The origins of the festival can be traced back centuries ago. The first one was run in 1860, taking place across several locations and being called the Grand National Hunt Meeting. Market Harborough was the initial location, which changed to the Warwick Racecourse at the turn of the 20th century. However, after major improvements were made at Cheltenham, the Racing Committee decided to return the race to the spa town in 1911.

Year by year, the festival grew more popular. It now features 28 exciting races and 4 Championship Races, with the Stayers’ Hurdle the oldest one. It was introduced in 1912 followed by the Gold Cup in 1924. The Champion Hurdle was established in 1927, while the Queen Mother Champion Chase was added on the calendar in 1959.

The total number of events on the Cheltenham race card today is 28, with a number of other Grade I races in addition to the top four.

The pandemic had forced spectators away from the grounds the previous year, but fans returned to the racetrack in 2022 with more voice than ever! The famous Cheltenham roar once again blasted through the crowd and marked the comeback of the second-biggest horse racing event in the UK. Betting had continued during the pandemic, as the event was live streamed, but punters were able to view first-hand the thrills and shocks that adorned the races.

The Unibet Champion Hurdle was won once again by Honeysuckle, ridden by record-breaking jockey Rachael Blackmore. The day after, Energumene took victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, which played a vital role in earning Paul Townend the top jockey spot for 2022. On day three, Flooring Porter won the Stayers’ Hurdle for the second consecutive year, and A Plus Tard won the Gold Cup on the closing day.

There are some top horses in this year’s edition of the Cheltenham Races, including proven winners and exciting prospects. Old champions return to defend their titles, while up-and-coming newbies look to challenge the more seasoned racers.

This year’s overwhelming favourite to win the Unibet Champion Hurdle is Constitution Hill. After winning the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2022 by 22 lengths, he’ll be looking to storm to victory at the Cheltenham Races. Last year’s winner Honeysuckle could also mount a serious challenge, as could State Man and Vauban.

In terms of the Queen Mother Chase, Energumene remains the favourite. Having won the race in 2022 and with a collection of firsts in the last year, his form of late proves he has the capacity to triumph once again.

On day three, the Stayers’ Hurdle will see Flooring Porter bid for his third consecutive title. He has suffered some minor setbacks of late, so could face stiff competition from Paisley Park, Home By The Lee, and Teahupoo.

The final day is reserved for the Gold Cup which will surely be a fascinating race, as many big names are set to challenge for the prestigious award. Last year’s winner A Plus Tard will face fierce rivalries in Galopin Des Champs, Noble Yeats, and Bravemansgame.

We’ve already shown the favourites for the 2023 races, but that doesn’t mean you should stick to them. Unibet has a wide range of betting options for the exciting races, where you can  get the best out of your bets. As one of the biggest sporting events in the UK, there’s plenty of action for punters at the Cheltenham Festival.

We can recommend checking out our events lobby for the top markets and offers. As the festival draws near, there will be plenty of special offers that you can’t refuse. Promotional bets will maximize your money returns, especially for new punters. You’ll get some of the top odds on Cheltenham races right here at Unibet, including the great favourites odds.

The Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) special offer is a great way to get the top odds on a horse. For example, if you back a 10/1 favourite before the race and he’s 15/1 by the time the race starts, if your selection wins, you get paid by the higher odds. This great promo comes among many others such as win, place, show promos as well as specific odds boosts on particular horses and races so you get the best out of your bets.

Unibet is the home of horse racing in the UK, and it would be a shame to leave our site without exploring the markets further.