Cheltenham Festival day 1 LIVE race card, horse racing tips, race times and more

The day has finally arrived and the 2023 Cheltenham Festival kicks off this afternoon, with four days of top-class action taking place at Prestbury Park.

The Champion Hurdle is the feature race on day one, while the Supreme Novices' Hurdle kicks off the action at 1.30pm. Check out our tips for day one.

Here's a full list of the races taking place on Tuesday:

1.30pm: 2m½f (2m87y) (Old) Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)

2.10pm: 2m (1m7f199y) (Old) Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)

2.50pm: 3m1f (Old) Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)

3.30pm: 2m½f (2m87y) (Old) Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)

4.10pm: 2m4f (2m3f200y) (Old) Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Registered As The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle) (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)

4.50pm: 2m½f (2m87y) (Old) Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Registered As The Fred Winter) (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo)

5.30pm: 3m6f (3m5f201y) (Old) WellChild National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Novices' Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)

Jack De Bromhead Mares' Novices' Hurdle

The penultimate race of the day is the Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. Twenty-one runners are set to head to post.

Antepost favourite Luccia is at the top of the list after two effortless victories this season. She is the worthy favourite.

— Unibet Racing (@UnibetRacing) March 11, 2023

The Willie Mullins team may not be as strong as it looked to be earlier in the week with second favourite Ashroe Diamond missing out and waiting for Fairyhouse. Mullins will saddle Lot Of Joy and Nikini.

I do not think there would be a better story to come out of Cheltenham this week if Henry De Bromhead was to win the race named in memory of his son. De Bromhead will saddle five runners, Magical Zoe, Belle The Lioness, Foxy girl, Ladybank and Still Ciel.

Tony Mullins sends his former Group 1 winning flat mare, Princess Zoe over to take her chance. Stamina will be no issue and if she is to build on her hurdles debut she is in there with a chance.

The last school in light snow over hurdles before Cheltenham for Princess Zoe and @dan2231 in baltic weather @curraghrace . More to follow from the man himself @tonymullins84 . pic.twitter.com/ba2IuppKIY

— Dave Keena Racing (@davekeena1) March 9, 2023

The rest of the Irish team is made up of Banntown Girl, Halka du Tabert, Jetara, Shecouldbeanything and The Model Kingdom.

Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle Declarations

The feature race of the day is the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle. Eleven runners are set to make there way to post in what looks a very competitive renewal.

According to the market the Charles Byrnes runner, Blazing Khal is at the top of the list. Byrnes has not hidden that he has had a troubled run up the festival. He looks to have lots of ability but has had his problems.

Home By The Lee, Ashdale Bob and Flooring Porter renew their rivalry from Leopardstown over Christmas when Home By The Lee ran out a snug winner. Flooring Porter, like Blazing Khal has had a troubled run up to festival but it would be naïve to rule him out after winning the last two renewals of the race.

— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) December 28, 2022

Teahupoo has been impressive this year in lowering the colours of Honeysuckle and Klassical Dream in the Hatton’s Grace. He then stepped up to three miles for the first time in the Galmoy Hurdle and ran out an impressive winner. The ground looks to have come in his favour and will have a massive chance. Stablemate Sire Du Berlais completes the Gordon Elliot team for the race.

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 26, 2023

Dashel Drasher and Paisley Park make up the home team. Gold Tweet and Henri Le Farceur are the French Duo set to head to post.

Ryanair Declarations

The Ryanair Chase looks a good opportunity for Shishkin to get back to winning ways at the Festival after his disappointing run in the Champion Chase last year.

The wheels fairly fell off after that Champion Chase run but he returned to winning ways at Ascot last month and looked back to his best. If Shishkin can turn up in the same form as Ascot he can put this to bed with ease.

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) March 12, 2023

Willie Mullins will be looking to pick up the pieces if Shishkin is to underperform. Blue Lord, Chacun Pour Soi and Janidil look to keep Mullins winning streak up in the race after Allaho won the last two renewals.

Envoi Allen is on a retrieval mission after a disappointing run in the King George at Kempton. Fury Road looks to keep up his run of places in Grade 1’s after giving Gallopin Des Champs a scare in the Irish Gold Cup. French Dynamite is the remaining Irish Challenger and the trop back to the intermediate trip will suit him.

