Thrills and spills
Horses leap over a fence during the Novices' Steeple Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, a horseracing event held every March in the western English county of Gloucestershire.
British Horseracing Authority calls the festival, “the pinnacle of the Jump racing calendar anywhere in the world,” and every year it draws racing enthusiasts, gamblers, celebrities and aristocrats to watch the action.
A fan watches the horses through binoculars festooned with old race badges.
Ruby Walsh on Hurricane Fly (left) jumps the last fence to win the Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy on the first day of the festival.
Dominic Elsworth on Somersby falls during the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Spectators cheer as they watch a race, while one man covers his face in his hands.
A woman wearing shamrock glasses poses for a photograph.
Horses jump a fence during a hurdle race.
A race goer watches the action through his binoculars.
Poole Master falls, unseating jockey Tom Scudamore, during the Specialty Handicap Steeple Chase.
Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, smile as they watch a race.
Catherine's sister Pippa Middleton watches a race with her banker friend Tom Kingston.
Zara Phillips, granddaughter of the Queen, pulls a face as she and her husband Mike Tindall stand in the unsaddling enclosure.
A festival attendee sports patterned tights and sparkly shoes on Ladies Day.
Race goer Lystra Adams strikes a pose.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson smiles as he talks to others at the race. He is the co-owner of I'm Fraam Govan, which ran in the Champion Bumper but was not placed.
A race goer holds his Guinness with his teeth while reading the race card.
Barry Geraghty on Bobs Worth (centre) jumps the final fence ahead of Sam Waley-Cohen on Long Run (right) and Tony McCoy on Sir des Champs and goes on to win The Gold Cup - the most prestigious prize on the last day of the Cheltenham festival.
Britain's Prince William reacts as he watches The Gold Cup race.
A mud-splattered Barry Geraghty is surrounded by a crowd of people after his win.
