Top Tips for The Cheltenham Festival 2024 – From the horses mouth!
The Cotswolds have the most trainers in one area of the United Kingdom outside Newmarket, and with Cheltenham as the home of jump racing, it is the best place to look for your top tips.
Jonjo O’Neill, Nigel Twiston-Davies, Ben Pauling and Fergal O’Brien to name but a handful, all live a stone’s throw from each other near Stow-on-the -Wold.
As Festival fever begins to build in the run up to meeting, locals together with punters from the Emerald Isle, begin to gather. Binoculars seem to fill the hills with those looking for a glimpse of their favourite bankers of Festival week in work, before the meeting opens on Tuesday 12th March, and the crowd roars.
On the first day, The Champion Hurdle is now slightly more open with Constitution Hill no longer running. State Man seems to have had an ideal preparation for the meeting and should put in a strong performance.
The Queen Mother Champion Chase could provide Nicky Henderson with a solid win if Jonbon maintains a rhythm and jumps comfortably.
Local Cotswold trainer, Ben Pauling, has a number of horses with a chance at the meeting and Handstands is looking an attractive each way bet in the Baring Bingham Novices Hurdle.
The Gold Cup has a hot favourite this year, in last seasons’ winner from the Mullins yard, Galopin Des Champs, when he beat Bravemansgame by seven lengths.
The Glenfarclas Cross Country race always attracts a huge following with its unique course over varied obstacles and a test of stamina at 3 miles 6 furlongs. The Irish love it and have been hugely successful over the years. This year’s list of runners looks no exception as they field some eleven runners between them. Enda Bolger has a good record in this race and runs two outsiders in Stealthy Tom, and Easyland for JP McManus. Gordon Elliott has the brave Delta Work, Conflated and Galvin sitting high up in the betting. Dan Skelton and Martin Keighley are boldly flying the flag for the English with Latenightpass Back on the Lash respectively. Both have respectable each way chances.
The JCB Triumph Hurdle is the opening race of the final day of The Festival, and whilst many will go with the safer option of Sir Gino, another Henderson horse, Burdett Road, trained by James Owen, may well challenge some of the many Mullins runners for a place, if not the top spot.
Have a great week, and remember the bank always wins!
Christmas In The Cotswolds
In December, the Cotswolds transforms into a festive wonderland, packed with Christmas events and festivities. Glide across the ice, sip wine at an award winning vineyard, sing along to carols, watch the town lights turn on, browse late-night shopping evenings, get creative at seasonal workshops, enjoy festive storytelling with Giffords Circus, and feel the thrill of Christmas racing at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Christmas In The Cotswolds
2025’s Best Sold Properties: Reflecting on an Exceptional Year of Sales
As 2025 draws to a close, Butler Sherborn is proud to reflect on what has been an incredibly successful year across the Cotswolds property market. Despite wider economic headwinds, demand for high-quality Cotswold homes has remained resilient, with buyers continuing to prioritise location, lifestyle and long-term value.
2025’s Best Sold Properties: Reflecting on an Exceptional Year of Sales
Market Comment
Despite the understandable inertia created by the Autumn Budget, November delivered a notably strong performance for Butler Sherborn, with over £11 million of quality Cotswold properties successfully sold. Buyer motivation was high throughout the month, with one in three viewings converting to an offer - the national average is about 10 viewings per offer.
Market Comment
Our Take on The Autumn Budget
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, delivered Labour’s long-awaited Autumn Budget this afternoon. In recent months, speculation has been rife about significant changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and even the possible abolition of Principal Private Residence Relief for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) when...
Our Take on The 2025 Budget
