Postpublished at 13:33 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
John Hunt
Race commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
That roar is a magic sound.
My word, Dysart Dynamo is keen with Jonbon. A bad first jump from Kilcruit too!
Summary
Mare Honeysuckle retains her Champion Hurdle title for Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead
Champion Hurdle: Honeysuckle (8-11 F), Epatante (16-1), Zanahiyr (28-)
Ultima: Corach Rambler (10-1), Gericault Roque (9-1), Oscar Elite (22-1)
Arkle: Edwardstone (5-2 F), Gabynako (25-1), Blue Lord (4-1)
Supreme Novices Hurdle: Constitution Hill (9-4 CF), Jonbon (5-1), Kilcruit (6-1)
Mares' Hurdle: Marie's Rock (18-1), Queens Brook (4-1), Mrs Milner (14-1)
Juvenile Handicap Hurdle: Brazil (10-1), Gaelic Warrior (13-8 F), Bell Ex One (28-1)
National Hunt Novices' Chase: Stattler (2-1), Run Wild Fred (15-8 F), Vanillier (11-4)
Irish runners beat British trainers 23-5 in 2021
Fans return after missing 2021 Festival because of Covid-19 pandemic
Postpublished at 13:33 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Postpublished at 13:33 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Dysart Dynamo is leading at the second with Jonbon a couple of lengths behind.
They're offpublished at 13:32 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
And there's the roar as the first race of Cheltenham 2022 is under way!
Postpublished at 13:32 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
John Hunt
Race commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports ExtraDysart Dynamo was lit up there. With the atmosphere happening that was always likely to happen.
Postpublished at 13:32 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
False start! Dysart Dynamo is a little frisky from the start and we'll go again.
Postpublished at 13:30 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
John Hunt
Race commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports ExtraDysart Dynamo is the key horse here because he is quite keen in his races, but he's handled this better than I expected so far.
Postpublished at 13:30 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Charlie Poste
Former jump jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports ExtraDysart Dynamo was jigging around but he's been quite calm.
Jonbon is getting quite sweaty under his saddle now.
Starting soonpublished at 13:30 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
The horses are ready, the fans are ready as we hear the sound of the roar for the first time.
Postpublished at 13:28 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Andrew Thornton
Former Gold Cup-winning jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports ExtraI'm quite impressed with how Jonbon has handled the preliminaries actually - but he has just started to get on his toes a little bit. Constitution Hill is really calm. Dysart Dynamo looks like the one that might be a little bit keen.
There are four or five really talented horses in this opener.
Postpublished at 13:26 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
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End of twitter postPostpublished at 13:26 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Charlie Poste
Former jump jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports ExtraIt is amazing to be back. It looks spectacular with all the fans here again.
Honeysuckle is an absolute superstar and I can't wait to see her.
The key racespublished at 13:25 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Not long now before the first race and that famous Cheltenham roar is heard once again. This is one of two particularly eye-catching races today:
Supreme Novices Hurdle (13:30 GMT): Trainer Nicky Henderson will be hoping to provide a home win in the opener with Constitution Hill or Jonbon while Dysart Dynamo heads three runners for Willie Mullins.
Champion Hurdle (15:30 GMT): The Irish powerhouses of Henry de Bromhead, Mullins and Gordon Elliott saddle the first three in the betting in Honeysuckle, Appreciate It and Teahupoo. Between them, the training trio have 22 of the meeting's 28 ante-post favourites. The 2020 champion, Epatante, runs for Henderson.
Irish eyes smiling?published at 13:24 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Irish-trained runners won 23 of the 28 races last year and they would look to have the edge over Great Britain this time.
Three Irish trainers between them have 22 of the favourites this week:
- Willie Mullins - 11
- Gordon Elliott - 7
- Henry de Bromhead - 4
A roar here as the horses come out for the first. Nearly time.
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End of twitter postPostpublished at 13:22 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Gina Bryce
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra presenter at CheltenhamYou get the sense that there is a real expert crowd here today and they are respectful and just excited to be here.
Postpublished at 13:21 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
John Hunt
Race commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports ExtraIt is absolutely great to be back. This should be jumps racing at its finest. It a special place, that holds special memories.
Where are this year's stories going to be?
Bookies back in businesspublished at 13:19 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at CheltenhamThere were no spectators, racehorse owners or bookmakers at the 2021 meeting because of Covid-19.
Bookie Andy Geraghty said: "We're absolutely delighted to be at the Cheltenham Festival and doing battle with the punters again. You can really feel the atmosphere. The place is buzzing,
"Nobody will feel sorry for us but we still had a tough time during the Covid lockdown so it's good to be back."
Image source, BBC SportA cracker to get us startedpublished at 13:14 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Race preview: 13:30 Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle (2m 87y)
The opening race of the four-day Festival could end up being one of the best.
It sees the most talented novice hurdlers line up and look to kickstart the week in spectacular fashion - and this year there is a lot of talent.
So much so that master Irish trainer Willie Mullins has shifted one of his horses - last year's Champion Bumper winner Sir Gerhard - to Wednesday's opener instead.
There is a really tasty battle for favouritism between the Mullins-trained Dysart Dynamo - although there are concerns about how he'll handle the crowd and the preliminaries - and Nicky Henderson's Constitution Hill. Both are unbeaten this season and Henderson has suggested that Constitution Hill may be among the best he's ever trained.
Henderson is double-handed with Jonbon - a £570,000 acquisition for JP McManus and brother to two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Douvan.
Mullins also has Kilcruit - last year's Champion Bumper second - and Bring On The Night.
Gordon Elliott might have a say as well with the improving Mighty Potter towards the top of the betting too.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Constitution Hill was an impressive 12-length winner of the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown on his last start
Eager to returnpublished at 13:09 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Image source, Getty ImagesFans were clearly desperate to get back to Cheltenham because tickets sold in record time.
There are more than 60,000 racegoers expected each day.
There are a total of 28 races over the four days with today's final race run as the Ukraine Appeal National Hunt Chase to support those affected by the humanitarian crisis after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
'People were running through the gates'published at 13:07 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Sir AP McCoy on ITV: "It's amazing to be back. People were running in the gates this morning - I've never seen people doing that. It's great to have people back."
"I always love the Gold Cup - I think it is a brilliant renewal this year. It's got it all."
Happy to be herepublished at 13:05 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2022
Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at CheltenhamThere's a feelgood atmosphere at Cheltenham with punters back at the track after last year's Festival was held behind closed doors.
Tom Hooper, 20, is here with a group of pals from Caldicot in Wales.
"We were planning to come in 2021 and were gutted when we couldn't," he said.
"So we're delighted to finally get here. The atmosphere is electric."
Image source, BBC Sport