THE F E S T I VAL™ 15-18 MARCH 2022
DAYTHREE
A s any regular Festival-goer will tell you, Cheltenham is not Cheltenham without Irish participation. Whether it’s the horses, the trainers, the jockeys or the owners and racegoers who cross the Irish Sea in their thousands, Four Days of Extraordinary simply wouldn’t be as extraordinary without them. And while Friday’s Cheltenham Gold Cup is undoubtedly the most prestigious race of not only the four days but any Jump Racing season, for many, Day Three is their favourite day of the week. Thursday of The Festival week is often hailed as ‘St Patrick’s Thursday’, regardless of which date it actually falls on. In 2022, however, the two
to it, with the Ryanair Chase and the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle both sponsored by Irish businesses which have loyally supported the Cheltenham Festival for years. Both Grade One contests are regarded as ‘Championship races’ and are staged back-to-back, which often leaves the spectators feeling exhausted, never mind the jockeys. In 2019 it was particularly memorable and the two races produced such thrilling and emotional results that they became known collectively as ‘The Golden Hour’. The enigmatic Frodon made history by winning the Ryanair Chase for trainer Paul Nicholls, crowning jockey Bryony Frost as the first female
days genuinely coincide and the Thursday promises to be a true celebration of everything Irish.
As well as the unique atmosphere off the track, Ireland’s hugely successful yards have been dominant at Cheltenham in March for years, none more so than in 2021 when Irish-trained horses won 23 of the week’s 28 races. And while Britain’s trainers will be determined not to let their Irish counterparts stomp all over them in quite the same fashion at Jump Racing’s ‘Olympics’ ever again, it is hard to see how such superiority can be reversed within 12 months. In addition to it being St Patrick’s Day, Thursday’s card has a distinctly Irish feel
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