When is Cheltenham Festival

The jewel in the crown of National Hunt racing and the week every racing fan craves, the Cheltenham Festival is a four-day bonanza that celebrates the very best of National Hunt racing. With no less than fourteen Grade 1 races, it really is the best of the best and presents the culmination of all the storylines. From fairytale performances to underdogs gracing the biggest day, it has something for everyone and we’ve got all you need to know on the centrepiece of steeplechase racing below!

When is the Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival will take place this year from the 12th to the 15th of March. With four days of top class action, it really is a spectacle and that is shown by the first race of the meeting. The Grade 1 Supreme Novices Hurdle kicks off the Festival and the roar from the crowd as the tapes go back is spine-tingling, with that atmosphere maintained throughout the four-day period. The Festival goes as follows –

• Day 1 (Champion Day) – The Festival opener contains the most Grade 1 contests, with the four in total. The day is centred on the Champion Hurdle, which is raced over two miles and showcases the best the division has to offer. Buvuer D’Air will be looking for a hat-trick in the race, though plenty of challengers make it an enthralling renewal.
• Day 2 (Ladies Day) – The “high-style” day of the meeting, the horse racing action on Day 2 is centred around the Champion Chase. Raced over two miles, this race is always high-octane and the jumping is critical, with any mistakes punished to the fullest extent given the cruising speed of the race.
• Day 3 (St Patrick’s Thursday) – The focus turns to the stayers on Day 3, with St Patrick’s Thursday hosting the Stayers’ Hurdle, a three-mile Grade 1 that is all about stamina. A race dominated by Big Bucks’ this century, Penhill will be looking to win the race for the second year running as his seasonal debut.
• Day 4 (Gold Cup Day) – The jewel in the crown and the centrepiece of the Festival, Day 4 hosts the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The race we all wait for every year, you can find out more information about it below.

When is the Cheltenham Gold Cup

The race that headlines the Festival, the Cheltenham Gold Cup takes place on the Friday of the meeting and is raced at 3:35 pm. Lasting around six and a half minutes, it’s a unique test, with jumping and stamina playing crucial roles in what always turns out to be a classic. Few will ever forget the tale of Kauto Star and Denman, with those two igniting the Festival with their fantastic stories for years. A race that defines a horses career with a victory, it takes guts, heart, and a whole lot of class.

When is Cheltenham Races

With eight race meetings in the 2018/19 season, there is nothing quite like racing at Cheltenham. After all, Prestbury Park is the home of National Hunt racing and just like Newmarket with the flat racing, there is just something magical about it. With its stunning backdrop, standing at the top of the hill and watching the races unfold is a unique and fantastic experience, especially as you see the horses giving their all up the famed “Cheltenham Hill”. Cheltenham quite simply is special and is something every racing fan needs to experience.