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Cheltenham Festival is back as the horse racing season gathers pace with the four-day spectacle one of the highlights of the sport’s calendar.
The Festival began with Champion Day before Style Wednesday and then St Patrick’s Thursday, with Gold Cup Day bringing the event to a close on Friday.
An action-packed festival last year saw trainer Willie Mullins dominate with jockey Paul Townend riding Galopin Des Champs to victory in one of the most prestigious races in the world.
The trainer led Ireland to another prolific week overall, claiming the Prestbury Cup over the UK by an 18-9 scoreline.
You can find all the latest Cheltenham odds and free bet offers with Independent Sport, and here is the full list of winners and scheduled race card:
Wednesday, 12 March – Style Wednesday
1.20: Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m5f | 10 hurdles | Old Course
Winner: The New Lion (3/1); 2) The Yellow Clay (5/2); 3) Final Demand (6/4F)
2.00: Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £200,000 | 3m½f | 20 fences | Old Course
Winner: Lecky Watson (20/1); 2) Stellar Story (22/1); 3) Better Days Ahead (13/2)
2.40: Coral Cup (Grade 3) Race conditions: £100,000 | 2m5f | 10 hurdles | Old Course
Runners: Maxxum; Ballyadam; Eagle Fang; Sandor Clegane; Colonel Mustard; Jimmy Du Seuil; Sa Fureur; Beacon Edge; Al Gasparo; Staffordshire Knot; Impose Toi; Beckett Rock; Bunting; King Alexander; Comfort Zone; Might I; Be Aware; Samui; Anna Bunina; Lossiemouth; Captain Morgs; Minella Missile; Vischio; Beat The Bat; Jipcot; Ike Sport
3.20: Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (Listed) Race conditions: £75,000 | 3m6f | 32 obstacles | Old Course
Runners: Stumptown; Galvin; Coko Beach; Iwilldoit; French Dynamite; Vanillier; Minella Crooner; Roi Mage; Latenightpass; Chemical Energy; Mister Coffey; Busselton; Gevrey; The Goffer; Escaria Ten; Chambard
4.00: Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £400,000 | 2m | 13 fences | Old Course
Runners: Captain Guinness; Energumene; Found A Fifty; Jonbon; Libberty Hunter; Marine Nationale; Quilixios; Solness
4.40: Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Grade 3) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m½f | 14 fences | Old Course
Runners: JPR One; Dancing On My Own; My Mate Mozzie; American Mike; Nells Son; Martator; Unexpected Party; General Medrano; Fringill Dike; So Scottish; The King Of Prs; Traprain Law; Gaelic Arc; Western Zephyr; Jazzy Matty; Midnight It Is; Third Time Lucki; Conyers Hill; Jasko Des Dames; Primoz
5.20: Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) Race conditions: £80,000 | 2m½f | 14 fences | Old Course
Runners: Copacabana; Dalston Lad; El Cairos; Fortune De Mer; Gameofinches; Heads Up; He Can’t Dance; Idaho Sun; I Started A Joke; Kalypso’chance; No Drama This End; Shuttle Diplomacy; Sortudo; Aqua Force; Bambino Fever; Highland Haven; Caballero Cliff; Lancelot Allen
Thursday, 13 March – St Patrick’s Thursday
1.20: Ryanair Mares Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) Race conditions: £105,000 | 2m1f | 8 hurdles | New Course
2.00: Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase (Grade 2) Race conditions: £125,000 | 2m4f | 17 fences | New Course
2.40: Pertemps Final (Grade 3) Race conditions: £100,000 | 3m | 12 hurdles | New course
3.20: Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £375,000 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course
4.00: Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £325,000 | 3m | 12 hurdles | New course
4.40: TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Grade 3) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course
5.20: JRL Kim Muir Challenge Cup (Listed) Race conditions: £75,000 | 3m2f | 21 fences | New Course
Friday, 14 March – Gold Cup Day
1.20: JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m1f | 8 hurdles | New Course
2.00: BetMGM County Hurdle (Grade 3) Race conditions: £98,370 (2024) | 2m1f| 8 hurdles | New Course
2.40: Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (Grade 2) Race conditions: £120,000 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course
3.20: Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £150,000 | 3m | 12 hurdles | New course
4.00: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) Race conditions: £625,000 | 3m2½f | 22 fences | New Course
4.40: St James’s Place Hunter Chase (Listed) Race conditions: £50 | 2m4½f | 17 fences | New Course
5.20: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Race conditions: £75,000 | 2m4½f | 10 hurdles | New Course
Results so far
Tuesday, 11 March – Champion Day
1.20: Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1 ) Race conditions: £150,000 | 2m½f| 8 hurdles | Old Course
Winner: Kopek Des Bordes (4/6F); 2) William Munny (8/1); 3) Romeo Coolio (9/2)
2.00: My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) Race conditions: £200,000 | 2m | 13 fences | Old Course
Winner: Jango Baie (5/1); 2) Only By Night (25/1); 3) Majborough (1/2F)
2.40: Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3) Race conditions: £150,000 | 3m1f | 20 fences | Old Course
Winner: Myretown (13/2); 2) The Changing Man (7/1F); 3) Malina Girl (14/1)
3.20: Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £120,000 | 2m4f | 10 hurdles | Old Course
Winner: Lossiemouth (4/6F); 2) Jade De Grugy (5/1); 3) Take No Chances (22/1)
4.00: Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) Race conditions: £450,000 | 2m½f | 8 hurdles | Old Course
Winner: Golden Ace (25/1); 2) Burdett Road (66/1); 3) Winter Fog (150/1)
4.40: Boodles Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) Race conditions: £80,000 | 2m½f | 8 hurdles | Old Course
Winner: Puturhandstogether (17/2); 2) Robbies Rock 50/1; 3) Liam Swagger (12/1 )
5.20: National Hunt Chase Race conditions: £200,000 | 2m | 13 fences | Old Course
Winner: Haiti Couleurs (7/2F), Rock My Way (16/1), Will Do (12/1)
When is 2025 Cheltenham Festival and what races are included?
The Cheltenham Festival starts on Tuesday, 11 March and concludes on Friday, 14 March. Fans will be glued to 28 races over four days, with seven races per day, including 13 races run over fences across the week, 13 over hurdles plus a bumper (flat race) and a cross-country chase.
The shortest run is a little under two miles, while the longest races almost reach four miles. Fans will look out for 13 of the races run at Grade 1 standard, while five are run as Grade 2s, six Grade 3s and the other four being Listed.
The first race is scheduled for 1:20pm GMT each day, with the final race starting at 5:20pm.
How can I watch the Cheltenham Festival on TV and is there a live stream?
You can watch the first six races of each day at the Cheltenham Festival with the ITV1 broadcast, while full coverage of the meet, including the final race of each day is only available through a Racing TV subscription.
Both ITV and Racing TV provide live streams for the coverage through their apps and websites, while fans can of course tune on via the traditional television broadcast. Several online betting sites will also be streaming the event, but in most cases a funded betting account is required.
Can I still get a ticket and how much do they cost?
You can secure access to the first three days of the festival through a daily Club Enclosure ticket at £100.80, while Friday is more expensive at £117.90.
Tattersalls tickets will cost you £71.10 on each of the first three days, but Gold Cup day is up at £84.60.
The cheapest way to experience the festival is through the Best Mate enclosure with a day ticket for the first three days priced at £51.30, while Friday will set you back £67.50.
All details can be found with tickets available to purchase through the Jockey Club here.
