The 2024 Cheltenham Festival meeting will see the leading Jump horses in action in their respective divisions as they bid to win one of the meeting’s prestigious 28 races.
Many of the horses that shone at Haydock Park earlier in the season are set to feature at the biggest week of the year in the sport. Here is a look at their chances of more major glory.
Protektorat Taking Ryanair Chase Route This Year
Former Lancashire Chase winner Protektorat is a horse that has had a lot of success in the North West at Haydock and Aintree. Dan Skelton’s runner is expected to line up in the Ryanair Chase this year where he has Cheltenham Festival odds of 14/1.
The nine-year-old is part-owned by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, so he is a popular horse in Manchester. Ferguson recently won one of the most valuable races in the world in Saudi Arabia. If his horse ends up on the Cheltenham 2024 races results page as a winner, it will add to what has been a great year for the Scotsman.
He’s back! L’Homme Presse gets the better of Protektorat in a Fleur De Lys Chase cracker at @LingfieldPark for @charliedeutsch2 and @VenetiaWRacing… pic.twitter.com/PwmQuN2ERL
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) January 21, 2024
The 2022 Lancashire Chase champion has featured in the last two renewals of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, finishing a respectable third and fifth respectively. His form this season has not quite been as strong in the 3m division, so his trainer is taking on the day three Championship contest instead.
Famous Bridge Entered in Day One Contest
Staying chaser Famous Bridge won this season’s Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at Haydock back in December. He handled the testing conditions better than any of his rivals to land the top prize for trainer Nicky Richards.
♥️ Famous Bridge is all heart!
A tremendous performance from Famous Bridge who gets the better of Burrows Diamond in a cracking finish at @haydockraces @NGRichardsRace | @SquinlanSean pic.twitter.com/vUMPDlPBMA
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 23, 2023
The Haydock winner has been entered in the Ultima Handicap Chase on day one of the Cheltenham Festival. He has been handed one of the lowest weight allocations of 10st 8lb for that race.
Famous Bridge will need to bounce back at Cheltenham following two disappointing appearances. He was pulled up at Doncaster on his next start after his Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase triumph, while last time out at Haydock, he unseated his rider in the Grand National Trial.
Jeriko Du Reponet A Big Supreme Contender
Nicky Henderson won this season’s Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle with Jeriko Du Reponet. The former Champion Trainer prevailed in the race for the sixth time. His latest star is now a big player in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the curtain-raiser at the Cheltenham Festival
The five-year-old hurdler has won all three of his races this season. He recorded back-to-back victories at Newbury before stepping up in class for the Grade Two Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle.
The Seven Barrows runner will take on some of the leading Irish challengers for the Grade One contest on the opening day of the meeting. Ballyburn is the warm favourite to prevail following his recent success at the Dublin Racing Festival where he beat a strong field by seven lengths.
This year’s Cheltenham Festival takes place between 12-14 March, and tickets remain on sale for all four days at the meeting.
