Cheltenham Festival

The pinnacle of the Jumps racing season. The Cheltenham Festival is the highlight in the sports calendar. Not only is it the biggest event for racing fans but also the bookmakers themselves. Whether it`s the best offers or Cheltenham tips you’re after our guide has you covered.


Cheltenham Festival Tips

Cheltenham Festival Day 4 Friday Preview Tips

Gold Cup day betting preview and tips
Read more

Cheltenham Festival Day 3 Thursday Preview Tips

Day 3 Cheltenham Festival betting preview and tips
Read more

Cheltenham Festival Day 2 Wednesday Preview Tips

Champion Chase day betting preview and tips
Read more

Cheltenham Festival Day 1 Tuesday Preview Tips

Champion Hurdle day betting preview and tips
Read more

UK Sports - Bet £10 get £30

  • Great Welcome Offer
  • Strong game offering
  • Live Dealer Games

UK HR - Bet £10 Get £30

  • Vast Offering
  • Top Payment methods
  • Great Offers

UK HR - Bet £20 Get £30

  • Esports betting
  • Strong game offering
  • Vast Payment Methods

UK Sports - Bet £20 Get £40

  • Multiple Game Providers
  • Live dealer Games
  • Betting Features

UK Sports - Up To £10 In Free Bets

  • Great Welcome Offer
  • Competitive Odds
  • Huge Offer

UK Horse Racing - Bet 25 Get 50GBP

  • Extensive Markets
  • Impressive Live Interface
  • Multiple Promotions

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets

  • Deposit bonus
  • Paying extra places
  • Best odds guaranteed

UK Horse Racing - Bet 10 Get 20GBP

  • Mobile Friendly
  • Vast Offering
  • Great Odds

50% Back On 1st Day Losses (Up to £25)

  • Good range of promotions
  • Top HR product
  • Competitive odds

Up to £40 + £10 Casino Bonus

  • Excellent promotions
  • Top odds and boosts
  • Vast range of games

UK Sports - 10% Cashback Always!

  • Great Offers
  • Secure environment
  • Multiple Games

Cheltenham Festival

Think of National Hunt Jumps Racing and one meeting spring to mind the Cheltenham Festival is the highlight of the season. Known effectively as the Olympics of the sport but thankfully we don`t have to wait 4 years with the event held on March annually at the famous Prestbury Park race course.

the  four days in March and is widely considered the pinnacle of the jump racing season. There are a total of 28 incredible Cheltenham races, featuring 14 Grade 1 events contested in front of more than 65,000 racegoers each day. Every owner, jockey and trainer dreams of a winner at the Cheltenham Festival, cementing their place in history alongside some of the legends of the sport including Denman, Kauto Star and Istabraq.

Thousands of racing fans make the pilgrimage each year with the best horses from both sides of the Irish Sea doing battle across 4 days of thrilling sport. Each day features championship races including the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase Stayers Hurdle and the blue ribband event itself the Cheltenham Gold Cup itself

The likes of trainers Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson head the English challenge as there horses do battle with the likes of runners from Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliot from Ireland.

That’s not the only head-to-head battle that occurs during Cheltenham Festival week though as such is the statue of the Cheltenham Festival now it`s often a case of all roads lead to Cheltenham during the Jumps season so racing fans will have been studying the form and it certainly is a case of putting your money where you mouth is in terms of the annual punter v bookmaker to see who comes out on top.

Set in the heart of the Cotswolds, Cheltenham racecourse has hosted racing since 1815 and now showcases some of the best jump racing in Britain.

To add to the excitement, there is an ongoing rivalry between Great Britain and Ireland which has been celebrated in recent years with the introduction of the Prestbury Cup. The two nations compete against one another to accumulate the most winners at the Cheltenham Festival. The side to win the most wins at Cheltenham in 2023 is presented with the Prestbury Cup at the end of the week.

Last year the Prestbury Cup was claimed by Irish trainers with a total of 18 wins compared to 10 for the British trainers.

