What Is The Cheltenham Festival's Prestbury Cup?: Image: Supplied
With the Cheltenham Festival coming up, attention is turning to which horses are going to win the 28 prestigious races over the four days of action. Picking your top horses is not the only way of betting on the action: there are also markets for top trainer, top jockey, and even whether Britain or Ireland will prevail in the Prestbury Cup.
While trainers are preparing their horses and the public is busy compiling their betting slips, we’ll tell you all there is to know about the Prestbury Cup, its past results, and potential predictions for 2023.
In 2014, the Prestbury Cup was brought into existence to reward the winning nation with a trophy to accompany their bragging rights. The fierce competition between Ireland and Britain at Cheltenham is now as famous as the individual races themselves!
As one of the biggest outcomes of the Cheltenham Festival, punters bet on horse racing from anywhere in the world. Those fans with native pride can therefore join their country’s team in their own way.
Irish racing fans in particular love to get behind their team of equine raiders each year at Cheltenham, and it is the emerald isle that is currently the short-priced favourite in the Prestbury Cup 2023 betting odds at 1/10. Their British counterparts are currently 8/1, with a tie being priced at 10/1.
The first two renewals of the Prestbury Cup went the way of the British home team, but since then the Irish raiders have held a monopoly over the trophy. Ireland has been successful in all but one in the last seven years, with the 2018 festival being called a draw after 14 winners each.
The record for most winners recorded at one festival also belongs to Ireland, with famous horses such as Honeysuckle, Tiger Roll, and Minella Indo, all playing their part in the amazing 23-winner haul in 2021.
Horse racing: Image: Supplied
With the help of the legendary trainer Willie Mullins, Ireland continues to dominate the jump racing sphere. It’s hard to see the British contingent putting a stop to it this year at Cheltenham.
12 months ago, Mullins matched the amount of British-trained winners all on his own. With him being responsible for many of this year’s favourites once again, things are looking ominous for Britain’s chances in 2023.
The British charge will be led by Nicky Henderson, who has the likes of Constitution Hill and Jonbon to call on. Fellow Brit Paul Nicholls also has a good team of horses heading to this year’s festival.
Unfortunately for Henderson and Nicholls, standing shoulder to shoulder with Mullins for the Irish cause will be Henry de Bromhead and Gordon Elliott, both of whom have many Cheltenham wins to their names in recent years.
Bookmakers and supporters are not holding out much hope for a British win in 2023, but anything can happen once the races begin in March.
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