• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cheltenham Betting Offers

  • Home
  • Free Bets
  • Meetings
    • New Year’s Day Meeting
    • Festival Trials Day
    • Cheltenham Festival
    • April Meeting
    • Race Night
    • Showcase Meeting
    • November Meeting
    • International Meeting
  • News
  • Articles
    • Stats & Trends

April Meeting Day One Wednesday 12th April 2023

the april meeting day oneThe April Meeting was originally held on a Friday and Saturday, but it’s been moved to a Wednesday and Thursday now so the typical audience that will turn up to watch it is a bit different from the weekend crowd. It’s very much an event for the race-lover, with the events on offer more interesting to those that really care about horses. That’s not to say that those that just have a passing interesting in the sport will be disappointed, of course. There’s plenty of decent racing to watch and have a flutter on if that takes your fancy.

That is perhaps more evident on Day One than it is on the second day of the meeting, if for no other reason than the presence of the Grade 2 Silver Trophy Chase. The other races might not be Graded but they’re still fascinating in their own right, so check out the race card and see which ones tickle your fancy. More than a couple of the races are ones featuring a decently sized field, offering plenty of opportunity for a shock or two when the winner crosses the finish line. We’ll have a closer look at them all here.

April Meeting Wednesday Race Card

There’s one standout race on the first day of the April Meeting, with four Class 2 races to bulk out the card. It’s a day that tends to be filled with races that boats a relatively large field, so it’s ideal for punters that like to bet on runs that can be a bit of a dice-roll in terms of results.

Race 1 - Kingston Stud Handicap Hurdle - 13:30

  • Grade: Class 2 Hurdle
  • Distance: 2m 4f 56y (4075m)
  • Fences: 10
  • Course: New Course

1-30pmRace one of the day is close to being identical to the third race of the day in terms of what’s involved for the horses taking part in it. Run over two miles, four furlongs and fifty-six yards (2m, 4f, 56y), there are another ten hurdles placed around the course.

The big difference is that it isn’t limited to novices and it’s a handicap race, meaning that the Handicapper will decide how much extra weight each horse has to run with. As with the day’s opener, it’s a Class 2 race that hasn’t yet been upgraded to be given a Grade.

2022 Winner

  • Horse - Bold Plan (6/1)
  • Jockey - Isabel Williams
  • Trainer - Evan Williams (GB)
  • Overall Prize Money - £24,594
  • For The Winner - £13,008

Race 2 - Silver Trophy Chase - 14:05

  • Grade: Grade 2
  • Distance: 2m 4f 127y (4140m)
  • Fences: 17
  • Course: New Course

2 05pmThis is widely considered to be the feature race of Day One at the April Meeting, thanks in no small part to the seventeen fences that must be jumped in order to get home as the winner. They are spaced out over two miles, four furlongs and one-hundred and twenty-seven yards (2m, 4f, 127y).

It’s a Grade 2 limited handicap race for horses aged five and over. This is the one that people will get most excited about, as evidenced by the fact that the winning money is double that of the first race, so listen out to what others are saying on the course and see if you can pick up any tips.

Established in 1986, this race was initially run over two miles and four furlongs and achieved Grade Two status five years after it first took place. The length was extended to its current numbers in 1993, becoming a limited handicap a decade later after having been a conditions race before that.

Norton's Coin is the only horse to have won it more than once, with Tony McCoy and Ruby Walsh both earning themselves three wins in it over the years. The most successful trainer title is also shared, with Paul Nicholls and Martin Pipe boasting four wins apiece.

2022 Winner

  • Horse - Stolen Silver (11/5)
  • Jockey - Sam Twiston-Davies
  • Trainer - Sam Thomas (GB)
  • Overall Prize Money - £68,621
  • For The Winner - £39,466

Race 3 - Novices' Hurdle - 14:40

  • Grade: Class 2 Hurdle
  • Distance: 2m 4f 56y (4075m)
  • Fences: 10
  • Course: New Course

2-40pmRaced over two miles, four furlongs and fifty-six yards (2m, 4f, 56y), the day’s third race is for novices aged four and up.

There are ten hurdles that need to be negotiated before the horses get into the final stretch. It’s a Class 2 race, which can perhaps be viewed as a sign of things to come over the two days.

2022 Winner

  • Horse - Pull Again Green (15/8)
  • Jockey - Paddy Brennan
  • Trainer - Fergal O'Brien (GB)
  • Overall Prize Money - £19,674
  • For The Winner - £10,892

Race 4 - Nicholson Holman Novices' Chase - 15:15

  • Grade: Class 3 Chase
  • Distance: 3m 1f 56y (5080m)
  • Fences: 21
  • Course: New Course

3 15pmIf the previous races have all been about speed then this one is very much something of an endurance test for the horses taking part in it. It’s actually a fair bit shorter than the three races that have gone before, lasting for three miles, one furlong and fifty-six yards (3m, 1f, 56y). Yet it’s the amount of jumping that the competitors need to do that make it a race for anyone to take.