 

UK Sports - Deposit £10 Bet £10 Get £30

  • Attractive promotions
  • Vast market offering
  • No withdrawal limit

UK Sports - Up To £10 In Free Bets

  • Great Welcome Offer
  • Competitive Odds
  • Huge Offer

Uk Sports - Bet £10 Get £30

  • Multiple Promotions
  • Fast Processing
  • Loyalty Club

UK HR - Bet £20 Get £30

  • Esports betting
  • Strong game offering
  • Vast Payment Methods

UK Sports - Bet £10 Get £20

  • Multiple Game Providers
  • Live dealer Games
  • Betting Features

Finding Cheltenham Festival winners

Recent form, Trainers to follow or simply names and colours. Many of us have our own way of finding winners at arguably the greatest 4 days racing of the year.

Our race-by-race guides including Cheltenham key race trends and Festival betting stats along with form analysis by our team of racing expert hopefully should help steer you in the right direction and provide you with the best Cheltenham Festival tips and insight around. Add to this the latest and best bookmaker offers and you’ve come to the right place to make this year’s Cheltenham a enjoyable and profitable one

The Course

Cheltenham actually has 2 courses on the main track cross country being the other within the infield and unique in its own right. Whilst both courses are left-handed, undulating with a stiff uphill finish there are actually some characteristics that are notably different which can have a impact on how races play out. The old course is deemed the much quicker of the 2 and you often need a handier type who travels within themselves comfortably. Whilst on the new course over hurdles stamina can be the key assets with only 2 hurdles in just under the final mile its often the case that races develop too early. During the Festival the old course host the initial 2 days with the new course used on Thursday and Friday.

Ground conditions

Underfoot conditions are one of the key factors which can impact a horse’s performance. Having a understanding of likely ground conditions and any keeping a watchful eye on likely weather forecast can prove pivotal when deciding where to place your money.

Many horses thrive under certain conditions especially when it comes to extremes of going for example only certain horses will have the right physical characteristics or pedigree to handle deep heavy ground. It` also worth noting that many horses improve for the usual likely spring ground after having found things much tougher during the winter months.

Top Trainers

Like most of us trainers are creatures of habits, they will buy a particular type of horse and map races out well in advance leading up to Cheltenham itself so the past is often a good indication of the future.

Much talk in recent years have been the Irish trained dominance at the festival. With the trainer leading the way being Willie Mullins leading trainer. He`s won the Leading trainer award numerous times in recent years and will most likely be a short priced favourite to do so once more this year. He also scooped 10 victories last season so it pays to follow the Closutton maestro. If the Willie Mullins dominance wasn’t enough the likes of Gordon Elliot whose handicap runners especially should be noted and Henry De Bromhead who has tasted plenty success recently with likes of Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard and Champion mare Honyesuckle add plenty of depth to the Irish challenger. As can be seen below Gavin Cromwell has become some what of a target trainer with a small number of runners along with the ultra-shrewd Tony Martin

it’s no surprise that’s the likes of Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson dominate the English challenge in terms of quantity of winners. While David Pipes handicap runners can be worthy of consideration.

Top trainers last ten years with 10 or more runners

Trainer Runners  Wins  Win%  Places  Place%
Cromwell, Gavin Patrick 22 4 18.18% 6 27.27%
Elliott, Gordon 259 32 12.36% 92 35.52%
Mullins, W P 527 64 12.14% 167 31.69%
Martin, A J 34 4 11.76% 10 29.41%
Bromhead, Henry De 142 15 10.56% 37 26.06%
Curtis, Miss Rebecca 44 4 9.09% 5 11.36%
Harrington, Mrs John 47 4 8.51% 12 25.53%
Henderson, N J 323 26 8.05% 85 26.32%
Pipe, D E 120 7 5.83% 19 15.83%
ONeill, Jonjo 104 6 5.77% 16 15.38%
Nicholls, P F 244 14 5.74% 44 18.03%

