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Watch Cheltenham 2026 Live OnlineThe Cheltenham Festival is a National Hunt racing meeting held annually in March at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, England. The event spans four days and features 28 races, all of which are either Grade 1 or handicap contests. It is organised under British Horseracing Authority rules and is a central fixture in the National Hunt season. Cheltenham Racecourse is a left-handed track with an undulating layout and a pronounced uphill finish. The course is divided into two configurations: the Old Course, used for the first two days of the Festival, and the New Course, used for the final two days. The Old Course has tighter turns and fewer fences, while the New Course is longer with a stiffer finishing climb. Races at the Festival are run over hurdles and fences, with distances ranging from approximately two miles to over three miles and two furlongs. Each day of the meeting is anchored by a Grade 1 championship race. These headline races are scheduled to ensure variation in distance and discipline across the four days. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the principal race of the Festival and is run on the final day. It is a steeplechase over a distance of about three miles and two furlongs, with 22 fences. Horses aged five years and older are eligible. The race has been run since 1924 and has consistently been contested at level weights, with allowances applied only to mares. In addition to the championship races, the Festival includes novice races restricted to horses in their first season of racing over a particular discipline, as well as major handicaps such as the Ultima Handicap Chase and the Coral Cup. This structure allows for participation across different stages of a horse’s racing career. |
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Major Cheltenham Festival Races
Tuesday
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1, 2 miles)
Champion Hurdle (Grade 1, 2 miles)
Wednesday
Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1, 2 miles)
Thursday
Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1, 3 miles)
Ryanair Chase (Grade 1, 2 miles 4½ furlongs)
Friday
Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1, 3 miles 2½ furlongs)