While there are those who question why horse racing is considered a sport, it is nonetheless, and so many fans of the sport eagerly await Cheltenham Festival to watch their favourites. Not only are the horses to be in top shape, but so too are their jockeys, which means that fans must keep their eyes not only on the ‘runner’ but also on the jockey.

If you were to liken it to race cars, the horse is the vehicle and the jockey the driver. Both are always to be considered and so when it comes time to place your bet, you can’t just look at one or the other. They are a team and that must be a priority when betting on this sport. If you are new to Cheltenham Festival that traditionally runs on four days, including St Paddy’s Day, you can click here for some betting offers to take advantage of before the big event.

A Bit of an Upset Last Autumn Leads to Questions for This Year’s Races

While you may not know a lot about racing, the one thing most people do know is just how important the trainers and jockeys are to the race. Unfortunately, most laypeople think of the successes or failures of the horses as that of the owner, but in actuality, more weight is placed on the trainers and jockeys.

Unfortunately for both Gigginstown Stud (O’Leary Horses) and the County Carlow yard of Willie Mullins, Irish Trainer, there is some debate as to how a feud over training fees will affect the outcome at Cheltenham Festival. In a dispute over training fees, O’Leary removed all 60 of his studs from the Mullins yard and now those horses are with different trainers and jockeys and Mullins is left without 60 of his most prized championship studs.

The Perfect Sport for a Bit of St Paddy’s Day Fun

One of the reasons why so many people who never really attend the races go to the Cheltenham Festival is for all the excitement it offers on the days surrounding St Paddy’s Day. At least a half million people attend the event over a four day period and although this year St Paddy’s Day falls on the final day of the festival (14 March through 17 March), St Paddy’s Day Thursday will be celebrated on the 16th, the day before that blessed Irish holiday.

Last year, attendees made the news as they were all dressed out in green and consumed so much ale and beer that it’s a wonder any was left in all of the United Kingdom! This year, lift amug (or two or three…) at St Patrick’s Day Thursday at Cheltenham Festival. It’s really a sport you won’t want to miss.

All This and So Much More

If you are new to horse racing, it probably won’t do much good to talk about the favourites like Un De Sceaux in the Ryanair Chase on St Patrick’s Day Thursday because you won’t know that this is one of Irish trainer Willie Mullins’ horses running for a bit of St Paddy’s Day luck. This year there is a bit of controversy as to whether or not his ‘luck of the Irish’ will hold or if his recent feud with O’Leary will factor into his long record of winning. Even so, Mullins is no novice to the sport so his horses are sure to do him the honour he deserves – luck of the Irish or not!

Not only will you have a chance to see horse racing at its finest, you’ll be able to celebrate St Paddy’s Day in true style, lifting a pint or two as you wait for your luck to come in at the finish line. May the luck o’ the Irish be with you at Cheltenham Festival and may the wind be at the back of your horse.