Lowest performing trainers last ten years with 20 or more runners

Trainer  Runners  Wins  Win%  Places  Place%
Daly, H D 20 0 0% 1 5%
Ferguson, J P 36 0 0% 1 2.78%
Keighley, M 23 0 0% 2 8.70%
Longsdon, C E 52 0 0% 2 3.85%
McCain Jnr, D 34 0 0% 3 8.82%
Morris, M F 21 0 0% 4 19.05%
Newland, Dr R D P 30 0 0% 2 6.67%
OBrien, Fergal 41 0 0% 6 14.63%
Vaughan, Tim 23 0 0% 1 4.35%
George, T R 65 1 1.54% 12 18.46%
Moore, G L 49 1 2.04% 6 12.24%
Mulholland, N P 45 1 2.22% 4 8.89%
Williams, Evan 37 1 2.70% 6 16.22%
Lavelle, Miss E C 34 1 2.94% 6 17.65%

 

Top Jockeys

Paul Townend has led the way in recent years thanks to his long-established partnership with trainer Willie Mullins.

In 2021 Rachel Blackmore became the first female rider to be leading jockey at the meeting winning 6 races across the 4 days including success with the unbeaten at the time wonder mare Honeysuckle in the Champion hurdle.

Experience can pay when it comes to the big occasions and it can often pay to focus on the established jockeys within the weighing room. That’s especially true when it comes to races in which amateur riders take the stage with the Codfather Jamie Codd showing a seriously impressive strike rate in recent years.

Top jockeys last 10 years 3 or more winners

Jockey Runners  Wins  Win%  Places  Place%
Codd, Mr J J 35 8 22.86% 16 45.71%
Walsh, R 111 25 22.52% 48 43.24%
Donoghue, K M 14 3 21.43% 6 42.86%
Blackmore, Rachael 71 12 16.90% 20 28.17%
Boinville, Nico 94 15 15.96% 30 31.91%
Townend, P 147 22 14.97% 58 39.46%
Geraghty, B J 121 18 14.88% 39 32.23%
Kennedy, J W 70 10 14.29% 27 38.57%
Russell, D N 113 16 14.16% 43 38.05%
Powell, Brendan 30 3 10% 4 13.33%
Cooper, Bryan J 100 9 9% 32 32%
Mullins, Mr P W 57 5 8.77% 17 29.82%
Walsh, M P 81 7 8.64% 19 23.46%

 

Lowest performing jockeys last 10 years 20 or more rides

Jockey Runners  Wins  Win%  Places  Place%
Aspell, Leighton 23 0 0% 1 4.35%
Bellamy, Tom 21 0 0% 1 4.76%
Biddick, Mr W 24 0 0% 3 12.50%
Bowen, Sean P 29 0 0% 2 6.90%
Brennan, P J 61 0 0% 12 19.67%
Casey, D J 21 0 0% 4 19.05%
Moore, Joshua 25 0 0% 2 8%
Mullins, David 50 0 0% 7 14%
ONeill, Mr B 25 0 0% 4 16%
Hutchinson, Wayne 56 1 1.79% 7 12.50%
OBrien, T J 51 1 1.96% 10 19.61%
Burke, Jonathan 47 1 2.13% 8 17.02%
ORegan, Denis 43 1 2.33% 3 6.98%
Heskin, A P 41 1 2.44% 6 14.63%
Cannon, Tom J 36 1 2.78% 5 13.89%
Deutsch, Charlie 36 1 2.78% 8 22.22%
Moore, Jamie 36 1 2.78% 5 13.89%
Waley-Cohen, Mr S 31 1 3.23% 11 35.48%
ONeill, Jonjo (Jr) 28 1 3.57% 2 7.14%
McGrath, Jeremiah 27 1 3.70% 7 25.93%
Flanagan, S W 25 1 4% 2 8%
Walsh, Ms K 24 1 4.17% 6 25%

 

Previous Form

As mentioned, Cheltenham is a pretty unique racecourse and it can take a certain type of horse to handle the demands. With that in mind it’s worth noting where horses have run previously on there final prep run before the festival itself. It’s no surprise to see the top grade 1 courses like Cheltenham itself and Leopardstown in Ireland with runners particularly from the Dublin Racing Festival having a good win % but what is more of a lesser-known fact is the performance of some of the smaller Irish courses like Tramore, Limerick, Thurles, Naas and Navan. On the other side of things its worth noting some course like Carlisle, Catterick and Chepstow to name just a few who have surprisingly not produced a Cheltenham Festival winner in the last 10 years.

