Tower and Town, March 2017

  (view the full edition)

The Cheltenham Festival

March is a great month! Launched by St David's Day, winter is over, spring is here - and for every hot-blooded horse-loving race-goer in the country it is the month of the Cheltenham Festival. Nothing stirs the blood more than the sight and sound of those equine athletes charging round Prestbury Park to win a champion's crown.

For four days in the middle of the month that corner of Gloucestershire is transformed into an outpost of Ireland as the hordes of race-lovers from across the Irish Sea descend on Cheltenham to plunder the trophies and the bookies. Last year British and Irish horses shared the honours with 14 wins each over the four days, so all the more reason to see a wonderfully heated contest this year.

The fields are packed with potential champions, none more remarkable than the Willie Mullins trained Douvan who will run in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on the Wednesday. On each of the four days there are quality-packed conditions races and thrilling big field handicaps, in addition to the great Championship races. Friday will be a special day as the race for the Gold Cup seems wide open with English trainer Colin Tizzard being represented by three of the most fancied horses, Thistlecrack, Native River and Cue Card, but the Irish are always to be feared with whatever they turn up with.

If you have never watched the Festival, it is well worth watching - probably on the box as tickets are likely to be sold out by now - and you can always have a little flutter if you are feeling lucky!

David Du Croz