Cheltenham Festival 2025 Preview: Schedule & Betting Guide

The Cheltenham Festival is the peak of jump racing where champions are crowned, records are broken, and punters hit the jackpot.

Over four days of elite-level racing, it's one of the biggest betting events of the year – and at tether.bet, we're ready to dish up the best odds and markets!

History of the Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham Racecourse has hosted racing since 1815 in the heart of the Cotswolds. The Festival, as we know it today, began in 1911 and has grown into a national institution. From the legendary battles of Arkle and Mill House in the 1960s to Ruby Walsh's record 59 Festival wins, Cheltenham has given us moments to treasure.. It is seen as the most significant event in the horse racing calendar, with four spectacular days of action on and off the track.

Owners, jockeys, and trainers dream of winning at the Cheltenham Festival in front of approximately 68,500 racegoers daily.

Cheltenham Festival 2025 – Key Information

The 2025 Cheltenham Festival kicks off on Tuesday, 11 March, with Champion Day, where stars of the sport take centre stage.

Wednesday is all about flair and fashion with Style Wednesday, while Thursday’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations bring a true Irish flavour to the course.

The grand finale comes on Friday with Gold Cup Day – the most prestigious event in jump racing.

Seven races are on the program every day, a combination of bumper races, hurdle races, and steeplechase.

A mix of distance jumps and speed makes it a test for the jockey and horses.

Gold Cup 2025: Hunt for Galopin des Champs

Galopin Des Champs is chasing history! After back-to-back victories in 2023 and 2024, the Willie Mullins-trained superstar is aiming to become only the fifth horse to win three consecutive Gold Cups.

But he won’t have it easy – challengers like Inothewayurthinkin have history of winning in Cheltenham.

Inowthewayurthinkin won the Kim Muir Chase at Cheltenham last year before a Grade One victory at Aintree.

He also raced Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup last month, finishing fourth.

Banbridge won the King George VI Chase and fancies his chances in the Gold Cup.

Galopin Des Champs, the seven-year-old thoroughbred racehorse, won the Horse of the Year at the Horse Racing Ireland awards.

In the last race before Cheltenham, Galopin Des Champs won without much trouble at Leopardstown in the Irish Gold Cup Chase. It was his only appearance this year.

Want to improve your horse racing betting strategy and make smarter wagers at the Cheltenham Festival 2025? Check out our in-depth guide: How To Bet On Horse Racing: Tips And Strategies For Winning

Cheltenham Festival 2025 – Race Schedule (UK Time)

Day 1: Champion Day – Tuesday 11 March 2025

• 13:20 The Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – Hurdle

• 14:00 The My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) – Chase

• 14:40 The Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) – Chase

• 15:20 The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – Hurdle

• 16:00 The Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) – Hurdle

• 16:40 The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) – Hurdle

• 17:20 The National Hunt Novices’ Chase – Chase

Day 2: Style Wednesday – Wednesday 12 March 2025

• 13:20 The Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – Hurdle

• 14:00 The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – Chase

Ballyburn is bookies favourite ahead of The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

• 14:40 The Coral Cup Hurdle (Premier Handicap) – Hurdle

• 15:20 The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase – Chase

• 16:00 The BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) – Chase

• 16:40 The Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) – Chase

• 17:20 The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) – Bumper

Day 3: St Patrick’s Thursday – Thursday 13 March 2025

• 13:20 The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) – Hurdle

• 14:00 The Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase – Chase

• 14:40 The Pertemps Network Final (Premier Handicap) – Hurdle

• 15:20 The Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) – Chase

• 16:00 The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – Hurdle

• 16:40 The TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) – Chase

• 17:20 The Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase – Chase

Day 4: Gold Cup Day – Friday 14 March 2025

• 13:20 The JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) – Hurdle

• 14:00 The William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) – Hurdle

• 14:40 The Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (Grade 2) – Chase

• 15:20 The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – Hurdle

• 16:00 The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) – Chase

• 16:40 The St. James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase – Chase

• 17:20 The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle – Hurdle

Cheltenham Festival Facts

• Cheltenham Racecourse has hosted racing since 1815.

• The Cheltenham Festival runs for four days in March.

• The Festival features 28 races, including 14 Grade 1 events.

• Over 65,000 racegoers attend each day.

• The Prestbury Cup is contested between Great Britain and Ireland.

• In 2024, Irish trainers won 18 races, while British trainers won 9.

• 229,999 – Total attendance in 2024

• £4.771.051,00 total prize money in 2023

• £2.711.376,00 of the total purse went to the winners in 2023

• £170.395,00 average purse per race

• £351.000,00 prize money for winner of the most prestigious Gold Cup race