Top performing tracks last time out minimum 3 wins last 10 years

(LR) Track Runners  Wins  Win%  Places  Place%
Tramore 8 3 37.50% 4 50%
Limerick 22 4 18.18% 6 27.27%
Thurles 62 9 14.52% 15 24.19%
Naas 131 17 12.98% 44 33.59%
Navan 113 13 11.50% 28 24.78%
Leopardstown 619 67 10.82% 195 31.50%
Cheltenham 474 39 8.23% 112 23.63%
Fairyhouse 127 9 7.09% 30 23.62%
Warwick 170 12 7.06% 33 19.41%
Punchestown 192 13 6.77% 41 21.35%
Sandown 197 13 6.60% 36 18.27%
Exeter 96 5 5.21% 12 12.50%
Gowran Park 110 5 4.55% 20 18.18%
Kempton 294 12 4.08% 55 18.71%
Ascot 255 10 3.92% 46 18.04%
Wincanton 92 3 3.26% 11 11.96%
Newbury 292 9 3.08% 44 15.07%
Doncaster 209 6 2.87% 30 14.35%
Haydock 198 4 2.02% 23 11.62%

 

Worst performing tracks last time out last 10 years

(LR) Track Runners  Wins  Win%  Places  Place%
Carlisle 15 0 0% 5 33.33%
Catterick 20 0 0% 2 10%
Chepstow 77 0 0% 16 20.78%
Fakenham 14 0 0% 4 28.57%
Fontwell 35 0 0% 4 11.43%
Lingfield 34 0 0% 1 2.94%
Ludlow 49 0 0% 5 10.20%
Market Rasen 36 0 0% 3 8.33%
Newcastle 24 0 0% 1 4.17%
Sedgefield 10 0 0% 1 10%
Southwell 14 0 0% 0 0%
Stratford 18 0 0% 1 5.56%
Taunton 49 0 0% 8 16.33%
Wolverhampton 10 0 0% 0 0%
Musselburgh 108 2 1.85% 13 12.04%
Leicester 36 1 2.78% 3 8.33%
Wetherby 71 2 2.82% 10 14.08%
Huntingdon 60 2 3.33% 9 15%
Kelso 47 2 4.26% 4 8.51%

 

Cheltenham Favourites

It`s easy to  think that given the competitive nature of the racing at the Cheltenham Festival that plenty of big price winners can be expected. Whilst we will always see the occasional winner at fancy odds the performance of those towards the head of the market and in particular favourites in recent years is worth noting. Considering that these are the longest established markets of the season and with more known about the majority of horses than in other races across the year then there is some logic to why favourites at the Cheltenham Festival perform so well. It`s also worth mentioning this record improves considerably in many of the championship races like the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and the Gold Cup itself.

Cheltenham winners based on market position last 10 years

Pos Odds Market Runners  Wins  Win%  Places  Place%
Clear Top 253 80 31.62% 146 57.71%
Joint Top 51 4 7.84% 22 43.14%
Clear Second 227 40 17.62% 110 48.46%
Joint Second 54 4 7.41% 23 42.59%
Clear Third 205 22 10.73% 77 37.56%
Joint Third 93 11 11.83% 28 30.11%
Clear Fourth 193 13 6.74% 56 29.02%
Joint Fourth 82 2 2.44% 26 31.71%
Fifth or Worse 423 9 2.13% 49 11.58%

 

Cheltenham Festival  – Tuesday Champion Hurdle day

Are you ready for the roar!! The Cheltenham Festival kicks off in style which the traditional curtain raiser being the Supreme Hurdle. A race in which Willie Mullins has tasted plenty of success in recent years its often a race which starts the now Irish dominance in the Hurdle division. Nicky Henderson usually has something to say on that matter for including when successful last season with now Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill.

