The 2018 Cheltenham Festival gets underway today (Tuesday, March 13) with the Champion Hurdle and Supreme Novices Hurdle getting fans very excited.
The four-day festival begins on Tuesday afternoon with the Supreme Novices when we will hear the traditional Cheltenham Roar from the crowd as the race commences.
The Champion Hurdle then comes round at 3.30pm, although the bookies believe they already know the winner of that one.
Hot favourite Buveur D’Air is odds-on across the board. Are the bookmakers right or is there a big upset on the cards?
What is the weather like?
Tuesday looks like an ideal day for racing, with no rain forecast and bright sunshine later in the afternoon, according to BBC Weather.
There are highs of just 11°C and it will be a little breezy, but given the recent snow and rain, the forecast is not too bad at all.
Are there tickets available?
The Cheltenham website confirms that: ‘Tickets for all enclosures will be available for purchase at our ticket selling points.’
Tuesday’s race card and runners
| 1.30pm Supreme Novices Hurdle |
| Claimantakinforgan 16/1 (FR) N De Boinville |
| Debuchet 33/1 (FR) D E Mullins |
| First Flow 10/1 (IRE) D Bass |
| Getabird 15/8 (IRE) R Walsh |
| Golden Jeffrey 250/1 (SWI) C O’Farrell |
| Kalashnikov 9/2 (IRE) J Quinlan |
| Lostintranslation 66/1 (IRE) R M Power |
| Mengli Khan 10/1 (IRE) J W Kennedy |
| Paloma Blue 12/1 (IRE) D N Russell |
| Saxo Jack 250/1 (FR) Sean Houlihan |
| Sharjah 14/1 (FR) P Townend |
| Shoal Bay 100/1 (IRE) T Scudamore |
| Simply The Betts 66/1 (IRE) S Bowen |
| Slate House 20/1 (IRE) H Cobden |
| Summerville Boy 8/1 (IRE) N Fehily |
| Trainwreck 100/1 (IRE) S W Flanagan |
| Us And Them 40/1 (IRE) J J Slevin |
| Western Ryder 25/1 (IRE) R Johnson |
| Dame Rose 66/1 (FR) Jonathan Burke |
| Khudha 250/1 (IRE) D O’Regan |
| 2.10pm Arkle Challenge Trophy |
| Brain Power 10/1 (IRE) N De Boinville |
| Footpad 1/1 (FR) R Walsh |
| Petit Mouchoir 7/2 (FR) D N Russell |
| Robinshill 80/1 (IRE) S Twiston-Davies |
| Saint Calvados 11/4 (FR) A Coleman |
| 2.50pm Festival Handicap Chase |
| Gold Present 9/1 (IRE) N De Boinville |
| Sizing Codelco 33/1 (IRE) R M Power |
| Yala Enki 14/1 (FR) C Deutsch |
| Shantou Flyer 20/1 (IRE) J Bowen (3) |
| O O Seven 16/1 (IRE) A Coleman |
| Vicente 16/1 (FR) S Twiston-Davies |
| Beware The Bear 16/1 (IRE) J McGrath |
| Wakanda 16/1(IRE) S Quinlan |
| Singlefarmpayment 13/2 A P Heskin |
| Ramses De Teillee 10/1(FR) T Scudamore |
| Knight Of Noir 25/1 (IRE) N Scholfield |
| Coo Star Sivola 5/1 (FR) Lizzie Kelly (3) |
| Vintage Clouds 8/1 (IRE) D Cook |
| Vic De Touzaine 50/1 (FR) B J Cooper |
| Minella Daddy 20/1 (IRE) S Bowen |
| Casse Tete 28/1 (FR) Joshua Moore |
| Cogry 16/1 Jamie Bargary (3) |
| Eamon An Cnoic 25/1 (IRE) D G Noonan |
| 3.30pm Champion Hurdle |
| Buveur D’Air 8/15 (FR) B J Geraghty |
| Ch’tibello 33/1 (FR) H Skelton |
| Charli Parcs 150/1 (FR) N Fehily |
| Elgin 20/1 W Hutchinson |
| Faugheen 13/2 (IRE) R Walsh |
| Identity Thief 100/1 (IRE) S W Flanagan |
| John Constable 100/1 (IRE) L Aspell |
