LIKE the famous “Roker Roar” which Sunderland fans summoned up to cheer on their team in their old ground, so the “Cheltenham Roar” will be heard at Cheltenham racecourse at 1.30pm on Tuesday when around 70,000 people will cheer as the starter raises the tapes for the Supreme Novices Hurdle, the first race of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.
Last year, an estimated 280,627 people watched the four days of racing at the festival.
It originated in 1860 when the National Hunt Chase was first held at Market Harborough. At the turn of the 20th Century, it was mostly held at Warwick racecourse. In 1904 and 1905, it took place at Cheltenham and, after course improvements, stayed there from 1911.
The Stayers Hurdle, first run in 1912, is the oldest race. It is a “championship race”, a designation applied by the British Horseracing Authority to races which are usually the culmination of the season for the horses running them.
The Gold Cup, established in 1924, was originally a supporting race for the County Hurdle, which was the main event of the first day. That changed and in the following seasons the Gold Cup became a championship race.
The Champion Hurdle, first run in 1927, and the Queen Mother Championship Chase, started in 1959, were both championship races from the time they were introduced.
Until 2005, the festival was held over three days but a fourth day was introduced so that one championship race could be held on each of the four days.

The Northern Echo: Horse trainer Denys Smith at the stables at Holdforth Farm, the former home of National winner Red Aligator
Bishop Auckland trainer Denys Smith at his stables at Holdforth Farm in 2006

Northern trainers have had some success, starting with Bishop Auckland trainer Denys Smith, who was the champion National Hunt trainer in the 1967-68 season. He celebrated with his one and only Cheltenham win in 1968, King Cutler in the Gloucester Hurdle (now the Supreme Novices).
In 1982, Michael Dickinson, from Harewood in Yorkshire, trained Silver Buck to win the Gold Cup, while another of his horses, Bregawn, came second. The following year, he achieved an astonishing feat by training the first five home: Bregawn, Captain John, Wayward Lad, Silver Buck and Ashley House. 
Leasingthorne handler Arthur Stephenson won a Gold Cup with The Thinker in 1987. Arthur wasn’t there to celebrate his success as he’d gone to Hexham that day where he had seven runners so his nephew, Peter Cheeseborough, was in charge at Cheltenham. After a delay due to snow, jockey Ridley Lamb dropped the 13/2 shot out the back early on, but steady progress meant that four fences from home The Thinker was in third position. After a bad error at the third last, the horse recovered to stay in third position as they jumped the last where The Thinker produced a strong late run to overtake Cybrandian in the last 100 yards and win by one-and-a-half lengths.

The Northern Echo: Andrea Wylie and Graham Wylie owners of Inglis Driver , winner of the Ladbroke's World Hurdle with jockey Graham Lee (L) , trainer Howard Johnson (centre right) and stable lass Trisha Skidmore receive their trophies during the Cheltenham Festival,

Andrea Wylie and Graham Wylie, the owners of Inglis Driver, the winner of the Ladbroke's World Hurdle with jockey Graham Lee, left, trainer Howard Johnson (centre right) and stable lass Trisha Skidmore 

Howard Johnson from Crook won the Supreme Novices Hurdle with Arcalis in 2005, the World Hurdle with Inglis Drever in 2005, 2007 and 2008, and the Arkle with Tidal Bay in 2008.
Who will win this year? 
We advise people to look closely at horses which finished first or second at last year’s festival. In that category come Jonbon, Edwardstone, Andy Dufresne and Corach Rambler, which should all go well. Ruby Walsh is bullish about Gaillard Du Mesnil in the National Hunt Chase and Galopin Des Champs for the Gold Cup. 
Paul Nicholls is equally bullish about Bravemansgame for the Gold Cup which was won by A Plus Tard last year (8/1 this year) with Minella Indo second (20/1 this year).
In the Supreme Novices Hurdle, there’s been money for Olly Murphy’s Chasing Fire (40/1 to 16/1), while Willie Mullins thinks that Diverge at 14/1 is the real deal. We think Thyme Hill at 11/2 is a sound each way bet in the Brown Advisory Novice Chase at 2.10pm on Wednesday.
At longer odds we can offer Ahorsewithnoname 16/1 in the Mares Novices Hurdle on Thursday. Elixir De Nutz in the Grand Annual Plate, Langer Dan at 14/1 for the Coral Cup and 8/1 for the Martin Pipe, Oscar Elite in the Ladbrokes, Sir Allen in the Boodles Handicap Hurdle, and Fil Dor wherever it runs. It is also much easier to back a horse to finish in a place than to win outright at an ultra competitive Cheltenham.
Since the start of the 2020 festival, Irish-trained horses have won 69 per cent of the races and 80 per cent of the Handicap Hurdle races, but only 31 per cent of the Handicap Chase races. Favourites generally win around 35 per cent of races. 
Our nap? Thyme Hill each way, 2.10pm Wednesday.