The Arkle gives next seasons potential Champion Chase prospects a chance to show there a race in which many horses have gone on to do the double including the likes of the great Moscow Flyer and in more recent times Sprinter Sacre and Altior

The big race on Cheltenham Day One though is Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy, this is the pinnacle of the sport for 2m hurdlers and has seen many great winners in the past including triple winner Istrabaq, Hurricane Fly and in most recent times 2 sensational mares in the shape of Annie Power and Honeysuckle

Time Race Distance Type Class
1.30 pm Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 2m 1/2f Hurdle Grade 1
2.10 pm Arkle Challenge Trophy 2m Chase Grade 1
2.50 pm Ultima Handicap Chase 3m 1f Chase Class 1
3.30 pm Champion Hurdle 2m 1/2f Hurdle Grade 1
4.10 pm Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle 2m 4f Hurdle Grade 1
4.50 pm Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle 2m 4 1/2f Chase Class 1
5.30 pm NH Challenge Cup Novices’ Chase 3m 6f Chase Grade 2

 

Cheltenham Festival  – Festival Wednesday Champion Chase day

The second day starts again with the novice hurdlers and once again it1s also a race in which the Irish trained runners have dominated in recent years. Many horses come with big reputations and conquer here including the likes of Sir Gerhard, Envoi Allen and the mighty Faugheen.

First of seven races on Day 2 is the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. Run over 2m5f, some exceptionally exciting talents have won it in recent years.

The highlight of day 2 though is Queen Mother Champion Chase is race four. The ultimate speed test for chases  Two miles over fences at Championship pace requires a particular type who cn travel and jump with ultimate accuracy and speed to succeed. The roll of honour for this race is a whos who of the jumping game including dual winners Altior, Sprinter Sacre, Master Minded and Moscow Flyer.

Tiger roll has added interest to the Cross-Country chase in recent times and the hope of seeing future stars in the Champion Bumper add further interest to the days racing in which another race in which the Irsh and most notably Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliot have dominated in recent years.

Time Race Distance Type Class
1.30 pm Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle 2m 5f Hurdle Grade 1
2.10 pm Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase 3m 1/2f Chase Grade 1
2.50 pm Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle 2m 5f Hurdle Class 1
3.30 pm Queen Mother Champion Chase 2m Chase Grade 1
4.10 pm Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase 3m 6f X Country Class 2
4.50 pm Grand Annual Handicap Chase 2m 1/2f Chase Class 1
5.30 pm Weatherbys Champion Bumper 2m 1/2f NH Flat Class 1

 

Cheltenham Festival  – St Patricks Thursday Ryanair Chase – Stayers Hurdle day

St Patricks day Thursday and its another treat for horse racing fans with 2 feature races the Ryanair Chase and Stayers Hurdle. The former is run over the intermediate trip and is a race in which Willie Mullins has dominated in recent years winning including success with dual winner Allaho, Min, Un De Sceaux and Vautour. A race that is now firmly established its also had some great stories in recent times thanks to the likes of Frodon who was successful under Bryony Frost and Uxizandre giving champion jockey Tony Mccoy his final success at the Cheltenham Festival. The other feature race on the Thursday is the Stayers Hurdle a race in which we have seen plenty of repeat winners most recently with Flooring Porter, four time winner Big Bucks and three time winner Inglis Drever

Time Race Distance Type Class
1.30 pm Turners Novices’ Chase 2m 4f Chase Grade 1
2.10 pm Pertemps Network Final 3m Hurdle Class 1
2.50 pm Ryanair Steeplechase 2m 5f Chase Grade 1
3.30 pm Stayers’ Hurdle 3m Hurdle Grade 1
4.10 pm Plate Handicap Chase 2m 5f Chase Class 1
4.50 pm Mares Novices’ Hurdle 2m 1f Hurdle Grade 2
5.30 pm Kim Muir Challenge Cup 3m 2f Chase Class 2

Cheltenham Festival  – Friday Gold Cup Day

The feature on the final day is the Cheltenham Gold Cup it’s the pinnacle race of the Cheltenham Festival whether you’re a trainer, jockey owner or punter it’s the one that we all want the winner of.

