Cheltenham Festival kick off tomorrow - here is a race by race schedule.
Cheltenham Festival 2026 is almost here, with four days of elite National Hunt racing set to deliver drama, storylines and some of the biggest betting markets of the year.
Punters will be treated to 28 races from Tuesday 10 March to Friday 13 March.
Below is the full Cheltenham Festival schedule alongside the most-backed runners (via oddschecker) in each day’s feature race based on betting activity over the past 24 hours.
All race times are subject to change. Betting data last updated 09:00 Monday 9th March.
Day 1 – Champion Day (Tuesday 10 March)
The Festival opens with one of the most anticipated races of the week, the Champion Hurdle, a two-mile championship contest that traditionally sets the tone for the meeting.
Race Schedule
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1:20pm – Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – 2m ½f
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2:00pm – Arkle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) – 2m
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2:40pm – Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – 2m ½f
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3:20pm – Ultima Handicap Chase – 3m 1f
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4:00pm – Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) – 2m ½f
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4:40pm – Plate Handicap Chase – 2m 4f
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5:20pm – National Hunt Chase – 3m 6f
Champion Hurdle Most backed: Lossiemouth at 2/1
Early betting suggests strong confidence behind Lossiemouth, who accounts for 35% of all bets placed on the Champion Hurdle market in the last 24 hours.
Betfair Sportsbook
- Very strong sign up offer
- Flush and fast app available on both iOS and Android
- Extensive betting content site via betting.betfair
Day 2 – Ladies Day (Wednesday 11 March)
Traditionally one of the most popular days for attendance and betting turnover, Ladies Day centres around the Queen Mother Champion Chase - the ultimate test for two-mile chasers.
Race Schedule
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1:20pm – Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – 2m 5f
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2:00pm – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) – 3m 1f
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2:40pm – BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle – 2m 5f
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3:20pm – Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase – 3m 5½f
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4:00pm – Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) – 2m
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4:40pm – Grand Annual Handicap Chase – 2m
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5:20pm – Champion Bumper (Grade 1) – 2m ½f
Most backed: Majborough - 4/5
A significant 36% of bets have landed on Majborough in the Champion Chase, making him one of the strongest-backed horses of the entire Festival so far.
Day 3 – St Patrick’s Thursday (Thursday 12 March)
Irish runners and connections traditionally dominate this day, which features two Grade 1 highlights within 40 minutes of each other.
Race Schedule
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1:20pm – Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) – 2m 1f
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2:00pm – Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase (Grade 2) – 2m 4½f
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2:40pm – Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – 2m 4½f
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3:20pm – Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – 3m
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4:00pm – Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) – 2m 4½f
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4:40pm – Pertemps Network Final – 3m
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5:20pm – Kim Muir Challenge Cup – 3m 2½f
Most backed: Fact To File (8/13) – Ryanair Chase
No horse has attracted stronger support than Fact To File, commanding 53% of bets in the Ryanair Chase market.
Stayers’ Hurdle support: Teahupoo (5/2)
Meanwhile, Teahupoo leads interest in the Stayers’ Hurdle with 26% of bets, suggesting bettors expect another strong performance in the three-mile championship contest.
Skybet
- 24/7 live chat support
- Some of the best price boosts in the market
- Intuitive user experience
Day 4 – Gold Cup Day (Friday 13 March)
Everything builds toward the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the most prestigious staying chase in jump racing and the race every owner, trainer and jockey dreams of winning.
Race Schedule
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1:20pm – Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) – 2m 1f
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2:00pm – County Handicap Hurdle – 2m 1f
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2:40pm – Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (Grade 2) – 2m 4½f
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3:20pm – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – 3m
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4:00pm – Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) – 3m 2½f
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4:40pm – Hunters’ Chase – 3m 2½f
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5:20pm – Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle – 2m 4½f
Most backed: The Juke Box Man (4/1)
The Gold Cup market remains wide open, but Harry Redknapp's The Juke Box Man currently leads betting interest with 19% of wagers placed over the last 24 hours.
Your Next Read
Racing Lee's Day 1 Tips For The Cheltenham Festival
Ginger Joe's Day 1 Tips For The Cheltenham Festival
Road To Cheltenham's NAP For Each Day at Cheltenham Festival
Andy Holding's Full Cheltenham Ante Post Portfolio
Road To Cheltenham Day 1 & 2 Cheltenham Race Analysis
Road To Cheltenham Day 3 & 4 Cheltenham Race Analysis
