1. Following in Burmese’s footsteps
The King has been given a horse by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (the Mounties) to continue a long tradition that includes The late Queen’s beloved Burmese. His Majesty was “pleased” to meet Noble, a seven-year-old 16.2hh mare, who is “settling into life” at the Royal Mews in Windsor, for the first time last week. This year marks the Mounties’ 150th anniversary – its association with the royal family dates back to 1904, when King Edward VII bestowed the title of royal on the then North-West Mounted Police. After taking part in the coronation of The Queen in 1953, the Mounties went on to present Her Majesty with eight horses during her reign, the first of which was Burmese in 1969.
2. Are you ready for “the roar”?
Top-class racing will get underway at 1.30pm on Tuesday 14 March at Prestbury Park.
At 1.30pm today (Tuesday 14 March), the traditional Cheltenham roar will send the runners in the first race of the Cheltenham Festival on their way as the first of four days of top-class jump racing begins. The best horses from Britain and Ireland will be doing battle up the famous Cheltenham hill to claim their place in the history books. On day one, we can’t wait to see Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle and Honeysuckle on the racecourse, possibly for the last time, in the Mares’ Hurdle.
Check out our Cheltenham Festival tips
3. An Academy Award for a heartwarming story
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse aired on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Apple TV+ over Christmas.
The screen adaptation of Charlie Mackesy’s best-selling book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse has won an Oscar – four weeks after picking up a BAFTA. The heartwarming story, which was released on television at Christmas, won the best animated short film category at the 95th annual Academy Awards, in Los Angeles (12 March). Charlie said he was “speechless”, then added: “This Oscar is for all of us. Thank you to my family, and to Richard (Curtis) and Emma (Freud). Thank you to you on Instagram for always being so kind and encouraging”.
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