This year’s festival was a popular one, breaking the attendance record by hitting 236,730 for the week, and also breaking the attendance record for a single day, when 70,458 turned out on Gold Cup day.
Bookmakers were reportedly nervous about repeat victories in the big four races, which would have meant huge payouts to the masses, but on day one Hurricane Fly put the bookies’ nerves at ease, only managing 3rd place in the Champion Hurdle with Rock on Ruby causing a stir by taking the prize.
In fact, Big Buck’s was the only horse to repeat their success from 2011 when he won the Stayer’s Hurdle for the fourth time in a row, becoming the most successful horse in the history of the race.
Sprinter Sacre won the Arkle, announcing his arrival as a future legend of the sport, and getting Nicky Henderson off the starting line in doing so. Henderson would win top trainer in 2012 with an impressive 7 wins, 4 of them coming in a single day. This was the first time any trainer had enjoyed so much success in a single day in the history of the festival.
Barry Geraghty interrupted Ruby Walsh’s winning streak as top jockey with 5 wins, including the Queen Mother Champion Chase atop Finnian’s Rainbow, and J P McManus enjoyed the festival too, owning 5 of the winning horses including the winner of the Gold Cup, Synchronised.
Kauto Star made his final appearance at the festival, sadly being pulled up early in the Gold Cup, but it was better news for Brindisi Breeze who became the first Scottish horse in over a decade to win at the festival, coming 1st in the Albert Bartlett.
The 2012 festival was also the scene of a millionaire making bet, when one of Henderson’s stable lads, Conor Murphy, placed a 5-fold acca on the horses he worked with, and won. The odds stated a £3 million payout, but he only got £1 million as the acca hit Bet365’s winnings cap. There’s a lesson in checking the terms and conditions if ever you needed one – never stake more than you need to.
13th March 2012 – Day One (Champion Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | Supreme Novices' Hurdle | Cinders And Ashes | 10/1 |
J: Jason Maguire
T: Donald McCain
|
| 14:05 | Arkle Challenge Trophy | Sprinter Sacre | 8/11 F |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: N J Henderson
|
| 14:40 | Festival Trophy Handicap Chase | Alfie Sherrin | 14/1 |
J: Richie McLernon
T: Jonjo O'Neill
|
| 15:20 | The Champion Hurdle | Rock on Ruby | 11/1 |
J: Noel Fehily
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 16:00 | Cross Country Chase | Balthazar King | 11/2 |
J: Richard Johnson
T: Philip Hobbs
|
| 16:40 | Mares' Hurdle | Quevega | 4/7 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: W P Mullins
|
| 17:15 | Novices' Handicap Chase | Hunt Ball | 13/2 F |
J: Nick Scholfield
T: Kieran Burke
|
14th March 2012 – Day Two (Ladies’ Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | National Hunt Chase | Teaforthree | 5/1 F |
J: Robbie McNamara
T: Rebecca Curtis
|
| 14:05 | Ballymore Novices' Hurdle | Simonsig | 2/1 F |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: N J Henderson
|
| 14:40 | Brown Advisory Novices' Chase | Bobs Worth | 9/2 |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: N J Henderson
|
| 15:20 | Queen Mother Champion Chase | Finian's Rainbow | 4/1 |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: N J Henderson
|
| 16:00 | BetMGM Cup | Son of Flicka | 16/1 |
J: Jason Maguire
T: Donald McCain
|
| 16:40 | Juvenile Novices' Hurdle | Une Artiste | 40/1 |
J: Jeremiah McGrath
T: N J Henderson
|
| 17:15 | Champion Bumper | Champagne Fever | 16/1 |
J: Mr P W Mullins
T: W P Mullins
|
15th March 2012 – Day Three (St. Patrick’s Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | Golden Miller Novices' Chase | Sir Des Champs | 3/1 |
J: Davy Russell
T: W P Mullins
|
| 14:05 | Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle | Cape Tribulation | 14/1 |
J: Denis O'Regan
T: Malcolm Jefferson
|
| 14:40 | Ryanair Chase | Riverside Theatre | 7/2 F |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: N J Henderson
|
| 15:20 | The Stayers' Hurdle | Big Buck's | 5/6 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 16:00 | Plate Handicap Chase | Salut Flo | 9/2 F |
J: Tom Scudamore
T: D Pipe
|
| 16:40 | Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup | Sunnyhillboy | 13/2 F |
J: Mr A J Berry
T: Jonjo O'Neill
|
16th March 2012 – Day Four (Gold Cup Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | JCB Triumph Hurdle | Countrywide Flame | 33/1 |
J: Dougie Costello
T: J Quinn
|
| 14:05 | County Handicap Hurdle | Alderwood | 20/1 |
J: A P McCoy
T: Thomas Mullins
|
| 14:40 | Spa Novices' Hurdle | Brindisi Breeze | 7/1 |
J: Campbell Gillies
T: Miss Lucinda V Russell
|
| 15:20 | The Cheltenham Gold Cup | Synchronised | 8/1 |
J: A P McCoy
T: Jonjo O'Neill
|
| 16:00 | Foxhunter Challenge Cup | Salsify | 7/1 |
J: Mr C J Sweeney
T: Rodger Sweeney
|
| 16:40 | Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle | Attaglance | 20/1 |
J: B Hayes
T: Malcolm Jefferson
|
| 17:15 | Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase | Bellvano | 20/1 |
J: Ms N Carberry
T: N J Henderson
|