The 5 best ways to watch Cheltenham Festival in 2022

Words: Jonathan Wells

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The National Hunt racing season is out of the gates — and the big, boisterous kick-off to the calendar takes place in the home of horse-racing in the West Country; Cheltenham. Not only is the illustrious event our first chance to see how some of the biggest contenders are running this year, but it’s also one the first must-attend fixtures in the year’s social calendar.

The Festival (as it’s widely known) runs over four days, and each of these days has its own big races and distinct atmospheres. Starting this year on Tuesday 15th March, and running through to Friday 18th March, the 2022 Cheltenham Festival promises to be a well-dressed, Cotswold-bordering blast — from the Stayers’ Hurdle Race to the hallowed Gold Cup.

And who better to guide you through the tweed proceedings than Fitzdares? This year, the world’s finest bookmaker has launched a five-pronged attack on the Festival to ensure its many discerning members enjoy every scintillating second. There’s the Club in Mayfair, a pop-up at Cheltenham itself and even a home-from-home in Herefordshire’s Fitzdares Castle. Below, we’ve found the five best ways to watch Cheltenham Festival this year…

If you’re not making the pilgrimage to Prestbury Park this year — and are instead staying put in the city — Mayfair’s Fitzdares Club is undoubtedly the next best option. There really is no better place to watch live sport in London, with this elegant, central venue balancing country comfort and London luxury in inimitable style.

It’s also a less weather-beaten option. And, if you’re not steely enough to take on the cold snap of the Cotswolds in March, you can enjoy the Festival with some Claret and Shepherd’s Pie from the British institution’s velvety sofas. There’s also enough Guinness on tap to give the illusion of Cheltenham – and the venue’s nine gigantic, hyperreal television screens will do the rest.

Fitzdares has never been known to do things by halves. And so, the British brand is heralding the return of communal crowds and enthusiastic spectators by hosting a select few at the Fitzdares Castle. That’s right; the bookmaker has decked out Eastnor Castle, in the picturesque Herefordshire countryside, for any members who need a place to stay during this year’s Festival.

Familiar to any fans of Succession — the show filmed its climactic end to season one at Eastnor Castle — the newly-dubbed ‘Fitzdares Castle’ will allow guests to enjoy a sumptuous dinner with a racing legend, before turning in for the night. And, there may even be a copy of the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide slipped under your door for some light breakfast reading…

Another opulent offering from the British bookmaker — and perhaps Fitzdares’ finest home-from-home yet. Based at Naunton Downs Golf Club in Gloucestershire, the ‘Cotswolds Club’ is also home to National Hunt trainer and Fitzdares ambassador Ben Pauling’s new yard. Head down for a Cheltenham week you’ll never forget.

That means a morning on the gallops with a Festival-winning trainer, a few holes of golf and then the short 30-minute trip up to Cheltenham racecourse for the Festival. An ideal option for real enthusiasts; there’s also a slightly less frantic Festival experience on offer. You can enjoy all the action recoiled in front of the TV inside the Cotswolds Club — with five-star service and all of the excitement.

Where else? The home of jumps racing, Cheltenham has been running races for over two centuries — with the first flat race meeting getting out of the gates in 1815. Home to one of the largest auditoria in the South West of England, it’s got an atmosphere like no other — and those lucky enough to be flooding the gates at Prestbury Park next week will have the best seats in the house.

If you’re planning a visit yourself, and find yourself roaming around the Orchard at Prestbury Park, we’d recommend popping in on the Fitzdares team — and checking out the British bookmaker’s very own pop-up, ‘Fitzdares Club’. With the brand’s infamous Horse’s Neck Martinis on offer, even the wildest winds won’t slow you down.

Of course, not all of us can get away — even if we’d give anything to be trackside next week. Thankfully, Fitzdares has always ensured that punters can enjoy the best and most anticipated sporting events from the comfort of their own homes. The Fitzdares app, especially, allows you the chance to stream every single race live for free from Prestbury Park. You don’t even have to place a bet (although you’ll want to!).

The app has also got integrated race card data to help you make informed decisions. Jockey form? Trip suitability? Going suitability? All this information will be available to you immediately and throughout the entire Festival. So, whether you’re in your slippers on your sofa, or stuck in the office, you’ll have the chance to watch and be wowed by all the action at your fingertips.

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