The Do’s and Don’ts of the Cheltenham Festival

By  //  March 8, 2022

While the veteran jump racing fans might seem like they have the Cheltenham Festival down to a tee, checking the racecards in the daily papers and talking about weights and ratings, it can be a daunting four days for a novice looking in from the outside. 28 races. 14 Grade 1s. Hundreds of horses, jockeys and trainers.

It can certainly be hard to wrap your head around it, or even get caught up in the hysteria — especially this year, with racegoers returning to Prestbury Park for the first time since 2020. 

Whether you’re lucky enough to be going to the Festival this year or just getting ready to watch the four days of action-packed drama unfold in front of your eyes on the television, there are a few things you should know before jumping in and betting on horse racing. So, read on as we take you through a few of our Cheltenham Festival dos and don’ts ahead of next week’s meeting…

Do: Hold your horses

Pardon the pun, but hold your horses. It can be easy to get carried away at the start of the Festival, with some fantastic and hugely competitive races — like the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Arkle Challenge Trophy — kicking things off brilliantly. But this is a four-day meeting, not a one-day blow out. Stay cool, calm and collected and don’t get carried away on the first day, because this is a marathon.

Evenly spread your small wagers over the course of the week, ensuring you’ve got enough in the account right up to the closing Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Don’t: Bet on every race

That leads us nicely onto this point — don’t bet on every race. There is absolutely no need to feel obliged that you need to bet on all 28 contests. In fact, avoid betting on as many of them as you can, because the likelihood is there is going to be a fair share of upsets throughout the four days. 

If you don’t like the look of one race or simply can’t decide who to back — whether in the wide-open Gold Cup or one of the smaller handicaps — then don’t! Don’t get glued to it all and become a recluse either, take a break and stick the kettle on, or go for a walk between the big races. 

Do: Search the internet for the best offers

It goes without saying that the Cheltenham Festival is a hugely competitive market for the bookmakers. So, to try and stand out from the crowd, they will each have their own individual offers — meaning that you should be able to find the perfect one to suit your needs. Whether it’s wagering a certain amount to earn free bets, money back specials — like non-runner money back or horse doesn’t finish money back — or even just a completely free bet with no strings attached, there will be something for you. 

Don’t: Buck the trends

Again, pardon the pun, but definitely don’t buck the trends. The key stats for each race could prove to be the difference between you picking a winner or a loser. Consider things like age, form — both at Cheltenham and on the whole — odds, distance and ratings. 

Take the Gold Cup for example, nine of the last 12 winners have been eight or nine years old, they’ve all won at least one Grade 1, nine had won on their previous outing before the Festival and they’d all competed at Cheltenham at least once prior to the meeting. These are things you need to consider before making your selection!