The event is organized in March every year at the Cheltenham race course in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. This festival is as popular among the Irish as it is with the British. The participation of the Irish people is very high. The event usually coincides with St Patrick day – a national holiday in Ireland; this possibly explains their high attendance.

The betting at Cheltenham Festival takes place at as grand a scale as the scale at which the event is organized. The sum of all bets placed during the four days is to the tune of hundred million pounds. The stakes only add to the enthusiasm of the people which is quite evident from the awesome atmosphere that lasts throughout the festival. You have to be there to feel the palpable excitement!

There is one thing, however, for which the event draws some criticism. The high number of injuries and the fatalities among horses each year is something that the organizers are not proud of. There have been a number of changes to address this issue in the recent years. Now the event is safer than before which makes the festival all the more enjoyable. You can find out more about this festival by visiting www.cheltenham-races.com.