Cheltenham Festival 2013

Cheltenham Festival 2013 promises to be a thrilling week of horse racing. This four-day event celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011 and is still going strong, thanks to its electric atmosphere and broad appeal for horse racing enthusiasts and betting fans alike.

When is the Cheltenham Festival 2013?

Cheltenham Festival traditionally takes place in the second full week of March, just as the weather starts to pick up, and conveniently close to St Patrick’s Day. Cheltenham Festival 2013 is therefore planned to take place on the following dates:

  • Tuesday 12th March – Champion Day, featuring the Stan James Champion Hurdle
  • Wednesday 13th March – Ladies Day, and the Queen Mother Champion Chase
  • Thursday 14th of March – St Patrick’s Day celebrations and the World Hurdle
  • Friday 15th of March – Gold Cup Day, with the coveted Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup 2013

Cheltenham Festival 2013 betting tips

It may seem like a long way off, but no doubt horse racing fans and betting enthusiasts will already have their favourites for Cheltenham Festival 2013. Many of next year’s stars will be making their presence felt this year, so the best thing you can do to pick up tips is keep a close eye on all the races this year. Of course, many of our current heroes will be getting on a bit by the time Cheltenham Festival 2013 comes around; the prime age for chase and hurdle horses is usually 6-10. It may therefore pay off to keep an eye on any youngsters that do well, perhaps by watching the Novices and Juveniles competitions where the runners are a little younger.

Of course, there’s no easy way to predict what may happen before Cheltenham 2013. Unfortunate accidents, retirements, a sudden drop in performance, disqualifications, changing jockeys, switching to a new race category or the condition of the racecourse can all affect the odds for a horse. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen how the recent change in whip rules affects major races, especially if stars like Tony McCoy or Ruby Walsh are penalised.

Punters should therefore keep a close eye on the racing news in the run-up to Cheltenham Festival and the Betfred Gold Cup 2013. Our own news section features all the latest developments and announcements in the racing world, as well as top tips for all the Cheltenham Festival races, so it would certainly be a good place to start.