"There's nowhere quite like Cheltenham. It's four of the most spectacular days not just in racing, but in sport". That's how ITV Racing presenter Ed Chamberlin summed up The Cheltenham Festival when we spoke to him ahead of the prestigious event.
Thousands will descend on Cheltenham Racecourse for the four-day event, which runs this week from Tuesday to Friday. And it promises to be a very special year for the Festival, as Cheltenham marks 100 years of the Gold Cup.
Ed tells us ITV's got Cheltenham Festival coverage to match the occasion, and he expects we're on track for a brilliant renewal of the race as defending runner Galopin Des Champs (pictured) faces some tough competition on Friday, March 15.
Here's what Ed had to say about each of this year's feature races, and what he loves the most about one of the biggest events in the racing calendar...
The Champion Hurdle, Tuesday, 3.30 pm, ITV1
Ed initially told us that the Champion Hurdle would be all about Constitution Hill, but in the days since our chat, the horse has since been ruled out of defending his title at Cheltenham.
Given he described the Champion Hurdle as "probably just a head-to-head" between CH and State Man, "the big one for Ireland", does that mean this is Ireland's race to win? Well State Man is a massive odds-on-chance and looks a Day One banker. We imagine it will be going in a lot of people's accumulators.
The Champion Chase, Wednesday, 3.30 pm, ITV1
Ed: "It's a test of speed and jumping, you're one mistake away from your chance going, that's how fast they're going in a Champion Chase, two miles, flat out. El Fabiolo is a bit of an enigma in many ways. He actually isn't necessarily a natural jumper, he's got his own way of doing it, but my word is it effective. He's a bulldozer, does it his own way; his engine is unbelievable.
"Jonbon is a bit more mercurial; never quite sure what you're gonna get with Jonbon. For Jonbon to beat El Fabiolo, I think the ground would have to be decent. If it was good ground, Jonbon's got lots of speed, then it's a toss-up between the two of them. It's probably who jumps better on the day will win it, because Jonbon's that good. It's a good head-to-head."
He also expects Captain Guinness to run well and said Edwardstone is in the mix to make this race "a really interesting tactical battle".
The Stayers' Hurdle, Thursday, 3.30 pm, ITV1
"The Stayers' Hurdle is potentially as competitive as any race, largely because there's no standout in the division at the minute, it makes it so interesting", Ed said.
"Paisley Park would be the best story of the whole week. If I can have one horse to win all week, it would be Paisley Park, but I think the Irish will probably win it, I think Gordon Elliott will probably win it. He's got Teahupoo and Irish Point in the race, I think they'll be tough nuts to crack, but it's wide open, and it'll be a really good race. If we're to have a shock in any of the Championship races, it might well come in the Stayers' Hurdle".
The Gold Cup, Friday, 3.30 pm, ITV1
"This year is very special with it being the 100th year of the Gold Cup, and we've got a Gold Cup to match the occasion", Ed says.
"It's got great stories in it; Hewick, who won the King George cost £800 and is a fairytale, globetrotting superstar. Corach Rambler, who won the Grand National, and then you've got the Irish with their strong brigade. They've got the hot favourite in Galopin des Champs, the defending champion, [who] will be very difficult to beat. Fastorslow is also very good.
"Shiskin leads the home brigade, probably, and he's an enigma, anything can happen with Shiskin; he's so good, so talented, and yet he might not fancy it. The Brits have also got Bravemansgame who was second last year and L'Homme Presse as well, so there's a good home defence just to add to the mix. This is a proper, proper renewal of the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. It's the race I'm most looking forward to."
Is Willie Mullins going to dominate the Festival?
"Yes. You have to marvel at what he's doing; we are seeing sporting greatness here with what he does, and he will reach 100 winners at Cheltenham, at some point during the week, I'm pretty sure about that. Knowing Willie he'll probably get there on day two, I would think, he is a master of his trade."
"I think Ireland will dominate, that's the cycle that racing's going through at the minute, it might be a question of who's going to have more winners, Great Britain or Willie Mullins, that could be a close contest! The Brits have got their work cut out, there's no question about it, though we've got some good chances."
Do you have a favorite Cheltenham memory?
Ed ran us through a number of highlights, including watching his close friend Sir Anthony McCoy winning the Gold Cup on Synchronised in what he called "the best ride I've ever seen", but he settled on Rachael Blackmore's 2023 Mares' Hurdle victory on Honeysuckle.
"In COVID, what she did for the sport was incredible", Ed said. "I wanted her to succeed post-COVID because she came back to silence on a number of winners because there were no spectators. So when she won the Mares' Hurdle last year on Honeysuckle, you had that element to it. You had one of the most popular horses in training, winning. You had Rachael Blackmore winning, one of the most popular sports people on the planet.
"Added to the fact the horse was retiring, and you had Henry de Bromhead who'd lost his 14-year-old son in a riding accident. The outpouring of love for him and his family, the outpouring of love for Rachael and the wonderful mare Honeysuckle produced scenes that I've never experienced", Ed said.
Cheltenham Festival 2024 takes place from Tuesday, March 12 through to Friday, March 15. Coverage of the Festival will be shown on ITV1.
