Nestled deep in the Cotswolds, the Cheltenham racecourse has been showcasing the very best in British jump racing for well over a century. Every racehorse owner, jockey and trainer dreams of winning at the Cheltenham Festival, all too eager to mark their place in history, right alongside some of the sport’s greats such as Dick Rees and the more recent Minella Indo.
Minibus Hire for Cheltenham Festival – Don’t miss it in 2022!
The Cheltenham Festival is regarded as one of the greatest sports occasions across the UK. In fact, many folks refer to it as the “Olympics of jump racing”. Well, that’s precisely what it is and one of the best ways to get there is with ‘Cheltenham Festival minibus hire with driver.
If you’re a team owner, trainer, jockey or even groom or breeder, you’ve probably dreamt of having pure winners at Cheltenham. And, why not? It’s what you do for a living, after all. The entire season can be defined by how successful you are at the Cheltenham Festival 2022 and it’s something that can even define the rest of your career.
Even though there are a handful of travel options available throughout the UK to help you get to the Festival this year – but when you hire a minibus for Cheltenham Festival, you may very well have the best mode of transport on your hands.
Everything about the Cheltenham racecourse
“Unique” is one way of describing Cheltenham because that’s exactly what it is: anything but straightforward and easy, with a gradual learning curve, complete with lots of ups and downs as well as other anomalies, pushing both rider and horse to the limit. The Festival itself along with its rich and bustling atmosphere is also quite distinct and unique because there’s nothing quite like it when compared to other horseracing events.
Most important of all, however, the Festival celebrates great horses and riders. All the mini-events lead up to the Gold Cup, the key highlight here. If you’re someone who’s involved in the sport in any way, or even want to go there in a group, the atmosphere is unlike anything you’ll ever experience in any racing event. Starting in 1815 in Nottingham Hill, the growing crowds led to the races being relocated to Cleeve Hill in 1818. Prior to that, there were no records kept on the race days, so the first official win ever recorded was by a beautiful horse named Miss Tidmarsh, owned by Mr E. Jones.
Over the next decade, horse racing soared dramatically in popularity, with scores of Brits descending upon Cleeve Hill to enjoy the atmosphere of the race and enjoy the festivities during the two-day meeting, with the key highlight being the 3-mile long Gold Cup flat race, of course. It wasn’t long before the races transitioned into a larger town carnival or festival at Cheltenham. In the evenings, the town centre would get lit up with extravagant parties for all the high profile racers and attendees, while during the daytime, the main focus was the horseracing and the large crowds who would come to eat and drink, and take in the sideshows at the festival.
As for Cheltenham Festival 2022, it will be split into two segments:
Days one and two will focus on the run on the Old Course, while days three and four on the New Course. Both courses are left-handed and quite stiff in nature, although subtle differences can be found between the two which can prove crucial during a race.
As always, the festival will run for the four designated days in March, and again, is considered by folks from all walks of life as the pinnacle of jump racing. A total of 28 sensational races await audiences, where 14 grade 1 events will also be featured in front of more than 65,000 racegoers each day. View our detailed race calendar.
It’s best then to arrange for coach hire or minibus hire for Cheltenham Festival ahead of time – a smooth, comfortable and fun way to get to the Festival and a very cost-effective way too, it might be noted. In fact, if you’re planning to travel in a group, either as a team or spectator, a 16 seater minibus hire or “minibus hire with driver” may be the perfect way to get to the Festival.
Other noteworthy facts and figures about the Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham: Single racecourse, two main tracks
When the Festival opens on the two afternoons of Tuesday and Wednesday each year, it hosts races on the Old Course, where the finish line is closest to the grandstands; races are hosted on the New Course on Thursday and Friday, respectively. The New Course is on the inside of the Old Course although it is more “galloping” in nature. There’s even a cross-country track found mostly in the infield which is used at least once on Wednesday.
Old Course or New – Cheltenham is “tough”
The legendary racecourse is not as flat as some folks make it out to be. For instance, jockeys must deal with a dramatic climb as they make their way out of the back straight, right before the sweeping drop which takes them to the home straight. From the final hurdle, there’s a tiring climb all the way to the finish line. In fact, the ever-famous Cheltenham Hill has impacted the outcome of many festival races, as a result.
Cheltenham is nestled deeply in the English Cotswolds
Some people are misled into thinking that Cheltenham is in County Kildare. However, that isn’t accurate as it’s actually in the Cotswolds – a patch of land in the UK more beloved to the Irish folk than the racecourse fondly referred to as Prestbury Park.
A fierce rivalry between Ireland and Britain ensues, with hundreds to thousands of Ireland’s racing fans joining the crowds at Cheltenham each year, desperate for their team to storm the finish line first and roar home as the winner. This is especially true if the successful horse is backed heavily by influential individuals and groups.
Cheltenham’s Holy Grail: The Gold Cup
The steeplechase stretching out for 3-and-a-quarter miles has been won by iconic jockeys, including Kauto Star, Denman, Desert Orchid and Paul Townsend, where they negotiated a harrowing 22 fences.
The greatest jump horse to have ever conquered the 22 fences, however, is Arkle, where the horse and rider reigned triumphant in 1964, 65’ and 66’.
The first Gold Cup champion was Dick Rees with his horse Red Splash. The jockey bagged the win in 1924, acquiring £700 in prize money – the equivalent of £28,741 today.
Good to know: Key numbers about the Festival
- The Cheltenham Festival sees a total of 70 circa miles covered on the track during the week.
- There were 28 races held at the 2021 Festival.
- The Festival is held over 4 days, with 14 Grade 1 races and 6 races per day telecasted live on ITV.
- With 489 runners taking part in 2020’s Cheltenham Festival, a total of £3,497,500 was handed out in prize money.
The best way to dress for the Festival
Even though Cheltenham, as a racing event, is comparable to Glorious Goodwood or, say, Royal Ascot, it isn’t, for the most part, seen as a social occasion held on the same grand scale. Its respective place in the calendar and National Hunt racing agricultural background means that spectators can look forward to a relaxed atmosphere and dress accordingly: coats and flat caps will do just fine.
Live anywhere in Birmingham or surrounding areas?
If you do, then this mode of transport is an easy choice: Cheltenham Festival minibus hire with driver!
When you hire a minibus for Cheltenham Festival with Travel SOS, you get your choice of 12 to 16 seater minibus hire, with even 33-49 seater coaches available to help transport large groups of spectators or teams, managers and their sponsors. We have been transporting all kinds of passengers to the Cheltenham Festival for more than 5 years and offer best-in-class ‘minibus with driver’ services to take care of your travel needs. No getting stuck in traffic, no arriving late, no fuss whatsoever – Travel SOS has you covered.
Hire a minibus for Cheltenham Festival today: call 0121 630 2903 now to book your 12 seater minibus hire with driver or 16 seater minibus hire at some of the most fantastic rates you’ll find for a ‘minibus with driver service across Birmingham and nearby areas.
Image credit: Mark Ferbert
