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Will GB or Ireland win new Prestbury Cup at the Cheltenham Festival?

Martha Terry Martha Terry

    • The countdown is on for this year’s Cheltenham Festival (11-14 March). And this year the annual rivalry between Great Britain and Ireland is to be formally recognised.

    For the first time, the newly commissioned Prestbury Cup will be awarded to the country that trains the most winners. The leading trainer from the winning country at the Festival will collect the trophy.

    Horse & Hound’s guide to major equestrian events 2025
    If you are looking for a quick rundown of the key equestrian competitions taking place in the UK during 2025, then we have all you need to know
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    The competition between the 2 countries is always fierce, but it peaked last year when the Emerald Isle won a record 14 out of the 27 races.

    So who will be triumphant this year? Here are a few of the major contenders from both sides of the Irish Sea for the championship races — the Champion Hurdle, World Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup.

    H&H reader offer: Bet on the Cheltenham Festival with Paddy Power and receive up to £250 in free bets for all new customers!

    Cheltenham Festival championship contenders

    Stan James Champion Hurdle (11 March, 3.20pm):

    Ireland’s 19-time Grade 1 winner Hurricane Fly v Britain’s young pretenders The New One and My Tent Or Yours.

    Can The New One add the Champion Hurdle to his Festival tally?

    Can The New One add the Champion Hurdle to his Festival tally?

    BetVictor Champion Chase (12 March, 3.20pm):

    Britain’s Sire De Grugy takes on leading Irish hope Arvika Ligeonniere.

    Ladbrokes World Hurdle (13 March, 3.20pm):

    Will the Irish lady Annie Power prevent British star Big Buck’s from regaining the crown he has already held 4 times?

    Can Big Buck’s win his 5th World Hurdle?

    Betfred Gold Cup (14 March, 3.20pm):

    The British pair Bobs Worth and Silviniaco Conti could hold the edge over Ireland’s number one hope Last Instalment.

    How to watch the Cheltenham Festival on TV

    Cheltenham Festival is live on Channel 4, 11-14 March with coverage starting 8am daily followed by afternoon racing live from 12:35pm.

    PP_Cheltenham

    H&H reader offer: Bet on the Cheltenham Festival with Paddy Power and receive up to £250 in free bets for all new customers!

    Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

    Martha Terry
    Martha Terry

    H&H features editor
    Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
    Martha Terry

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