There are twenty-one fences to be negotiated before the finishing post comes into sight, meaning that the five-year-old and over horses racing in it will need to be on their game. As the name suggests, it’s a limited handicap race for novices that have a rating of 0-135, lending it its Class 3 certification.

2022 Winner

  • Horse - The Bull McCabe (17/2)
  • Jockey - David Bass
  • Trainer - Kim Bailey (GB)
  • Overall Prize Money - £17,215
  • For The Winner - £9,897

Race 5 - Weatherite Handicap Chase - 15:50

  • Grade: Class 2 Chase
  • Distance: 3m 2f (5230m)
  • Fences: 22
  • Course: New Course

3-50pmThe fifth race of the opening day of the April Meeting is one that’s open to horses aged five and over that are rated between 0 and 150. It’s is the fourth Class 2 race of the day, so you can see what we’re talking about when we said that race one was a sign of things to come.

As with race four, this is a test of a horse’s jumping ability thanks to the twenty-two fences that they’ll need to cope with if they want to win. It lasts for three miles and two furlongs (3m, 2f). It normally boasts a field that stretches into double figures and if the going’s good will take around seven minutes for the competitors to complete. As the name suggests, this is another handicap offering.

2022 Winner

  • Horse - Captain Cattistock (15/2)
  • Jockey - Liam Harrison
  • Trainer - Fergal O'Brien (GB)
  • Overall Prize Money - £29,511
  • For The Winner - £15,698

Race 6 - Handicap Hurdle - 16:25

  • Grade: Class 2 Hurdle
  • Distance: 2m 7f 213y (4822m)
  • Fences: 12
  • Course: New Course

4-25pmAnother handicap race follows straight on the heels of race five, though this one isn’t limited. It’s open to horses aged four and over and is another Class 2 race of the day.

There are twelve hurdles present in this one, which jockeys and their steeds will have to get over during the relatively short two miles, seven furlongs and two-hundred and thirteen yards (2m, 7f, 213y) of the race.

This is the one to bet on if you like horses with decent odds, considering the starting price favourite is often as long as 7/1.

2022 Winner

  • Horse - Wbee (16/1)
  • Jockey - Sean Bowen
  • Trainer - Gary Hanmer (GB)
  • Overall Prize Money - £19,674
  • For The Winner - £10,892

Race 7 - Handicap Hurdle - 17:00

  • Grade: Class 3 Hurdle
  • Distance: 2m 179y (3382m)
  • Fences: 8
  • Course: New Course

5pmThe final race of Day One sees the conditional jockeys and amateur riders given a run out. They’ll need to be on the back of horses aged four and up with a rating of 0 to 140.

As you’ll have now doubt inferred from the race’s title, this is a handicap running that the Handicapper will do their best to ensure is as fair as possible for all of those running in it. It’s the second Class 3 race of the day and features eight hurdles placed over two miles and one-hundred and seventy nine yards (2m, 179y). Usually boasting a field of between ten and twenty competitors, it tends to last around four minutes on good ground.

2022 Winner

  • Horse - Koi Dodville (5/1)
  • Jockey - Jack Tudor
  • Trainer - David Pipe (GB)
  • Overall Prize Money - £14,755
  • For The Winner - £7,805

What To Expect

horses approach fence at cheltenhamAs mentioned, the fact that the meeting has been moved to midweek means that the crowd will be a relatively serious one, filled with people who want to learn about the horses before the jump racing season comes to a close and flat racing takes over for the summer. There’s another meeting at Cheltenham after this one, Race Night, so it’s also an opportunity to look out for horses to bet on at that meeting if you’re good at keeping your research up-to-date.

Day One is arguably the more serious of the two days, complete with a Grade 2 race that will pique the interest of the professional punter. The fact that it’s run during the week means that there are fewer people pretending that they know about racing just because they want to use it as an excuse to have a drink and more people that actually do understand the sport. If you’re there then keep an eye out for people who look like they’re knowledgeable and perhaps try and strike up a chat to get some tips.

Conclusion

aprilDay One of the April Meeting certainly lacks the glamour of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival and it doesn’t offer the same global audience that a trip to Aintree for the Grand National will present you with, but it is a decent opportunity to get along to the racecourse to see what all the fuss is about without the manic crowds of the month before.