A race of huge stature its one in which never fails to provide great sporting drama and a story which goes down in racing history. Golden Miller managed the most wins in this race with five wins, then we have a hattrick of triple winners in the shaper of Cottage Rake the great Arkle and then Best Mate, who completed a hat trick in 2004. In more recent times we have seen the epic battle of champion trainer’s duo Denman and Kauto Star who both tasted success in the race. Over the last few years its again the Irish who have dominated with the likes Al Boum Photo and Minella Indo followed by A Plus Tard giving jockey Rachel Blackmore the honours of becoming the first female jockey to win the race.

The day kicks off with the Triumph Hurdle a race in which the top Juvenile hurdlers face up against each other followed by one of the most fiercely competitive handicaps of the season the County handicap hurdle.

Time Race Distance Type Class
1.30 pm JCB Triumph Hurdle 2m 1f Chase Grade 1
2.10 pm County Handicap Hurdle 2m 1f Hurdle Class 1
2.50 pm Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 3m Hurdle Grade 1
3.30 pm The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup 3m 2 1/2f Chase Grade 1
4.10 pm St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup 3m 2 1/2f Chase Class 2
4.50 pm Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase 2m 1/2f Chase Grade 2
5.30 pm Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle 2m 4 1/2f Chase Class 2

 


Cheltenham Festival FAQs

The 2023 Cheltenham Festival begins on Tuesday 14th March with the final day being on Friday 17th March 2023.
The blue ribband event of the week is the Cheltenham Gold Cup ran on the final day of the meeting.
Cheltenham Festival takes place across four days, with 7 races on every day from the Tuesday until the Friday.
This is all down to personal preference. The sense of anticipation and excitement makes the Tuesday where the Champion Hurdle is the feature race of the day a favourite for many. Wednesday sees the fastest chases around battle it out in the Champion Chase. While the bonus of 2 feature races with the Ryanair Chase and Stayers Hurdle taking place on Thursday makes it a something for every one day. The climax of the meeting though is the Friday and the traditional favourite day with the blue ribband event of the week the Gold Cup being ran.
All races are shown live on RacingTV, along with the first five races per day being shown on ITV. Most bookmakers also off live streaming of the races themselves
The first Cheltenham Festival dates back to 1860, but it was hosted at Prestbury Park in 1911 where the meeting has been held at since.
Many bookmakers improve there promotions for the Cheltenham Festival especially when it comes to new customer bookmaker offers. Check out the latest offers on our Cheltenham bookmakers page.
Yes along with the best bookmakers offers we also have our own resident Horse Racing expert who will be providing his Cheltenham Festival tips free.
That’s fine don’t we all. Our Cheltenham festival guide gives punters the edge, whether its Champion hurdle past winners, Champion Chase stats, Stayers Hurdle form or the Gold Cup trends your after we have you covered.
A negative of placing an ante-post bet is that should your horse should not make the race you will lose your stake. Many major bookmakers offer the concession to punters for this to not be the case and offer the non-runner no bet on their ante post Cheltenham Festival betting. Simply your stake will be returned should your selection not take part.
This again is another bookmaker concession which many firms offer during the Cheltenham Festival. Bookmakers offer additional place terms to that of the standard offering. For example, if we see the 12 runners in the Gold Cup standard terms would be 1-2-3 where it pays to shop around as you will find bookmakers paying out on the fourth place for each way terms 1-2-3-4. This can be enhanced further with some of the competitive handicaps like the County Hurdle at the meeting where each way returns can be available down to 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 places.