2017 Gold Cup Day at Cheltenham Festival

Gold Cup Day is the hands down, number one, without a doubt, most exciting event of the world-famous Cheltenham Festival. 2017’s race will be held on Friday, March 17th, and this year’s course is set to be just as nail-biting and adrenaline filled as all of the years before it.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 race stretching out over an impressive 5,331m and with an remarkable 22 fences to be navigated – no easy feat for the horses and jockeys involved. The steeplechase is often referred to as the most prestigious of all the season’s racing events, and its roll call is only open to horses 5 years old and over. All participating horses must be over 11 stone 8lb, and these criteria ensure that only the crème de la crème of the equine world take part- ensuring that, year after year, it remains a top-quality race.

The history of the race stretches all the way back to 1819, and in those days, its winner won a sum of 100 guineas (just over £100 in today’s money), which is a far cry from the current total of £575,000. Race sponsors have included prestigious and luxury brands such as Piper Champagne, Betfred, and now Timico – one of the world’s leading independent internet service providers.

Over the race’s long and colorful history, thankfully, it has only been cancelled a handful of times (mainly due to war, foot and mouth disease, and terrible weather), and it is without a doubt the most popular and well-attended race at The Festival. With tickets selling out months in advance, if you want to see this race in real life for yourself, rather than watching it on a television or online, we suggest you get booking quickly to avoid any possible disappointment.

Past success stories include “Golden Miller,” the famous thoroughbred who holds the title of “the most successful Gold Cup horse ever.” Winning a staggering and unprecedented five Gold Cup races in the mid-thirties, he then went on to win the Grand National as well. Golden Miller’s success went on to make his owner, Dorothy Paget, one of the most successful racehorse owners in history, with an impressive seven total wins in the Gold Cup over a 20-year period.

So, are you feeling lucky? Fancy placing a bet on one of the most famous horse races in the world, but cannot quite make it to Cheltenham? Do not fear, there are other options if you want to watch Gold Cup Day – William Hill Online can offer you top tips, live results, and more, so you can make sure you do not miss out on any of the fun!