The 2026 Cheltenham Festival is just a week away. The four-day meeting is the greatest show on turf, with 28 races and millions in prize money up for grabs.
Whether you’re a novice excited about your first trip to the scenic Prestbury Park or a seasoned punter checking to see if there have been any changes in the last 12 months, this guide covers everything you need to know ahead of this year’s renewal.
When is the Cheltenham Festival 2026?
The 2026 Cheltenham Festival will run from Tuesday, 10th March to Friday, 13th March. Each of the four days has its own unique appeal.
Tuesday, 10th March – Champion Day: The Cheltenham Festival gets underway with the Champion Hurdle topping the card. It’s the ultimate test for two-mile hurdlers.
Wednesday, 11th March – Ladies Day: Rebranded from ‘Style Wednesday’, Ladies Day returns for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. The Queen Mother Champion Chase and a best-dressed competition are the highlights.
Thursday, 12th March – St Patrick’s Thursday: While it doesn’t always fall on the day itself, the third day is always called ‘St Patrick’s Thursday’. A celebration of Irish culture, with the Ryanair Chase and Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle taking centre stage.
Friday, 13th March – Gold Cup Day: One of the biggest days on the jumps racing calendar, the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup is the most prestigious contest in the sport.
What time do races start at the Cheltenham Festival?
Prestbury Park opens its gates at 10:30am every day of the Cheltenham Festival, with racing getting underway at 1:20pm each afternoon. The feature race of the card, like the Champion Hurdle or the Gold Cup, will get underway at 4:00pm. The full race schedule for each day is as follows: 1:20, 2:00, 2:40, 3:20, 4:00, 4:40, 5:20.
What is the dress code for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival?
The Jockey Club announced that they were removing their formal dress code from all of their 15 racecourses in 2023, including Cheltenham. It was a bid to make the sport more accessible by allowing racegoers to wear whatever they feel comfortable in.
While there is no longer a required dress code, most attendees still dress smartly for the occasion. Tweed suits, wool coats, flat caps and brogues are commonly worn by men, while women tend to opt for fedoras, knitwear and knee-high boots.
Fancy dress, as long as the outfit isn’t offensive, is permitted in the Best Mate and Tattersalls enclosures, but is not allowed in Hospitality, restaurant facilities, or in the Club Enclosure. It is also at the racecourse’s discretion, and they reserve the right to decline entry.
Ultimately, it’s best to dress for the March weather and a long day on your feet.
When are horses declared for the Cheltenham Festival?
If you’re planning a bet in the days building up to the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, understanding how declarations work is essential.
Horses are initially entered for the 28 races at staggered stages throughout January and February. The first entries for the major Grade 1 chases, including the Gold Cup and Champion Chase, were published on January 6th. Entries for the big hurdle contests followed on January 13th. Entries for the mares’ races, handicaps, and the Champion Bumper were spread throughout February.
The horses then go through a five-day declaration stage, during which connections can remove their horse from a race. The final declarations are made 48 hours before each race day. This means:
Tuesday’s races are declared on Sunday, 8th March
Wednesday’s races are declared on Monday, 9th March
Thursday’s races are declared on Tuesday, 10th March
Friday’s races are declared on Wednesday, 11th March.
After this stage, non-runners, which are horses withdrawn after declarations, can occur at any point due to things like injury or unsuitable ground conditions. Two reserve slots are available for the handicaps, but there is a deadline of 1pm the day before the race.
What are the big races at the Cheltenham Festival?
There will be 14 Grade 1 contests across the four days of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, but it’s the championship races that stand out from the rest. They are:
The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Friday, 4pm): Run over three miles and two-and-a-half furlongs, the Gold Cup is the ultimate test for elite staying chasers. The most coveted prize in the sport, and the winner takes home over £350,000.
The Unibet Champion Hurdle (Tuesday, 4pm): Run over little more than two miles, the Champion Hurdle is for the fastest and most skilled hurdlers. It boasts a prize purse of over £250,000 for the winner.
The Queen Mother Champion Chase (Wednesday, 4pm): The two-mile championship contest for chasers, this race demands a combination of lightning-fast pace and precision jumping. There’s over £225,000 up for grabs for winning the Champion Chase.
The Ryanair Chase (Thursday, 4pm): With a distance of two miles and four furlongs, the Ryanair Chase appeals to horses who might have the pace for the Champion Chase or the staying power for the Gold Cup. It has a winning prize purse of more than £210,000.
The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Thursday, 3:20pm): The biggest race of the year for long-distance hurdlers, this three-mile contest demands slick jumping and a big engine. It has the smallest of the championship prize purses, with just over £180,000 for the winner.
Beyond those races, the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Arkle Novices’ Chase, Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, Turners Novices’ Hurdle and Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle are all top-level novice contests and frequently produce future stars that compete in the championship races.
All races are available to stream for logged in users on LiveScoreBet.
Related article: Cheltenham Festival: Current riders with best festival records
How much is it to attend the Cheltenham Festival?
Ticket prices vary by enclosure, the day of the meeting and how far in advance you book. Super early bird tickets for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival started from as little as £35, with ticket prices increasing gradually the closer you book to the meeting.
At the time of writing, you can book the Best Mate Enclosure from £54, the Tattersalls Enclosure from £73.80 and the Club Enclosure from £103.50. That is still a discount on the on-the-day gate price, which will be £70, £91, and £126, respectively.
It’s worth noting that Gold Cup Day is now sold out.
Here’s a breakdown of the three main enclosures:
Best Mate Enclosure: The most affordable option, located opposite the main grandstand and adjacent to the finish line.
Tattersalls Enclosure: Mid-tier, giving access to the popular Guinness Village, lower section of the grandstand and a wider range of bars and food options.
Club Enclosure: Premium access to the main grandstand, Members’ Lawn and fantastic views of the winning post.
There is a wide range of hospitality packages available, including restaurants and boxes to private rooms. At the time of writing, the cheapest restaurant package comes in at £694 for the Mandarin, with the most expensive from £1,728 for the Shared Chez Roux Box.
All private box packages include a private bar facility, club admission with complimentary car parking, official racecard, TV coverage and betting services, and a dedicated hospitality team, though prices for these are available on request.
Public car parking at the racecourse is £20 for each day if you book in advance, but there is also a park and ride option available for £15 per day.
Food and drink prices can vary from location to location on the racecourse, but if you’re attending this year, you might be happy to hear that drink prices have been reduced. The price of Guinness on site has been reduced by 30p to £7.50, taking it back to 2022’s price.
What changes have been made for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival?
There have been several notable changes to the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. Alongside lowering the price of food, drink, and tickets, there have been notable upgrades to the customer experience, with over £1 million spent on refurbishments, a new PA system, and the construction of a new covered food area.
The maximum crowd capacity has also been reduced to 66,000 per day to address concerns over overcrowding and improve the overall experience for racegoers at the Cheltenham Festival.
There have also been more changes to the actual race schedule. The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle has been moved from its traditional Tuesday slot to Thursday, meaning it will now run on the New course instead of the Old Course.
The TrustATrader Plate Handicap has been moved from Thursday to Tuesday, also meaning a change in courses. The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and the Ryanair Chase have swapped times on St. Patrick’s Thursday, while several races, including the Champion Bumper and Cup Handicap Hurdle, have had their field sizes reduced.
The Cup Handicap Hurdle is undergoing another major change, as BetMGM have been announced as the race’s new sponsor after Coral ended their long-standing relationship with the race earlier this year.