| Melon 16/1 P Townend |
| Mick Jazz 33/1 (FR) D N Russell |
| My Tent Or Yours 20/1 (IRE) A Coleman |
| Wicklow Brave 14/1 Mr P W Mullins |
| Yorkhill 14/1 (IRE) D J Mullins |
| Verdana Blue Non-runner |
| 4.10pm David Nicholson Mares Hurdle |
| Apple’s Jade 4/7 (FR) J W Kennedy |
| Benie Des Dieux 4/1 (FR) R Walsh |
| Indian Stream 100/1 T Scudamore |
| Jer’s Girl 12/1 (IRE) B J Geraghty |
| Kayf Grace 20/1 N De Boinville |
| La Bague Au Roi 6/1 (FR) R Johnson |
| Midnight Jazz 150/1 D Jacob |
| Midnight Tour 66/1 D N Russell |
| Pravalaguna 100/1 (FR) D E Mullins |
| 4.50pm National Hunt Chase |
| All Kings 150/1 (IRE) Mr J Newman |
| Clondaw Cian 50/1 (IRE) Mr Shane Fitzgerald |
| Duel At Dawn 16/1 (IRE) Mr Thomas O’Brien |
| Impulsive Star 16/1 (IRE) Mr S Waley-Cohen |
| Jury Duty 5/1 (IRE) Mr J J Codd |
| Keeper Hill 12/1 (IRE) Mr R Deegan |
| Lofgren 150/1 Mr T Gillard |
| Mossback 5/1 (IRE) Ms Lisa O’Neill |
| No Comment 7/1 Mr D O’Connor |
| Pylonthepressure 16/1 (IRE) Ms K Walsh |
| Rathvinden 6/1 (IRE) Mr P W Mullins |
| Reigning Supreme 33/1 (IRE) Mr James King |
| Robin Of Locksley 150/1 (IRE) Mr D Skehan |
| Shades Of Midnight 20/1 Mr T Hamilton |
| Sizing Tennessee 9/1 (IRE) Mr B O’Neill |
| Ms Parfois 13/2 (IRE) Mr W Biddick |
| 5.30pm Novices Handicap Chase |
| Testify 12/1 (IRE) W Kennedy |
| Any Second Now 5/1 (IRE) M P Walsh |
| Tycoon Prince 16/1 (IRE) J W Kennedy |
| Le Rocher 16/1 (FR) T Scudamore |
| Demi Sang 16/1 (FR) B J Geraghty |
| Conrad Hastings 100/1 (IRE) D Robinson (5) |
| Barney Dwan 8/1 (IRE) N Fehily |
| Rather Be 10/1 (IRE) J McGrath |
| De Plotting Shed 5/1 (IRE) D N Russell |
| Rocklander 33/1 (IRE) A P Heskin |
| Divine Spear Non-runner (IRE) N De Boinville |
| Western Miller 100/1 (IRE) Jonathan Burke |
| Ibis Du Rheu 25/1 (FR) S Twiston-Davies |
| Jameson 50/1 T Bellamy |
| Report To Base 16/1 (IRE) A Wedge |
| Livelovelaugh 14/1 (IRE) R Walsh |
| Markov 66/1 (IRE) D Jacob |
| Ballyhill 20/1 (FR) Jamie Bargary (3) |
| Kayf Adventure 33/1 R Johnson |
| Mister Whitaker 8/1 (IRE) B Hughes |
| Deauville Dancer Non-runner (IRE) |
| Cobra De Mai Non-runner (FR) H Skelton |
Cheltenham Schedule for the rest of the week
Wednesday
| 1.30pm | Neptune Novices Hurdle | |
| 2.10pm | RSA Chase | |
| 2.50pm | Coral Cup | |
| 3.30pm | Queen Mother Champion Chase | |
| 4.10pm | Cross Country Chase | |
| 4.50pm | Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle | |
| 5.30pm | Champion Bumper |
Thursday
| 1.30pm | JLT Novices Chase | |
| 2.10pm | Pertemps Final Hurdle | |
| 2.50pm | Ryanair Chase | |
| 3.30pm | Stayers Hurdle | |
| 4.10pm | Festival Plate | |
| 4.50pm | Mares Novices Hurdle | |
| 5.30pm | Kim Muir Challenge Cup |
Friday
| 1.30pm | Triumph Hurdle | |
| 2.10pm | County Handicap Hurdle | |
| 2.50pm | Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle | |
| 3.30pm | Cheltenham Gold Cup | |
| 4.10pm | Foxhunter Steeple Chase | |
| 4.50pm | Conditional Jockeys Hurdle | |
| 5.30pm | Grand Annual Chase |
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