The Cheltenham Festival Race Schedule 2026

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The Cheltenham Festival takes place between Tuesday 10 - Friday 13 March 2026, and it promises to be an event to remember.

Gates open at 10:30 on each of the four days of the Festival.

Preview Show, live in the Parade Ring everyday before racing, find the timings below.

First race at 13:20 and the last race at 17:20.

DAY 1: CHAMPION DAY - TUESDAY 10 MARCH 2026

Seven races are scheduled for Day One of the Cheltenham Festival. The feature race of the day is the Unibet Champion Hurdle, a 2 mile Grade 1 race. This takes place at 16:00.

*Please note the timings are subject to change.

TIMES	RACE	DISTANCE	TYPE
13:20	The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)	2m	Hurdle
14:00	The Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)	2m	Chase
14:40	The Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)	3m abt 1f	Chase
15:20	The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1)	2m abt 4f	Hurdle
16:00	The Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)	2m	Hurdle
16:40	The Hallgarten and Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race (Premier Handicap)	2m	Hurdle
17:20	The National Hunt Novices’ Chase (Novices’ Steeple Chase) (Novices' Handicap)	3m abt 6f	Chase

FEATURE RACE DAY ONE: 16:00 The Unibet Champion Hurdle

DAY 2: LADIES DAY - WEDNESDAY 11 MARCH 2026

On the second day, the highlight is the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase. Runners in this Grade 1 event jump over 12 fences over the course of 2 miles. It is the highlight of the traditionally known ladies day and is off at 16:00.

*Please note the timings are subject to change.

TIMES	RACE	DISTANCE	TYPE
13:20	The Turners Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1)	2m abt 5f	Hurdle
14:00	The Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase	3m	Chase
14:40	The Coral Cup Hurdle (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Premier Handicap)	2m abt 5f	Hurdle
15:20	The Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase	3m abt 5½f	Chase
16:00	The BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase (Grade 1)	Abt 2m	Chase
16:40	The Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Premier Handicap)	2m	Chase
17.20	The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Standard Open NH Flat Race) (Grade 1)	2m	Bumper

DAY 3: ST PATRICK'S THURSDAY - THURSDAY 12 MARCH 2026

One of the key dates for Cheltenham Festival 2025 is St Patrick's Day, as it marks the third day of racing. The feature race of the day is the 15:20 Ryanair Steeple Chase (Grade 1)

*Please note the timings are subject to change.

TIMES	RACE	DISTANCE	TYPE
13:20	The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)	2m 1f	Hurdle
14:00	The Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase	2m 4f	Chase
14:40	The Pertemps Network Final (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Listed) (Premier Handicap)	3m	Hurdle
15:20	The Ryanair Steeple Chase (Grade 1)	2m 4f	Chase
16:00	The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)	3m	Hurdle
16:40	The TrustATrader Plate (A Handicap Steeple Chase) (Premier Handicap)	2m 4f	Chase
17:20	The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase (0-145)	3m 2f	Chase

DAY THREE: 16:00 The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.

DAY 4: GOLD CUP DAY - FRIDAY 13 MARCH 2026

The focus of the day will be The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, as the name suggests. Over three miles and two furlongs long, this is the premier race of the event. It will begin at 16:00, and the winner will take home the Gold Cup.

*Please note the timings are subject to change.

TIMES	RACE	DISTANCE	TYPE
13:20	The JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)	2m	Hurdle
14:00	The William Hill County Handicap Hurdle Race (Premier Handicap)	2m	Hurdle
14:40	The Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Steeple Chase (Grade 2)	2m 4f	Chase
15:20	The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1)	3m	Hurdle
16:00	The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase (Grade 1)	3m 2f	Chase
16:40	The St. James’s Place Festival Hunters Chase	3m 2f	Chase
17:20	Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (0-145)	2m 4f	Hurdle

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