Cheltenham Festival LIVE: Latest news, odds, tips and more ahead of opening day

Jockey J J Slevin is doing his best to remain focused and donwplay expectations as he gears up for a shot at winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup glory aboard Fastorslow on Friday.

The County Wexford-born rider has a couple of Festival victories on his CV, winning aboard Champagne Classic in the 2017 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle before triumphing on Band Of Outlaws in the Boodles two years later.

Yet, over the last 12 months, Slevin appears to have come across his horse of a lifetime, with Fastorslow elevating himself from high-class handicapper to a major contender for the sport’s highest honours.

“He always felt like a nice horse, but the unfortunate thing is there’s loads of horses that feel like a nice horse but don’t get there,” said Slevin, “It would have been hard to envisage he’d get to where he’s got to, in all honesty.”

Fastorslow has twice narrowly lost at the Cheltenham Festival, going down by just a short head to Commander Of Fleet in the 2022 Coral Cup and pushing subsequent Corach Rambler to a neck in last season’s Ultima Handicap Chase.

Since then Fastorslow has gone up a level having beaten last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Galopin Des Champs, in the Punchestown Gold Cup and in the John Durkan at the same venue.

“Very few horses would give you a feel like him, he’s pure class, all quality and a real athlete,” added Slevin, “He’s loads of speed and Galopin is the same.

“Those Gold Cup horses, they could turn up against the top two milers and probably give them a race, that’s the sort of horse you need. They’re the best beasts over fences in these isles at the moment.

“It would be massive to win a Gold Cup, you don’t even dream about it really, it’s that sort of stuff. I don’t even let myself think about it at the moment, to be second-favourite for a Gold Cup. We just take it day by day.”

Beaten by Firefox on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse in December, Ballyburn subsequently bolted up over two and a half miles at Leopardstown before successfully reverting to two miles to strike Grade One gold at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival.

The six-year-old has been at the head of ante-post lists for both the Supreme and the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle since that latter triumph and Mullins moved to clarify running plans on Thursday.

Like most professional sports finding an entryway into the National Hunt industry is a difficult task but 29-year-old British trainer Harry Derham is earning plaudits for his growing stable.

Pro-golfers Brooks Koepka and Graeme McDowell have even entrusted him with their horse, Givemefive, who finished second at Kempton Park back in February.

“We’re right to focus on those four days [at Cheltenham], because they showcase our sport,” said Derham, “I think it’s sometimes a little bit boring in November and December when a horse wins a novice chase then we immediately start talking about Cheltenham.

“Having said that, where does everyone want a winner? Where does everyone want their horse to run? Cheltenham.

“I love it, I’m a massive fan and I look forward to it. I don’t think we put too much focus on it, but I think that, perhaps, it’s not quite as competitive as it once was.”

When asked if he was glad the Festival remains a four day event, Derham added: “Without question, I think sometimes you can have more and more of something but it doesn’t necessarily make it better. I don’t particularly remember having a three day Festival, but I think that the higher quality the Festival can be, the better.

“You want to see the best horses taking on one another in very competitive fields. It’s not Willie Mullins’ fault he has all the best horses at the moment and, in fairness to him, he runs them against each other.

“Sometimes less is more, and I think that five days of Cheltenham would not have been a good thing at all.”

Gold Cup Day – Friday, March 15

14:10 – County Handicap Hurdle

14:50 – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

15:30 – Cheltenham Gold Cup

16:10 – Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Steeple Chase

16:50 – Mares’ Steeple Chase

17:30 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockey’s Handicap Hurdle

St Patrick’s Thursday – Thursday, March 14

13:30 – Turners Novices’

14:10 – Pertemps Network Final

14:50 – Ryanair Steeple Chase

15:30 – Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle

16:50 – Jack de Bromhead Mares Novices’ Hurdle

17:30 – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup

Ladies Day – Wednesday, March 13

13:30 – Novices’ Hurdle

14:10 – Novices’ Steeple Chase

15:30 – Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase

16:10 – Cross Country Steeple Chase

16:50 – Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Steeple Chase Challenge Cup

Champion Day – Tuesday, March 12

13:30 – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

14:10 – Arkle Challenge Trophy

14:50 – Handicap Steeple Chase

15:30 – Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy

16:50 – Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

17:30 – National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup

Jockey James Bowen is yet to win at the Cheltenham Festival despite going close on his very first festival ride atop Shantou Flyer who was beaten by a neck by Coo Star Sivola in the 2018 Ultima.

The 22-year-old Welshman hopes to end that drought this week telling BBC Sport Wales: “I’m hoping for a bit of luck. I came close on my first ever festival ride and I thought it was going to be easy.

“I thought it would be plain sailing and I’d have a winner at that festival, but it has gone pear-shaped since.

“If I had a winner at the festival, it’d be one of the biggest days for sure. Even the handicaps and the lower-level races at the Cheltenham Festival are a big deal.

“What makes it so special is because it’s so hard to do – not many people do it.”

The Irish woman delivered wins on Honeysuckle in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle and Envoi Allen in the Ryanair Chase last year.

To mark 100 years of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, here are some key numbers associated with jump racing’s most prestigious contest: