The Racing Week Ahead - Cheltenham Looms Large

The Cheltenham Festival finally arrives on Tuesday, and this year I’ll be doing something a bit different – there will be two issues of the newsletter next week.

The usual weekend edition you’re reading now, and then a special Tuesday‑morning Festival issue. That second email will be all about Cheltenham: sharper views, firmer opinions and a more informed look at the key contests once the guessing stops and the running orders are set.

In the meantime there is still plenty of action to keep us going this weekend. Saturday’s main domestic highlight is the Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle at Sandown (2:27), a typically competitive 2m contest.

As you’d expect on the weekend before Cheltenham, the supporting cards are a little lower key, with racing from Gowran Park in Ireland and Ayr in Scotland providing solid but unspectacular fare. Internationally, there is stronger action from Santa Anita on Saturday, where a good dirt card offers something different for those who like to keep an eye on the US scene.

Sunday follows a similar pattern closer to home, with meetings from Naas, Carlisle and Warwick offering more routine fare, while the real money is on the other side of the world. Sha Tin stages a cracking 11‑race card in Hong Kong, with the 6f Essex Handicap (C1) at 9:10 standing out thanks to a prize fund just shy of £200,000. It provides a nice early‑morning fix before attention swings firmly back to Cheltenham on Monday.

Finally, keep an eye out further down this email for details of a special competition: one lucky punter will win a share in a horse trained by Willie Mullins. It’s a brilliant chance to get a genuine piece of ownership with the Festival’s dominant yard – and it should add an extra layer of excitement to an already massive week.

Big races this week

Race Notes

Weekend Nap

THANK YOU BLUE – 4.20 Ayr, Friday 6 Mar (Triple Crown Series Handicap Hurdle):
Thank You Blue bids for a four-timer at Ayr on Friday, having been a convincing winner last time at Ludlow despite carrying a 7lb penalty. He’s reunited with conditional jockey Lewis Stones, who takes a handy 3lb off his back.

Antepost Watch

JP McManus’s Mighty Park has been trimmed into 7-2 second favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle after being taken out of the Turners field. Old Park Star still heads the betting on 9/4 with El Cairos and Talk The Talk both at 7/1 and Mydaddypaddy sitting at 10/1.

Racing Syndicates - Win a share in Kingmaker Trained by Willie Mullins

Pompey Ventures is running a competition where one entrant will win a 1% ownership share in the racehorse Kingmaker, who is now in training with Willie Mullins at Closutton.

The competition is free to enter, open to residents of the UK and Ireland, and entries close at 9pm on Saturday 14 March.

To learn more about the competition, click here.

Betting Offers

Betfred are already cranking up their Festival coverage, with a full slate of racing offers lined up for both new and existing customers. It’s well worth keeping an eye on their promos page in the days before Tuesday, as more Cheltenham‑specific offers tend to land once the final fields are declared.

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Racing News

Here are a few racing updates that caught the eye this week.

Racing Legends

Before his Grand National triumph, L’Escargot was already a well-known name in the National Hunt circuit, particularly for his performances at the Cheltenham Festival.

He won the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup twice, in 1970 and 1971, and also ran in 1972 and 1973, finishing fourth both times. He also fell at the third in the 1972 Grand National.

Red Rum and L’Escargot went head-to-head in 1973, and connections had to be content with a third-place finish after being outrun by Red Rum.

Returning in 1974, the duo once again battled, and again, L’Escargot found himself on the losing side, finishing in second place…

Read the full story.

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