Some of the races have slightly smaller fields, so they might not appeal to those of you that like to bet on events that are likely to be a bit more wild and unpredictable. There’s no doubt that racing connoisseurs will be big fans of Day One of the meeting, but don’t feel as if that means that you’re excluded if you’re more of a casual punter. At the very least it will offer you an opportunity to check out the fields and test a few betting theories in a more relaxed environment.

Primary Sidebar

Cheltenham Free Bets

Races on This Day

  • 13:30
    Kingston Stud Handicap Hurdle
  • 14:05
    Silver Trophy Chase
  • 14:40
    Novices' Hurdle
  • 15:15
    Nicholson Holman Novices' Chase
  • 15:50
    Weatherite Handicap Chase
  • 16:25
    Handicap Hurdle
  • 17:00
    Handicap Hurdle

Meetings at Cheltenham

  • Cheltenham Festival
    • Champion Day
    • Ladies Day
    • St Patrick’s Thursday
    • Gold Cup Day
  • Festival Trials Day
  • New Year’s Day
  • November Meeting
    • Countryside Day
    • Gold Cup Day
    • November Meeting Sunday
  • Race Night
  • Showcase Meeting
    • The Showcase Friday
    • The Showcase Saturday
  • The April Meeting
    • April Meeting Day One
    • April Meeting Day Two
  • The International Meeting
    • International Friday
    • International Saturday

Race Types

  • Amateur Races
  • Championship Races
  • Conditions Races
  • Cross Country Races
  • Cup Races
  • Fillies' Races
  • Grade 1 Races
  • Grade 2 Races
  • Grade 3 Races
  • Handicap Races
  • Hurdle Races
  • Juvenile Races
  • Listed Races
  • Maiden Races
  • Mares' Races
  • Novices' Races
  • Premier Handicap Races
  • Standard Open Flat Races
  • Steeplechase Races
  • Trial Races
  • Trophy Races
  • Discontinued Races

Latest News

  • Aintree & Cheltenham Amongst Jockey Club Courses To Drop Dress Code
  • What Can Be Done To Combat Race Fixing In Horse Racing?
  • Jockeys Are Struggling With The New Whip Rules
  • Cheltenham Festival Trials Day Likely To Go Ahead As Temperatures Rise This Week
  • BHA Whips Rules Changed At The Last Minute Following A Jockey Backlash

