Your Guide to Cheltenham Festival 2026: Dates, races, start times & more

The Cheltenham Festival in March is the biggest event in the Jumps racing calendar and is widely regarded as 'the greatest show on turf'.

The eyes of the wider sporting world are fixated on Cheltenham as the racing elite from Britain, Ireland and beyond congregate for four days of top-class National Hunt racing.

We also have everything you need if you're looking for the best Cheltenham Festival tips or the latest Cheltenham news.

Cheltenham Festival 2026 Dates

The 2025 Cheltenham Festival will take place from Tuesday 10th March to Friday 13th March 2026.

The opening day is referred to as Champion Day and features the prestigious Champion Hurdle.

Ladies Day, otherwise known as Style Wednesday, takes place on Wednesday 11th March, while St Patrick's Thursday takes place on the third day.

The final day of the Cheltenham Festival is commonly referred to as Gold Cup Day.

Cheltenham Festival Venue

The Cheltenham Festival takes place at Prestbury Park in Gloucestershire, which is situated in the heart of the Cotswolds.

Cheltenham Festival Races and Schedule

There are a total of 28 races taking place during the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.

A total of seven races will feature on each day of the meeting.

When is the Champion Hurdle?
When is the Champion Chase?
When is the Stayers' Hurdle?
When is the Cheltenham Gold Cup?

Tuesday Cheltenham races

1.20: Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
2.00: Arkle Novices' Chase (Grade 1)
2.40: Ultima Handicap Chase
3.20: Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1)
4.00: Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
4.40: Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
5.20: National Hunt Chase

Wednesday Cheltenham races

1.20: Turners Novices' Hurdle
2.00: Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
2.40: Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
3.20: Glenfarclas Cross Country Limited Handicap Chase
4.00: Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1)
4.40: Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase
5.20: Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1)

Thursday Cheltenham races

1.20: Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2)
2.00: Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase
2.40: Pertemps Network Final (Handicap Hurdle)
3.20: Ryanair Chase (Grade 1)
4.00: Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1)
4.40: Trustatrader Plate (Handicap Chase)
5.20: Kim Muir Handicap Chase

Friday Cheltenham races

1.20: JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)
2.00: County Handicap Hurdle
2.40: Mares' Chase (Grade 2)
3.20: Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
4.00: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1)
4.40: St James Place Festival Hunter Chase
5.20: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Cheltenham Festival Results

We will be providing updated results on all Cheltenham races throughout the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.

View our full 2025 Results page here.

Cheltenham Festival Dress Code

The Jockey Club has eased dress restrictions across its courses, including Cheltenham, in an attempt to improve accessibility and inclusivity.

Racegoers can now wear casual clothing at Cheltenham races – including trainers, jogging bottoms and ripped jeans – as long as it is not offensive or a football kit.

What to wear for the Cheltenham Festival?

Cheltenham Festival Prize Money

There was a record amount of prize money available for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.

Following on from a record-breaking 2024 Festival, £4,930,000 was up for grabs over the Cheltenham races across the four days in 2025.

What is the prize money for winning at Cheltenham?

Cheltenham Racecourse Guide

There are three courses at Cheltenham - the Old Course and the New Course are the two main focuses as well as a unique Cross Country Course which is used for the Cross Country Handicap Chase.

Both the Old and New courses are left-handed, undulating and feature a long climb in the home straight up the famous 'Cheltenham Hill'.

The Cross Country Course deliberately weaves around the centre of Prestbury Park, with turns to the left and right leading racers on a variety of routes and directions, jumping over a selection of natural and man-made obstacles.

Cheltenham Racecourse Layout

What is the Cheltenham Roar?

The Cheltenham Roar has become synonymous with the Cheltenham Festival in the build-up to the opening race.

Ahead of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle on the first day, spectators let out a roar to celebrate the opening of the meeting.

What is the Prestbury Cup?

The Prestbury Cup is a competition between the trainers of Great Britain and Ireland at the Cheltenham Festival.

After six successive Irish victories, Britain will be looking for revenge at the 2026 Festival.

Prestbury Cup Scores and Results

Cheltenham Festival Changes

A number of changes were made ahead of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival following an announcement from The Jockey Club.

There was no longer a place for the Turners Novices' Chase, with the Grade 1 race replaced by a Grade 2 Novice Handicap, while the National Hunt Chase is now open to amateur and professional jockeys.

More Cheltenham Festival Changes

How to bet on the Cheltenham Festival

• Select the odds for your chosen Cheltenham selection.

• Add your selection to your bet slip.

• Set your stake and choose your bet type.

• Place your bet

For all information on Cheltenham such as guides, horses and odds, be sure to explore our dedicated hubs. This includes our Cheltenham betting odds hub on every race and our Gold Cup betting hub for all things Gold Cup specific. Maximise your potential winnings with our Cheltenham Super Boosts and other Cheltenham Offers and Promotions. For expert analysis and predictions on every race, visit our Cheltenham Betting Tips page.