About The Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is undoubtedly the highlight of the UK’s National Hunt season. The iconic meeting’s history dates back to 1860 with Prestbury Park becoming the permanent home of the Festival in 1911.
The Cheltenham Festival has been staged across four days since 2005. Held in mid-March, the Cheltenham Festival runs from Tuesday to Friday and always coincides with St Patrick’s Day. There are an unprecedented 14 Grade 1 races staged across the four days with at least two Grade 1 renewals taking place on each day of the Festival.
The blue riband race of the Cheltenham Festival is the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Contested over 3m 2f, the Gold Cup is raced on the Friday and is the final Grade 1 race of the meeting. Notable past winners of the Gold Cup include some real National Hunt legends such as Kauto Star, Best Mate, Desert Orchid and Arkle.
Other Grade 1 races contested at the Cheltenham Festival include the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Arkle Challenge Trophy, Champion Hurdle, Mares Hurdle, Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Champion Bumper, Turners Novices’ Chase, Ryanair Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle, Triumph Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.