Galopin Des Champs defends his Cheltenham Gold Cup crown this week though diehard racing fans may be thinner on the ground due to the Festival's rising costs (Glyn KIRK)

The Cheltenham Festival is "critical" for the image and health of British racing though in "many ways the racing fan is being priced out" of this week's showpiece, William Woodhams, CEO of Fitzdares bookmakers, told AFP.

The four day extravaganza which pitches the best of British jumps thoroughbreds against their Irish rivals gets underway on Tuesday.