As one of the UK's most popular events, more than 200,000 race enthusiasts attend the Cheltenham Festival each year and develop a new enthusiasm for horse racing during their time there. National Hunt racing is at its peak at this festival, but it took a long time to reach this point.

Every fan will tell you that knowing your history is crucial if you want to properly appreciate anything, whether it's horse racing or not. As a result, it's astonishing how few people are aware of the festival's original beginnings.

If you want to learn about the evolution of the Cheltenham Festival from its humble beginnings to its current home, The Jockey Clubs, Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, England, read on to find out more.

Complex Beginnings

Before the Cheltenham Festival became well-known, it was held over many different courses and on a considerably smaller scale. Racing in the area began in 1815, but the first jump races were not held until 1818.

The first few races were held on Cleeve Hill, a hill that overlooks the Cheltenham course that we know and love today. Miss Tidmarsh, a bay mare, was the first-ever documented winner in Cheltenham at a one-day race in 1815.

Five more races were staged that day, and the meeting was regarded as a success, prompting the construction of a grandstand to begin.
With the construction of the grandstand, a more substantial course began to take shape, and the festival grew in popularity.

Four years later, the festival had expanded to a three-day event, and the inaugural Cheltenham Gold Cup was held, but not quite as we know it today. Spectre, a three-year-old colt, won a three-mile flat race.

For the next 10 years or more, crowds of up to 50,000 people would regularly attend the festival.

While the money they brought with them to spend on drinking, dancing, and merrymaking was appreciated, it also drew the attention of pickpockets, who began to cause major difficulties at the Cleeve Hill course. The festival was eventually relocated to Prestbury Park, where it remained for some years.

Sadly, more than the old Cheltenham Festival's joys was needed to overcome the economic slump, and the festival drew significantly fewer fans and a typically worse level of racing. However, what would have been a tragedy for the initial flat racing festival resulted in the birth of steeplechasing in Cheltenham.

The first Grand Annual Steeplechase was conducted in Andoversford, near Cheltenham. It ran over four miles and was a great spectacle that drew over 10,000 people. The race was moved to Prestbury Park in 1847, lasting until 1853, when the land was sold to a different owner. However, Prestbury Park did not host its first National Hunt Meeting until 1902.

The Modern Festival

For many years, the Cheltenham Festival was known as the National Hunt Meeting, and it finally settled in Prestbury Park in 1911. The Cheltenham Festival still offers some of the highest prizes in racing, second only to the Grand National meeting.

Since the early 20th century, the racing schedule has remained rather consistent. If you travel to Cheltenham now, you'll see a startlingly comparable spectacle to what you would have seen all those years ago.

The 2023 Cheltenham Festival is one of the most anticipated events in the horse racing calendar. A four-day event, held annually in March, features some of the most talented horses, jockeys, and trainers worldwide.

The festival comprises 28 races over four days, each featuring its championship race. The first day, Champion Day includes the Champion Hurdle, considered one of the most prestigious hurdle races in the world.

The second day, Ladies Day, features the Queen Mother Champion Chase, a two-mile steeplechase race that tests the speed and agility of the horses.

The third day, known as St. Patrick's Day, includes the Ryanair Chase, a two-and-a-half-mile steeplechase race that attracts some of the best horses and jockeys in the sport.

The final day, Gold Cup Day, features the biggest race of the festival, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, a three-mile-two-furlong steeplechase race that is the most prestigious jumps race in the world.

In addition to the exciting races, the Cheltenham Festival includes a wide range of entertainment, including live music, food and drink stalls, and various activities for all ages.

Whether you are a horse racing enthusiast, looking for Cheltemham or just looking for a fun day out, the Cheltenham Festival is not to be missed.