It’s almost time to hear the Cheltenham roar again as another edition of the Cheltenham Festival draws near.
From 11 to 14 March, the Cheltenham Racecourse will be the center of the horse racing world. Four days jam-packed with the best-in-class races, endless thrills, and massive opportunities to bet on horse races.
Looking for the official timetable, list of races, and information on how to watch the whole event live? We’ve got you covered, so read on!
Cheltenham 2025 Race Schedule
A day at the Cheltenham Festival is a busy one. During each of the four days of the Festival, horse racing fans can enjoy seven races in different categories, meaning they’ll get to spend a whole afternoon at the races.
If the festival is known for one thing, it is that it runs a tight schedule. The first race of each day of the Cheltenham Festival starts at 13:20, and the rest of the races in a day run at 40-minute intervals.
Each day is sort of thematic. Starting with Tuesday 11 March, or Champion Day, these are the races you’ll get to watch and bet on at Cheltenham:
- 13:20 - Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
- 14:00 - My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase
- 14:40 - Ultima Handicap Chase
- 15:20 - Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle
- 16:00 - Unibet Champion Hurdle
- 16:40 - Boodles Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle
- 17:20 - National Hunt Chase
The second day of the Festival is known as Style Wednesday. Here are the races scheduled for 12 March:
- 13:20 - Turners Novices’ Hurdle
- 14:00 - Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
- 14:40 - Coral Cup
- 15:20 - Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
- 16:00 - Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
- 16:40 - Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase
- 17:20 - Weatherbys Champion Bumper
Moving on to 13 March, it’s time to don the green suit as it’s a St Patrick’s Thursday. The Cheltenham races for Thursday are:
- 13:20 - Ryanair Mares Novices’ Hurdle
- 14:00 - Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase
- 14:40 - Pertemps Final
- 15:20 - Ryanair Chase
- 16:00 - Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle
- 16:40 - TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase
- 17:20 - JRL Kim Muir Challenge Cup
Finally, the 14th of March is the Gold Cup Day. This is the most spectacular day of the Festival, with all the races taking place on the new course. If you’re looking to bet on the best race at Cheltenham, this is the day you don’t want to miss! Horse racing fans will get to enjoy these races:
- 13:20 - JCB Triumph Hurdle
- 14:00 - BetMGM County Hurdle
- 14:40 - Paddy Power Mares’ Chase
- 15:20 - Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
- 16:00 - Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup
- 16:40 - St James’s Place Hunter Chase
- 17:20 - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Where to Watch the Cheltenham Festival
As with any sporting and racing event, the best way to experience it would be to attend the event personally. Cheltenham daily tickets typically cost between £50 and £100, with the option for fans with deeper pockets to splurge £1,000 or more for a premium experience.
If you’re unable to go to Cheltenham or prefer to watch from the comfort of your home, you’re in luck. Most of the festival will be broadcast on the ITV1 channel, available through Sky and Virgin Media in the United Kingdom and Ireland. But, to get the most out of it, you’ll want to get a Racing TV subscription, as they’ll broadcast every single event.
Not have an access to a TV? No problem! Live streams will also be available, and chances are, your favourite Cheltenham betting sites will have streams up and going while you’re picking the best Cheltenham bets to make.
Betting Extravaganza
Horse racing and betting go hand in hand. Most Cheltenham visitors can’t resist throwing a punt (or two), making the thrill of the race even more exciting and, potentially, going home with some extra cash in their pockets.
Thanks to the power of the internet, you can bet on these races wherever you are. Going from learning how to bet on Cheltenham to collecting your first payout doesn’t take more than a day nowadays, but it’s always good to listen to tipsters and their Cheltenham predictions before you pull the trigger on your wager.
Third Time’s a Charm?
A big question about this year’s Festival is - will Galopin the Champs retain his title for a third year in a row? It would be an impressive feat, something we haven’t seen at Cheltenham since 1966 when Arkle claimed his third Gold Cup victory.
Speaking of previous Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, here is the current Hall of Fame:
- 2024: Galopin Des Champs
- 2023: Galopin Des Champs
- 2022: A Plus Tard
- 2021: Minella Indo
- 2020: Al Boum Photo
- 2019: Al Boum Photo
- 2018: Native River
- 2017: Sizing John
And if you’re looking for some Cheltenham Festival predictions, stay tuned, as we’ll be bringing you daily news and predictions soon.
