When is the Cheltenham Festival? A Complete Guide to Cheltenham Dates and Races
One of the most hotly anticipated events in the National Hunt calendar, the Cheltenham Festival brings together the biggest names in jump racing for four days of thrilling competition and betting every March.
Cheltenham Festival has been running for over 165 years, and whilst the Festival has changed with time, today it’s held over four days in mid-March, from Tuesday to Friday. Knowing the key dates and daily schedule of the Cheltenham Festival is the first step to making the most of the Cheltenham Festival betting opportunities. Discover when Cheltenham is, what day each race is held, and at what time.
When is Cheltenham? Cheltenham Festival 2025 Dates
The Cheltenham Festival 2025 is set to take place from Tuesday 11 March to Friday 14 March 2025.
Across the four days of the Festival there will be 28 races, including some of the most celebrated and most bet on races in the world, such as the Queen Mother Champion Chase, Arkle Challenge Trophy, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup .
Each day of the Cheltenham Festival is unique, with its own theme and key races:
● Day 1: Tuesday 11th - Champion Day
● Day 2: Wednesday 12th - Style Wednesday (formerly Ladies Day)
● Day 3: Thursday 13th - St Patrick’s Thursday
● Day 4: Friday 14th - Gold Cup Day
Here’s a breakdown of what to expect across the four days of the Cheltenham Festival:
Cheltenham Dates: The Cheltenham 2025 Daily Schedule
The Cheltenham festival dates and top races:
Day 1: Champion Day (Tuesday 11 March 2025)
Champion Day marks the opening of the Cheltenham Festival, beginning four days of top-tier racing. With some of the top races in the National Hunt season featuring, Champion Day sets the tone for the rest of the Festival.
Key Races:
● The Supreme Novices' Hurdle (13:20): A Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race showcasing potential future champion runners.
● The Arkle Challenge Trophy (14:00): A Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase named in honour of the legendary Arkle, a horse that won three Cheltenham Gold Cups.
● The Champion Hurdle (16:00): The highlight of Champion Day and the premier hurdle race of the National Hunt season.
Day 2: Style Day (Wednesday 12 March 2025)
Wednesday at Cheltenham was previously Ladies Day, where fashion was celebrated just as much as the racing. From 2025 onwards, Ladies Day has been updated to Style Day to make it more gender-inclusive, letting everyone share the spotlight. Festival goers are encouraged to don their most stylish outfits, with awards for the most fashionable men and women, making it one of the most glamorous events of the racing calendar.
Key Races:
● The Turners Novices' Hurdle (13:20): The highlight race during the season for novice hurdlers over the distance of 2m5f.
● The Coral Cup (14:40): A highly competitive handicap hurdle open to horses aged four years and older.
● The Queen Mother Champion Chase (16:00): The main event of the day, a high-speed steeplechase that crowns the best two-mile chaser.
Day 3: St. Patrick’s Thursday (Thursday 13 March 2025)
Although not on the actual day of the Irish celebration (the 17th of March), St. Patrick’s Thursday brings a distinctly festive atmosphere to the Cheltenham Festival. Many of the top horses, jockeys, and trainers in National Hunt racing hail from Ireland, making this a special day for Irish racing fans, with plenty of Guinness flowing and a sea of green in the stands
Key Races:
• The Pertemps Network Final (14:40): A thrilling handicap hurdle showdown and a culmination of the season’s 21 long-distance qualifying races.
• The Ryanair Chase (15:20): The top race of the day, a prestigious Grade 1 National Hunt for middle-distance chasers.
• The Stayers' Hurdle (16:00): The top long-distance hurdle event of the festival, a Grade 1 hurdle race run over three miles.
Day 4: Gold Cup Friday (Friday 14 March 2025)
The final day of the Cheltenham Festival is the most highly anticipated and features the legendary Cheltenham Gold Cup, the pinnacle of National Hunt racing.
Key Races:
● The Triumph Hurdle (13:20): The first race of the final day, and the top race for juvenile jump horses aged four years.
● The Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (15:20): Also known as the Spa Novices' Hurdle, it’s the top race of the season’s top long-distance novice hurdlers.
● The Cheltenham Gold Cup (16:00): The top race at the Cheltenham Festival and the most valuable non-handicap chase in the UK, the Gold Cup is a 3m2f70y race with 22 fences that crowns the best steeplechaser in the sport each year.
Bet on the Cheltenham Festival with BoyleSports
The Cheltenham Festival is four days of thrilling action, iconic races, and some of the best betting opportunities in horse racing.
With our comprehensive Cheltenham Festival betting markets and competitive odds, you’ll find everything you need to bet on all 28 Cheltenham Festival races right here at BoyleSports. Sign up with us to create your BoyleSports account and you can place bets before the Cheltenham Festival begins , on every race, including the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup.