by The four-day Cheltenham Festival kicks off tomorrow, bringing the best of British jumping racing against rivals from across the Irish Sea.
The Irish have dominated in recent years and are expected to do so again, with around 55,000 Irish tourists expected to come to Gloucestershire. Cheltenham racecourse itself welcomes around 70,000 spectators each day.
Heading into this week’s festivities, trainer Nicky Henderson was disappointed after defending champion Constitution Hill was ruled out of the Champions Hurdle on Tuesday.
For a full guide to the first day of the festival, check out our top tips and bets for the first day.
When is the Cheltenham Festival 2024? Start and end dates
The Cheltenham Festival starts tomorrow, March 12th and finishes on Friday, March 14th. The Gold Cup is on the final evening – see our full guide to the runners and riders for Friday’s Cheltenham show.
How many days are there in the Cheltenham Festival?
The Cheltenham Festival is a four day race meeting.
How to watch the Cheltenham Festival
ITV has the free-to-air rights and will show the first five races of each day of the meeting. To get comprehensive coverage you’ll need a subscription to Racing TV, which can be accessed via Sky and Virgin Media, or streamed online.
How many races are there?
28 races are being run over the four days. Each day has one ‘feature’ race: Champion Hurdle (Tuesday), Queen Mother’s Champion (Wednesday), Stayers’ Hurdle (Thursday) and Cheltenham Gold Cup (Friday).
Looking for the latest Cheltenham betting offers? Our list is comprehensive and all reputable bookmakers
Race schedule: Times for all races at the 2024 Festival
Tuesday, March 12
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1. 30: Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
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2.10: Arkle’s Quest for a New Beginning Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)
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2.50: Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
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3.30: Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)
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4.10: Hurdle Mares Brothers Close (Grade 1)
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4.50: Boodles Youth Handicap Program (Primary Caspian)
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5.30: Jockeys’ Cup National Challenge Chase ‘Novices’ Chase (Grade 2)
Wednesday, March 13
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1. 30: Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
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2.10: Seal of the Brown Advisory Trustees (Grade 1)
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2.50: Coral Cup Hurdle Hurdle (Main Hurdle)
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3.30: Betway Queen’s Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1)
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4.10: Glenfarclas Chase
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4.50: Johnny Henderson Annual Challenge Cup Chase (Main Handicap)
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5.30: Weatherbys Champions Bumper (Grade 1)
Thursday, March 14
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1. 30: Turners Novices’ Hunt (Grade 1)
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2.10: Pertemps Network Final Hurdle Hurdle (Main Hurdle)
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2.50: Ryanair Chase (Grade 1)
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3.30: Paddy Power Stayers Tags (Grade 1)
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4.10: TrustATTrader Plate Barrier Hunt (Main Barrier)
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4.50: Ryanair Mares Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
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5.30: Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Jockeys Cup Poor Challenge
Friday, March 15
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1. 30: JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) (New Course)
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2.10: Premier Handicap (New Course)
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2.50: Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
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3.30: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1)
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4.10: San James Place Festival Challenge Cup Hunters Open Seal
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4.50: Paddy Power Mares Chase (Grade 2)
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5.30: Martin Pipe Jockeys’ Conditional Hurdle Track
Cheltenham Racecourse: A short guide
Apart from Aintree, Cheltenham is Britain’s most famous jumper racecourse. Located in the west of England, the track has hosted the best jumping horses from Britain and Ireland since the first meeting was held there in 1904.
There are two courses on the road, each offering different tests. The Old Course, used over the early days of the festival, is a shorter and tougher track, with less emphasis on stamina. Therefore, faster horses and those who are comfortable with front running will often suit his demands.
The Champion Hurdle and the Queen Mother’s Champion are both run on the Old Course.
The New Course is quite the opposite. With smoother turns and long climbs from the bottom of Cheltenham’s straight hill to the top, the New Course accommodates strong residents over a variety of journeys.
The Stayers’ Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup are both run on the New Course.
How to get tickets and how much do they cost?
Tickets for the festival are available direct from The Jockey Club website and come in three categories. Club tickets cost £107.00 for the first three days of the meeting and are sold out for the final day.
Tattersalls tickets come in at £74.00 for the first three days and £89.00 on the final day. Best Mate enclosure tickets are priced at £52.00 over the first three days and £70.00 on the final day.
Cheltenham Festival Car Park
Parking is available in advance from £20 per car per day or £30 for minibuses (up to 15 seats), £75 for limousine parking and £75 for coach parking (16 seats and over).
For more parking formation visit visitcheltenham.com/whats-on/cheltenham-festival/parking.
