Outlining each of the Grade 1 races at this year’s Cheltenham Festival

While each fixture at the annual Cheltenham Festival holds an enormous amount of meaning and weight in their own right, there’s nothing quite like a Grade 1 affair at Prestbury Park in March. And this is year’s 14 Grade 1 contests are shaping up to blockbusters, with a number of competitive and deep fields expected across the four days of National Hunt racing.

With that in mind, for those following the Cheltenham betting guide, read on as we dissect the ins and outs of each of the stacked Grade 1 cards on the opening day of the Festival – all while letting readers know the thoroughbreds garnering the shortest prices in the Cheltenham day 1 antepost betting odds at the time of writing.

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 

The first Grade 1 affair of the meeting will be the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Open to horses aged four years or older, the two-mile and half-a-furlong fixture is the opening race on day one of the Festival and is contested by novice hurdlers. It was the generational talent that is Constitution Hill who took home the chocolates in last year’s renewal, winning by a convincing 22 lengths.

Favourites:

Facile Vega 5/2

Marine Nationale 7/2

Gaelic Warrior 5/1

Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Hurdle

This two-mile contest consists of 13 fences and has a minimum age requirement of five. It is the leading minimum-distance chase for novices on the National Hunt calendar, and will be the second race on day one. It was 10/1 shot Corach Rambler who reigned supreme in 2022, upsetting the applecart en route to a victory by just shy of two lengths.

Favourites:

El Fabiolo 11/8

Jonbon 13/8

Dysart Dynamo 11/2  

Champion Hurdle

In what is the feature race of the day, the Champion Hurdle takes place over two miles and half-a-furlong and is considered the most prestigious hurdling event of the season. The eight-hurdle fixture has seen some of the sport’s most heralded thoroughbreds reign supreme since its inception, with National Spirit, Istabraq, Hatton’s Grace, Persian War and Honeysuckle just a few of the esteemed names you’ll find on the race’s roll of honour. 

Before the back-to-back losses Honeysuckle suffered in December and January, 2023’s contest was being billed as one of the most highly anticipated Champion Hurdle’s in its long and storied history as she was set to come up against the aforementioned Constitution Hill. That will not be the case however, with Honeysuckle’s connections confirming her last race before retirement will be in the Mares’ Hurdle.

Favourites:

Constitution Hill 2/7

State Man 3/1

I like To Move It 14/1

Mares’ Hurdle

Open to mares four years or older, the Cheltenham Festival’s Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle is contested over two miles and three furlongs and has ten hurdles during its running. Established in 2008, it was originally held on the final day of the Festival and acted as a Grade 2 race. However, it has seen been upgraded to Grade 1 status seven years ago. As mentioned earlier, this year’s renewal will be of extra significance, as it marks the last time we will have the chance to watch the great mare Honeysuckle before she retires.

Favourites:

Honeysuckle 9/4

Marie’s Rock 7/2

Brandy Love 6/1 

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