The 2023 Cheltenham Festival will be remembered for many reasons. Prior to the Festival new whip rules were introduced and it was expected that there might be more penalties as a result. As things turned out the jockeys adapted well to the new guidelines and there were comparatively few sanctions during the event.
Ireland trainers continued to dominate the meeting winning 18 of the 28 Festival races, this was the same result as in 2022 but not as one sided as in 2021 when Ireland won 23 races. This was thanks in part to Willie Mullins only winning 6 races in 2023 versus a record 10 in 2022. We say ‘only’, he still won enough to be top trainer. Mullins also bagged his third Gold Cup with Galopin Des Champs, despite not having won the Gold Cup at all until 2019. Mullins’ main jockey Paul Townend also won top jockey for the second year in a row with 5 wins and the third time overall.
The star of the Festival came on the first day when Constitution Hill won the Champion Hurdle at odds of nearly 1/3 on. He has showed he is a future superstar and many expect he will one day make it onto the rostrum for the greatest Festival horses ever. Cheltenham favourite Envoi Allen also pleased the crowds by winning the Ryanair Chase with Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead to win his third different Festival race. There also wasn’t a dry eye in the house when two time Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle won the Mares’ Hurdle on day one.
Attendance was down on the previous year. This was partly caused by a reduced capacity at the racecourse following crowding in 2022, although in the end on Gold Cup Day could have sold more with the other three days seeing a significant drop in numbers. It is thought that 2022 was a bounce back year given there were no spectators in 2021 along with cost of living and other financial pressures that may have kept usual attendees away.
14th March 2023 – Day One (Champion Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | Supreme Novices' Hurdle | Marine Nationale | 9/2 |
J: M J M O'Sullivan
T: B Connell
|
| 14:10 | Arkle Challenge Trophy | El Fabiolo | 11/10 F |
J: P Townend
T: W P Mullins
|
| 14:50 | Festival Trophy Handicap Chase | Corach Rambler | 6/1 J |
J: D R Fox
T: Miss Lucinda V Russell
|
| 15:30 | The Champion Hurdle | Constitution Hill | 4/11 F |
J: N de Boinville
T: N J Henderson
|
| 16:10 | Mares' Hurdle | Honeysuckle | 9/4 J |
J: Rachael Blackmore
T: H De Bromhead
|
| 16:50 | Juvenile Novices' Hurdle | Jazzy Matty | 18/1 |
J: M J M O'Sullivan
T: G Elliott
|
| 17:30 | National Hunt Chase | Gaillard Du Mesnil | 10/11 F |
J: Mr P W Mullins
T: W P Mullins
|
15th March 2023 – Day Two (Festival Wednesday)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | Ballymore Novices' Hurdle | Impaire Et Passe | 5/2 |
J: P Townend
T: W P Mullins
|
| 14:10 | Brown Advisory Novices' Chase | The Real Whacker | 8/1 |
J: Sam Twiston-Davies
T: P Neville
|
| 14:50 | Coral Cup | Langer Dan | 9/1 |
J: Harry Skelton
T: Dan Skelton
|
| 15:30 | Queen Mother Champion Chase | Energumene | 6/5 F |
J: P Townend
T: W P Mullins
|
| 16:10 | Cross Country Chase | Delta Work | 11/10 F |
J: K M Donoghue
T: G Elliott
|
| 16:50 | Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase | Maskada | 22/1 |
J: D J O'Keeffe
T: H De Bromhead
|
| 17:30 | Champion Bumper | A Dream To Share | 7/2 |
J: Mr J L Gleeson
T: J E Kiely
|
16th March 2023 – Day Three (St. Patrick’s Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | Golden Miller Novices' Chase | Stage Star | 15/2 |
J: H Cobden
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 14:10 | Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle | Good Time Jonny | 9/1 |
J: Liam McKenna
T: A J Martin
|
| 14:50 | Ryanair Chase | Envoi Allen | 13/2 |
J: Rachael Blackmore
T: H De Bromhead
|
| 15:30 | The Stayers' Hurdle | Sire Du Berlais | 33/1 |
J: M P Walsh
T: G Elliott
|
| 16:10 | Plate Handicap Chase | Seddon | 20/1 |
J: Ben Harvey
T: J C McConnell
|
| 16:50 | Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle | You Wear It Well | 16/1 |
J: G Sheehan
T: Jamie Snowden
|
| 17:30 | Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup | Angels Dawn | 10/1 |
J: Mr P A King
T: S Curling
|
17th March 2023 – Day Four (Gold Cup Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | JCB Triumph Hurdle | Lossiemouth | 11/8 F |
J: P Townend
T: W P Mullins
|
| 14:10 | County Handicap Hurdle | Faivoir | 33/1 |
J: Bridget Andrews
T: Dan Skelton
|
| 14:50 | Spa Novices' Hurdle | Stay Away Fay | 18/1 |
J: H Cobden
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 15:30 | The Cheltenham Gold Cup | Galopin Des Champs | 7/5 F |
J: P Townend
T: W P Mullins
|
| 16:10 | Foxhunter Challenge Cup | Premier Magic | 66/1 |
J: Mr B Gibbs
T: B Gibbs
|
| 16:50 | Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase | Impervious | 15/8 |
J: B Hayes
T: Colm Murphy
|
| 17:30 | Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle | Iroko | 6/1 |
J: A P Kelly
T: O Greenall & J Guerriero
|