behind closed door. rachel blackmore was the winning jockey last year with six wins. i think a lot of money will be wagered on her in the coming days. the famous roar which usually greets the start of racing's cheltenham festival will be heard for the first time in two years today as crowds return. it was one of the last big sporting events to take place with spectators before the coronavirus lockdown. it was held behind closed doors last year, and racing fans will be making up for lost time with bets expected to total half a billion pounds it's one of british racing biggest events, selling around a quarter of a million tickets. but the last time crowds packed cheltenham festival in 2020, there was criticism that the event had gone ahead as normal despite rising covid cases and just days before the first national lockdown. last year, the stands fell silent due to pandemic restrictions. but now it's back to full capacity, and there's lots to look forward to.