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The Cheltenham Festival will see the return of some of the sport's greatest stars with the annual parade of Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) on the opening day.

The parade will feature Cheltenham legends such as Native River, Coneygree and Thistlecrack, as well as six other former festival winners.

Thistlecrack, who won the Stayers' Hurdle and King George is the most active, having been cross-country schooling, showjumping and arena eventing since his retirement two years ago. Native River became the news last summer when he was ridden to a school prom by 16-year-old Zara Cox. Cyrname, Grade 1 winner, has retired and been retrained by Charlotte Alexander who is taking him eventing, hunting and team chasing in the future.

Barbers Shop, 21, is the oldest horse set to parade. He was bred and ran in the colours of Queen Elizabeth II, famously finishing third and fourth in the King George and Hennessy Gold Cup.

Joining the racehorses, who have since been retrained, will be multiple champion in the show ring.

The Retraining of Racehorses event is a celebration of the tenacity and versatility of racehorses and allows them to demonstrate their new skills. It also demonstrates the various paths available for horses when their racing days are over.

RoR CEO Di Arbuthnot said: "We are delighted to be honouring these horses and their handlers at Cheltenham, showing the public the diverse qualities they possess and the range of activities they can enjoy when their racing careers finish."

The tremendous success of the Retraining of Racehorses parade is testament to the power of the sport. It shows the world that racehorses lead full and satisfying lives after their racing days are over.