Rachael Blackmore hopes to light up Cheltenham Festival again after creating history with her astounding win in the Gold Cup in 2022.
The pressure to repeat is there for the Irish star, with an outstanding card of racing on each of the four days in the Cotswolds.
“There is so much expectation going into a week like this but I think it is pressure that you want,” said Blackmore, who is a Betfair ambassador. “I want to feel it going into next week because that, in turn, means I have got some very good rides next week.
It is pressure but it is, strangely, pressure that you crave and that you want. It just means that you are going to Cheltenham with some good rides. The Gold Cup is what the whole week at Cheltenham builds up towards, it’s the biggest race of the week and a race that every jockey would love to win.”
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival with the full race card for Day 2 on Wednesday:
When is the 2023 Cheltenham Festival?
The 2023 Cheltenham Festival starts on Tuesday 14 March and runs until Friday 17 March. There are seven races each day, beginning from 1.30pm GMT and concluding at 5.30pm.
Cheltenham Festival Day 2: Race schedule and latest odds
1:30 Ballymore Novices Hurdle
Impaire Et Passe 2/1
Hermes Allen 11/4
Gaelic Warrior, Good Land 5/1
Champ Kiely 7/1
Il Etait Temps 10/1
Inthepocket 12/1
Ho My Lord, Tahmuras 14/1
Absolute Notions, Favori De Champdou, Irish Point 16/1
Doctor Bravo, In Excess, Parmenion 20/1
American Mike, Dark Raven, Deep Cave, Diverge 25/1
BAR 33/1
2:10 Brown Advisory Novices Chase
Gerri Colombe 13/8
Mighty Potter 3/1
Sir Gerhard, The Real Whacker 4/1
Thyme Hill 11/2
Gaillard Du Mesnil 6/1
Ramilles 10/1
Galia Des Liteaux, Stage Star 12/1
James Du Berlais, Thedevilscoachman, Thunder Rock 14/1
Bronn, Kilcruit, Minella Crooner 25/1
BAR 33/1
2:50 Coral Cup
Camprond 6/1
HMS Seahorse, Run For Oscar 7/1
Haut En Couleurs 9/1
Langer Dan 10/1
Ballyadam, Winter Fog 11/1
Beacon Edge, Brandy Love, Captain Conby, Fil Dor, Might I, Three Card Brag 12/1
Irish Hill, Theatre Glory 14/1
Benson, Imagine, No Ordinary Joe, San Salvador, Scaramanga, Spanish Harlem, Watch House Cross Yorksea 16/1
3:30 Champion Chase
Edwardstone 13/8
Energumene 15/8
Editeur Du Gite 6/1
Gentleman De Mee 8/1
Blue Lord 9/1
Nube Negra 20/1
Chacun Pour Soi, Greaneteen 25/1
Funambule Sivola 33/1
Captain Guinness 50/1
Coeur Sublime 100/1
4:10 Cross Country Chase
Delta Work 11/10
Galvin 15/8
Franco De Port 7/1
Back On The Lash 14/1
Aeise Aba, Gin On Lime, Snow Leopardess 16/1
Easysland, Foxy Jacks 25/1
BAR 33/1
4:50 Grand Annual Handicap Chase
Andy Dufresne, Dinoblue 6/1
Last Orders 7/1
Aucunrisque 8/1
Saint Roi 9/1
Third Time Lucki, Unexpected Party 10/1
Coeur Sublime 12/1
Dads Lad, Magic Daze, Rouge Vif, Saint Segal 12/1
Red Rookie , Thyme White 14/1
Elixir De Nutz, Riviere D’etel 16/1
BAR 20/1
5:30 Champion Bumper
A Dream to Share, It’s For Me 7/2
Fun Fun Fun 13/2
Chapeau De Soleil 9/1
Fact To File, Western Diego 10/1
Better Days Ahead, Encanto Bruno, Pour Les Filles, Favour And Fortune, Queens Gamble 14/1
Fascile Mode, Westport Cove 16/1
Loughglynn 18/1
BAR 20/1
Cheltenham Festival race schedule
Four days, 28 races and action aplenty - here’s the full schedule for Cheltenham in 2023 (All times GMT)
Champion Day – Tuesday, March 14
- Supreme Novices’ Hurdle - 1.30pm
- Arkle Challenge Trophy - 2.10pm
- Handicap Steeple Chase - 2.50pm
- Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy - 3.30pm
- Mares’ Hurdle - 4.10pm
- Juvenile Handicap Hurdle - 4.50pm
- National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup - 5.30pm
Ladies Day – Wednesday, March 15
- Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle - 1.30pm
- Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase - 2.10pm
- Coral Cup Hurdle - 2.50pm
- Queen Mother Champion Chase - 3.30pm
- Cross-Country Steeple Chase - 4.10pm
- Grand Annual Handicap Chase - 4.50pm
- Champion Bumper - 5.30pm
St Patrick’s Thursday – Thursday, March 16
- Turners Novices’ Chase - 1.30pm
- Pertemps Network Final Hurdle - 2.10pm
- Ryanair Chase - 2.50pm
- Stayers’ Hurdle - 3.30pm
- County Plate Chase - 4.10pm
- Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle - 4.50pm
- Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup - 5.30pm
Gold Cup Day – Friday, March 17
- Triumph Hurdle Jump - 1.30pm
- Country Handicap Hurdle - 2.10pm
- Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle - 2.50pm
- Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase - 3.30pm
- Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase - 4.10pm
- Mares’ Chase - 4.50pm
- Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle - 5.30pm
How to watch the 2023 Cheltenham Festival?
Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch the best action on ITV, with live coverage on the channel on each of the four days. Registered users can watch online via ITVX.
What are the odds for the Gold Cup (3.30pm, Friday 17 March)?
- Galopin Des Champs 13/8
- Noble Yeats 15/2
- A Plus Tard 8/1
- Bravemansgame 8/1
- Stattler 8/1
- Ahoy Senor 12/1
- Conflated 12/1
- Protektorat 16/1
- Hewick 20/1
- Minella Indo 20/1
- Shishkin 20/1
- Sounds Russian 25/1
All others 33/1 or higher
What are the odds for the Queen Mother Champion Chase (Wednesday 15 March, 3.30pm)?
- Energumene 13/8
- Edwardstone 15/8
- Editeur Du Gite 6/1
- Gentleman de Mee 10/1
- Blue Lord 14/1
- Nube Negra 25/1
- Greaneteen 33/1
- Funambule Sivola 40/1
- Captain Guiness 50/1
- Chacun Pour Soi 50/1
- Coeur Sublime 66/1
What are the odds for the Ryanair Chase (Thursday 15 March, 2.50pm)?
- Shishkin 11/8
- Blue Lord 5/1
- Fury Road 6/1
- Janidil 7/1
- Envoi Allen 12/1
- French Dynamite 14/1
- Conflated 16/1
- Fakir Doudairies 16/1
- Pic Dorhy 16/1
- Ga Law 20/1
- Haut En Couleurs 20/1
- Hitman 22/1
- Funambule Sivola 25/1
All others 40/1 or higher
What are the odds for the Stayers Hurdle (Thursday 15 March, 3.30pm)?
- Blazing Khal 11/4
- Teahupoo 7/2
- Home By The Lee 6/1
- Flooring Porter 7/1
- Maries Rock 7/1
- Gold Tweet 9/1
- Ashdale Bob 14/1
- Klassical Dream 14/1
- Paisley Park 16/1
- Asterion Forlonge 20/1
- Buzz 20/1
- Haut En Couleurs 20/1
- Dashel Drasher 25/1
- Sir Gerhard 25/1
All others 33/1 or higher
