a half miles, so we have to step up to that. I wouldn’t have any worries about it, Triumph Hurdle winners are normally stayers.”

A damp start to Cheltenham

Good morning.

It's an exciting time, with the first day of the Cheltenham Festival here. But that excitement might be dampened slightly for the punters by the weather, which isn't the best.

The Met Office has forecast rain right up until lunchtime when it might clear up for the first race of the day at 1.30pm. That means it will be soft ground today.