The jumps racing season intensifies as the Cheltenham Festival approaches, bringing together the finest horses and the sport’s most passionate fans for four days filled with thrilling competition and excitement.
Ireland’s top team, spearheaded by the formidable Willie Mullins, will challenge the best British contenders, with Dan Skelton expected to provide the stiffest opposition from the home side.
Every day of the festival features champion races, including the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday, the Stayers Hurdle on Thursday, and culminating in the prestigious Gold Cup on Friday.
For a complete overview of the whole event, you can visit the Telegraph Sports section.
When is the Cheltenham Festival 2026?
The Cheltenham Festival is scheduled from Tuesday, 10th March to Friday, 13th March. Since 2005, the festival has expanded from three to four days. Although there have been tentative talks about adding a fifth day, this is unpopular among traditional racing fans. Moving the Gold Cup to a Saturday has also been discussed as a compromise, but the current four-day format remains in place for now.
Number of Races
There are 28 races across the festival, with seven races held each day.
2026 Festival Race Schedule
Tuesday
- 1:20 PM: Supreme Beginner’s Hurdle (Grade 1) | £150,000 | 2 miles 87 yards | 8 hurdles | Old Course
- 2:00 PM: Arkle Chase (Grade 1) | £200,000 | 2 miles | 13 fences | Old Course
- 2:40 PM: Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) | £80,000 | 2 miles 87 yards | 8 hurdles | Old Course
- 3:20 PM: Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3) | £150,000 | 3 miles 1 furlong | 20 fences | Old Course
- 4:00 PM: Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) | £450,000 | 2 miles 87 yards | 8 hurdles | Old Course
- 4:40 PM: Festival Plate Handicap (Grade 3) | £150,000 | 2 miles 4 furlongs 87 yards | 17 fences | Old Course
- 5:20 PM: National Hunt Chase (Grade 2) | £100,000 | 3 miles 5 furlongs | 23 fences | Old Course
Wednesday
- 1:20 PM: Turner Beginner’s Hurdle (Grade 1) | £150,000 | 2 miles 5 furlongs | 10 hurdles | Old Course
- 2:00 PM: Brown Advisory Novice Chase (Grade 1) | £200,000 | 3 miles half furlong | 20 fences | Old Course
- 2:40 PM: Coral Cup (Grade 3 Handicap) | £100,000 | 2 miles 5 furlongs | 10 hurdles | Old Course
- 3:20 PM: Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (Listed) | £75,000 | 3 minutes 6 seconds | 32 obstacles | Old Course
- 4:00 PM: Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) | £400,000 | 2 miles | 13 fences | Old Course
- 4:40 PM: Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Grade 3) | £150,000 | 2 miles half furlong | 14 fences | Old Course
- 5:20 PM: Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) | £80,000 | 2 miles half furlong | 14 fences | Old Course
Thursday
- 1:20 PM: Ryanair Meles Beginner’s Hurdle (Grade 2) | £105,000 | 2 miles 1 furlong | 8 hurdles | New Course
- 2:00 PM: Jack Richards Novice Handicap Chase (Grade 2) | £125,000 | 2 miles 4 furlongs | 17 fences | New Course
- 2:40 PM: Good Brothers Meles Hurdle (Grade 1) | £120,000 | 2 miles 4 furlongs | 10 hurdles | New Course
- 3:20 PM: Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle (Grade 1) | £325,000 | 3 miles | 12 hurdles | New Course
- 4:00 PM: Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) | £375,000 | 2 miles 4.5 furlongs | 17 fences | New Course
- 4:40 PM: Pertemps Final (Grade 3 Handicap) | £100,000 | 3 miles | 12 hurdles | New Course
- 5:20 PM: JRL Kim Muir Challenge Cup (Listed Handicap) | £75,000 | 3 miles 2 furlongs | 21 fences | New Course
Friday
- 1:20 PM: JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) | £150,000 | 2 miles 1 furlong | 8 hurdles | New Course
- 2:00 PM: BetMGM County Hurdle (Grade 3 Handicap) | Around £98,370 | 2 miles 1 furlong | 8 hurdles | New Course
- 2:40 PM: Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (Grade 2) | £120,000 | 2 miles 4.5 furlongs | 17 fences | New Course
- 3:20 PM: Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) | £150,000 | 3 miles | 12 hurdles | New Course
- 4:00 PM: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) | £625,000 | 3 miles 2.5 furlongs | 22 fences | New Course
- 4:40 PM: St. James’s Place Hunter Chase (Listed) | £50 | 2 miles 4.5 furlongs | 17 fences | New Course
- 5:20 PM: Martin Pipe Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle | £75,000 | 2 miles 4.5 furlongs | 10 hurdles | New Course
How to Watch
ITV1 will broadcast the first six races live each day. For full coverage of every race, including the day’s last, a subscription to Racing TV is required. Both ITV and Racing TV also provide streaming options through their websites and apps.
Location of Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Racecourse is in Gloucestershire, nestled in a scenic natural amphitheater with Clive Hill creating a stunning backdrop. The town is about a 2.5-hour drive from London and just over two hours by train, with good rail connections from the north via Birmingham and the south via Bristol and South Wales.
Cheltenham Racecourse Overview
Cheltenham features two distinctly different tracks:
Old Course: Used in the festival’s first two days, this course is a demanding test of speed and agility, with sharp turns and few straight stretches. Its downhill section before the final turn is particularly challenging, making balance and pace critical. Mistakes in jumping can be costly here since the course favors front-runners due to its relatively short and uphill finish.
New Course: This track favors stamina over speed with a longer straight and demanding hills toward the end, allowing horses coming from behind to capitalize on any errors by the leaders. While jumping remains crucial, the longer recovery time between jumps, especially hurdles, makes it slightly less punishing than the Old Course.
Cross Country Course: Used for a single race each year, this unique track consists of three laps shaped like a figure eight featuring diverse obstacles such as cheese wedge jumps, fenced hedges, ditches, embankments, and fences similar to those in the Grand National.
Festival Hospitality
For an enhanced experience, Cheltenham offers dining options ranging from £385 for a two-course meal at the Moscow Flyer Restaurant to £1,365 for a five-course meal at the Panoramic Restaurant on Gold Cup day. Various other options, including private boxes, are available.
Tickets and Pricing
Ticket prices vary based on enclosure and day, with Friday’s Gold Cup being the most expensive. The cheapest entry is £54 for the Best Mate Enclosure from Tuesday to Thursday. Club Enclosure tickets cost £109 for the first three days and £127 for Friday, with a 10% discount for group bookings of 25 or more. An additional £110 secures a reserved grandstand seat with Club Enclosure tickets. Moderate pricing is available for Tattersalls enclosures.
Parking
A park-and-ride service runs from Arles Court (off Junction 11 of the M5) to the racecourse for £15. On-site parking costs £20, or £25 for larger vehicles.
Fan Take:
The Cheltenham Festival remains the pinnacle of jumps racing, where elite trainers and horses face off under the watchful eyes of devoted fans. This 2026 lineup and format promise to deliver the drama and excitement that keep horse racing thriving, highlighting the sport’s deep traditions while drawing new fans to the spectacle.