Articles

  • Who Are The BHA?
  • Origins Of Steeplechasing
  • Is Horse Racing Too Traditional? Why Is It So Confusing?
  • Robot Horse Racing
  • Are There More Fatalities On Hard Ground In Horse Racing?
  • Types Of Jump Racing Fences
  • Biggest Comebacks In Horse Racing
  • Difference Between A Hurdle & A Fence In Jump Racing
  • What Are Hurdles & Fences Made From?
  • Why Are Race Distances Measured In Miles, Furlongs & Yards
  • Stag And Hen Do's At Cheltenham
  • Each-Way vs Place Betting: Which Is Better?
  • What Are Final Declarations
  • Does Illegal Horse Racing Still Happen?
  • What Is Pony Racing? How Is It Different To Horse Racing?
  • Ladies At The Races
  • What Do Nose, Head, Neck and Length Mean?
  • What Is A Furlong?
  • When Is A Race Declared Void?
  • False Starts In Horse Racing
  • What Are Official Ratings in Horse Racing?
  • Can You Run A Race With Only One Horse?
  • What Is Point To Point Racing
  • Best Day Of The Cheltenham Festival
  • How Much Does It Cost To Buy and Train a Racehorse?
  • Cheltenham Festival Ticket Types
  • How Much Does Racing Make From The Betting Levy?
  • Are There Less Horse Deaths In Racing Today?
  • Origins Of Jockey Silks In Horse Racing & Rules
  • Can A Jockey Remount A Horse?
  • What Happens If No Horse Wins A Race?
  • Why Do Horses Jump Fences?
  • How High and Far Can A Horse Jump?
  • Use Of The Whip In Horse Racing
  • What Are The Different Types Of Racehorses?
  • Who Sponsors Cheltenham Races
  • How Do Racehorse Owner Syndicates Work?
  • How Much Do Racehorses Weigh?
  • How Does Travelling Affect Racehorse Performance?
  • What PPE Do Jockeys Wear And Why?
  • Can Racehorses Overheat?
  • Benefits Of Owning Race Horses
  • What Is The Top Speed Of A Racehorse?
  • Do Racehorses Have Special Diets & Nutrition?
  • How Are Racehorses Transported & What Are The Rules
  • What Happened To All-Weather Jumps Racing?
  • What Was Tic Tac? The Sign Language For On-Course Bookmakers
  • The Road To Cheltenham
  • Retraining of Racehorses
  • What Happens To Retired Racehorses?
  • Horse Racing Mix-Ups
  • Youngest Jockeys In Horse Racing History
  • What Are Blinkers & Why Do Race Horses Wear Them?
  • How Long Do You Have To Claim A Winning Bet At A Racecourse?
  • Female Jockey Pioneers
  • Oldest Jockeys In Horse Racing History
  • Record Jockey Wins For Cheltenham Festival Races
  • Record Trainer Wins For Cheltenham Festival Races
  • Cheltenham Festival Races Record Horse Wins
  • Biggest Prize Money Races At The Cheltenham Festival
  • The Life Of A Racing Jockey
  • Races With The Most Fences At The Cheltenham Festival
  • How Often Do Mares' Win At The Cheltenham Festival
  • Average Winner Age Cheltenham Festival Races
  • Longest Races At The Cheltenham Festival
  • Cheltenham Festival's Newest Races
  • How Often Does the Favourite Win at the Cheltenham Festival?
  • Average Winner Odds Cheltenham Festival Races
  • Cheltenham Festival Stats & Trends
  • Veganism & Horse Racing
  • Horse Doping In Horse Racing
  • Most Feared Fences In Horse Racing
  • Jockey Injuries
  • How To Become A Jockey
  • Horse Injuries
  • What Is Going In Horse Racing
  • Richest Races In Horse Racing
  • What Is The Starting Price In Racing
  • When Is The Best Time To Bet Ante-Post
  • Impact Of Wetter Winters On UK Jump Racing
  • How Long Do Racehorses Live For?
  • How Much Do Jockeys Weigh?
  • Rules For Naming Race Horses
  • What Is A Dead Heat In Horse Racing?
  • Who Would Win A Race Between A Horse And A Dog?
  • What Makes A Good Jump Stayer?
  • What Is A Stewards Enquiry?
  • Why Are Horses Disqualified and Who Decides?
  • Courses At Cheltenham: Old, New and Cross Country
  • How Are Jump Horses Trained Differently To Flat Horses?
  • Longest Odds Winners In Horse Racing History
  • How Much Money Is Bet At Cheltenham?
  • How Much Is Cheltenham Worth To The Economy?
  • Top 5 Cheltenham Festival Owners
  • Accessibility At Cheltenham The Cheltenham Festival
  • Cheltenham Festival's Oldest Race Still Running
  • Biggest Female Trainers
  • Celebrity Race Horse Owners
  • Can Jockeys, Trainers & Owners Bet?
  • British vs Irish Trainers And Stables At Cheltenham
  • Things To Do & Places To Visit In Cheltenham
  • The Royal Family And The Cheltenham Festival
  • How Much Does It Cost To Be An On-Course Bookmaker?
  • How Much Money Do Race Horse Owners Make?
  • How Much Money Do Trainers Make?
  • Cheltenham Race Types
  • Cheltenham Hotels & Cheltenham Festival Accommodation
  • Top 5 Cheltenham Festival Trainers
  • Top 5 Cheltenham Festival Jockeys
  • Top 10 Cheltenham Festival Horses
  • How Much Money Do Jockeys Make?
  • Richest Jockeys In Horse Racing History
  • Getting To Cheltenham Racecourse
  • Cheltenham Festival vs Grand National, Which Is Better?
  • Cheltenham Racecourse History
  • Why Is The Cheltenham Festival So Big?
  • Cheltenham Festival History
  • The Prestbury Cup
  • Cheltenham Festival Quiz
  • Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer
  • Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey
  • Cheltenham Racecourse During The War
  • Ante-Post Betting - Risk vs Reward
  • Jump Racing Distances
  • How to Read a Race Card
  • How To Bet On Horse Racing
  • Disqualification, Non-Runners and Rule 4
  • Age, Sex and Weight in Horse Racing
  • History And About National Hunt Racing
  • A-Z Glossary Of Horse Racing Terms
  • Horse Racing News, Statistics & Blogs
  • Live Streaming of Horse Racing
  • Live Betting In Play On Horse Racing
  • Cash Out And Partial Cash Out On Horse Racing
  • Grades and Classes In National Hunt Jump Racing

Offers

  • Acca Offers For Horse Racing
  • Extra Places Each-Way & Enhanced Each Way Terms Cheltenham Festival 2023
  • Horse Racing Loyalty Free Bet Clubs
  • Horse Racing Money Back
  • Best Odds Guaranteed For The Cheltenham Festival
  • Tote and Totepool Betting
  • Lucky Bets and Bonuses For Horse Racing
  • Non-Runner No Bet
  • Free Bets And Bonuses For Winners
  • Best Odds Guaranteed For Horse Racing
  • Faller & Fail To Finish Insurance For Horse Racing

Copyright © 2023 CheltenhamBettingOffers.com | 18+ Gamble Aware | Privacy & Cookie Policy