Cheltenham Festival Races Preview: Day 1

With Cheltenham Festival fever building, the times has come to start with the first in our series of daily Cheltenham Festival races previews. Throughout the 2008 Cheltenham Festival, Cheltenham Festival Betting will previewing and reviewing each of the exciting 2008 Cheltenham Festival races.

Action for the first day of the 2008 Cheltenham Festival is in doubt following gale warnings for Monday and Tuesday. With over 10,000 Cheltenham Festival spectators making use of temporary stands, the first day of racing may well be struck from the festival to ensure that the safety of spectators and race participants is not compromised by expected gale force winds.

At present William Hill has suspended betting on the first day of Cheltenham Festival races, with the exception of the Champion Hurdle. The Cheltenham Festival’s hurdle highlight may move to another day of the festival if poor weather persists into Tuesday.

This news will serve to heighten tension amongst the thousands of spectators who have made their way to Gloucestershire to attend the festival. The weather is also likely to play a major role in the remainder of the 2008 Cheltenham Festival races with driving rain expected to make for heavy going.