The 2025 Cheltenham Festival is now so, so close and at NetBet, we provide the very best horse racing betting for the Festival, as well as sports betting online.
As the Cheltenham Festival is just weeks away, we take a look back at the archives to reveal the five greatest moments in the Festival’s colourful history.
Read on to find out more!
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Dawn Run becomes first horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup/Champion Hurdle double
Dawn Run was one of the most famous horses of the 1980s. Ridden by Jonjo O’Neill, she became hugely popular with the racing fraternity, winning on both sides of the Irish Sea before becoming prominent in the betting for the 1986 edition of the Gold Cup. Having won the Champion Hurdle in 1984, history beckoned for Dawn Run as she was roared on by her adoring public over the extended three miles. After being harried for the lead, she was third running up the hill. However, she battled gamely to regain the lead in the shadow of the post and was mobbed as she returned to the winner’s enclosure. Tragically, just two runs later, Dawn Run was killed in France as the racing world mourned her death. Dawn Run’s bronze statue sits proudly staring out over the course, as anyone who witnessed her 1986 victory won’t ever forget it.
Best Mate wins Gold Cup treble
In the early 2000s, Henrietta Knight’s Best Mate was the horse that hit the headlines. Having been lightly raced with Gold Cups in mind, the horse secured stunning victories in the 2002 and 2003 editions. Those two triumphs were relatively comfortable but as the 2004 race approached, he had some stern opposition which included the likes of Sir Rembrandt and Beef or Salmon. Sent off at 8/11, he encountered some traffic problems rounding the home bend but was able to surge to the lead and hold off Sir Rembrandt narrowly under Jim Culloty. The roars were deafening as he made his way to the winner’s enclosure, but like Dawn Run, his career ended in tragedy as he passed away whilst racing at Exeter in 2005, with his death making the front pages.
Desert Orchid overcomes Cheltenham hoodoo
When it comes to a horse’s popularity, few can rival the impact Desert Orchid had on the public in the 1980s. He won numerous King George VI Chases at Kempton and relished right-handed tracks such as Ascot and Sandown, with good going also his favourite surface. However, in the lead-up to the 1989 Gold Cup, wet weather had drenched the course, turning the ground soft and with the undulating left-handed track not amongst his favourites, it seemed as if everything was going against David Elsworth’s hero. Making their way to the final fence, Dessie was overtaken by outsider Yahoo but battled back heroically up the hill to huge roars as he finally won at a course he famously disliked.
Moscow Flyer gains revenge
The two-miler, Moscow Flyer, was almost as popular in the 2000s as Desert Orchid had been throughout his glittering career. He had won everything there was to win at two miles over fences, including the 2002 Arkle Chase and 2003 Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Festival. However, 2004 proved to be a disappointment as Moscow Flyer fell in the middle of the race which was won by young pretender, Azertyuiop. Having beaten his younger rival in the 2004 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown, hopes were high that “The Flyer” could gain revenge in the 2005 running of the Queen Mother. And, so it proved, as Azertyuiop made a horrific blunder at the water jump, effectively ending his challenge, and Moscow Flyer saw off Well Chief to regain his two-mile crown.
Constitution Hill sends shockwaves through racing with Supreme win
Nicky Henderson has trained some huge stars over the years, thanks to the likes of Altior, Sprinter Sacre and See You Then, but arguably his best horse is the unbeaten Constitution Hill. Having won two decent prizes at Sandown, Constitution Hill was labelled the 9/4 favourite for the 2022 running of the Supreme Novices Hurdle. With a very strong field in opposition, Nico de Boinville’s charge simply blew the field away, winning by 22 lengths and setting a course record in the process. The following year, he won the 2023 Champion Hurdle in impressive fashion before injury stopped him following up in 2024. With two easy wins this season, can he regain his crown in the 2025 renewal?
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