Ga Law and Hitman make up the rest of the line-up.

Turners' Novices' Chase Declarations

Declarations for Thursday are starting to filter through and the first race of the day is the Turners’ Novice Chase.

The main attraction for many in this race will be Mighty Potter. A former dual Grade 1 winner over hurdle he has looked better again over fences with jumping being his main asset. He was flawless at Leopardstown last time out and he is very much the one to beat.

Mighty Potter leaving the parade ring @punchestownrace before winning the Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle pic.twitter.com/zelcJoSjyG

— Luke Keena (@Lukekeena1) April 26, 2022

Appreciate It and Banbridge renew they rivalry from the Irish Arkle when Banbridge narrowly came out on top. Both will enjoy the step up in trip and are worthy rivals for the favourite, with James Du Berlais making up the rest of the Irish Challenge.

Balco Coastal looks to head the English challenge and will be joined by Christopher Wood, Notlongtillmay, Stage Star and Unexpected Party.

Opening Day Ground

Racing gets underway today and the question on everyone’s mind is what the ground will be. Clerk of the course Jon Pullin gave ITV an update this morning.

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 14, 2023

Honeysuckle to go out in glory in the Mares Hurdle

My final selection for the day comes in the Mares Hurdle and is Honeysuckle - 9/4 source : Cheltenham Festival 2023 Betting & Odds (betway.com)

Honeysuckle lost her unbeaten record this year in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse, but she lost very little in defeat I thought against two proper Garde 1 horses. She looked the likely winner turning in but got outgunned late on.

Honeysuckle then went onto Leopardstown and was far from disgraced when finishing runner up to State Man. She looked to be in trouble of finishing out of the first two when Vauban loomed up on her outside but she battled all the way to the line to finish second.

In a normal year Honeysuckle would be odds on for this race but this year’s renewal looks to be one of the best fields the race has seen. I think she is the most likely winner and hope she can finish her racing career in the winner enclosure.

Corach Rambler to go back-to-back in the Ultima

Corach Rambler will be my second selection on the day and runs in the Ultima Handicap Chase- 13/2 with Horse Racing Betting & Horse Racing Odds Online » Betfair™ Sportsbook

Corach Rambler won this race 12 months ago in impressive style. Plenty went wrong for him early in the race and he found himself with a mountain to climb to win. He started to pick off horses one-by-one down the hill and picked up strongly up the Hill to run out a cosy winner.

His big target for this year has been the Grand National but I do not see any reason as to why he cannot pick this race up on route.

He was last seen running a solid race in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury when finishing fourth. That race was back in November and he was put away since then to protect his mark.

I think there is still more to come from the Lucinda Russell trained nine-year-old and he can go very close.

First selection of the day

Morning everyone, happy Cheltenham. First posts of the morning from myself will be three horses I fancy for the day.

The opening race of the week is the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Fourteen runners are set to do battle over two miles.

My first selection of the day will be High Definition - 20/1 with mybettingsites.co.uk.

A former classy inmate of the Aidan O’Brien stable he has switched to Joseph’s yard and things have not been straightforward.

He won first time up at Leopardstown over Christmas when he done plenty wrong in the jumping department, but his class got him across the line in front.

He then came back to leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival but only made it as far as the 4 hurdle when he parted company with rider J J Slevin.

I think High Definition could get his own way in front with not many wanting to take him on early considering what happened to Facile Vega the last day when he took him on.

If Facile Vega does not return to form it is a wide open race and at the prices I am willing to take my chances on High Definition’s jumping problems being ironed out and I think he can outrun his odds.

Willie Mullins on the gallops this morning

Good morning

Hello and welcome to our live blog for day one of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.

The build-up for this meeting began almost as soon as last year's edition ended and there is some absolutely fantastic races to look forward to over the coming days.

Constitution Hill is out to enhance his reputation in the Champion Hurdle this afternoon. Many believe the six-year-old has the potential to be the best two-mile hurdler we've seen since Istabraq, but he has to go and do it on the big stage today.

He bolted up in the Supreme 12 months ago and it is impossible to oppose him in the day one feature.

But there is so much more to look forward to this afternoon, including the Mares' Hurdle which looks like it could be one of the races of the week and it would be fantastic if Honeysuckle could bow out with a winner.