The Cheltenham Festival 2027 runs from Tuesday 16 March to Friday 19 March 2027 at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, England. Four days of elite National Hunt racing produce 28 races including four championship contests, culminating in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the Friday afternoon.
What is the Cheltenham Festival?
The Cheltenham Festival is the most prestigious meeting of the National Hunt jumps racing season in the British Isles. Held annually in March, it brings together the best jumps horses, trainers and jockeys from Britain and Ireland for four days of high-stakes competition. Total prize money exceeds £5 million, with the Festival serving as the unofficial championship of jumps racing.
The four days are themed around the Festival’s championship races. Champion Day on Tuesday features the Champion Hurdle, the leading two-mile hurdle race. Style Wednesday includes the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the championship for two-mile chasers. St Patrick’s Thursday hosts the Stayers’ Hurdle, the long-distance hurdle title. Gold Cup Day on Friday is built around the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the most coveted race in jumps racing.
Beyond the championships, the meeting features classics including the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the Arkle Challenge Trophy, the Ryanair Chase, the World Hurdle and the Triumph Hurdle. The Festival is also home to the Anglo-Irish rivalry that defines modern jumps racing, with Irish-trained horses winning the majority of races in recent years.
When is the Cheltenham Festival 2027?
The 2027 Cheltenham Festival takes place from Tuesday 16 March to Friday 19 March 2027. Each day features seven races, with the first race typically off at 1:30pm GMT and the last around 5:30pm. The Gold Cup itself is run at approximately 4:00pm GMT on Friday 19 March.
Where is the Cheltenham Festival?
Cheltenham Racecourse sits in Prestbury Park, on the outskirts of the spa town of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, south-west England. The course is a left-handed undulating circuit with a stiff uphill finish that has tested the stamina of generations of jumps horses. The racecourse can accommodate more than 67,000 spectators on Gold Cup Day. The Cheltenham Cross Country Course, used for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, runs through the centre of the main track.
Key Contenders
The Cheltenham Festival is contested by the leading jumps stables from Britain and Ireland. Irish trainer Willie Mullins has dominated the Festival in recent years, regularly leading the trainers’ championship and saddling the favourites in many of the championship races. Other major Irish stables include those of Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead and Joseph O’Brien.
British challengers are typically led by trainers Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton, with established stars and emerging novices targeting Festival prizes. Top jockeys include Rachael Blackmore, Paul Townend, Sean Bowen, Harry Cobden and Harry Skelton. Specific entries for the 2027 Festival are confirmed in the weeks leading up to the meeting.
How to Watch
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, ITV1 and ITV4 broadcast live coverage of every race at the Festival on free-to-air television. Racing TV provides additional coverage and full course-side analysis to subscribers. Sky Sports Racing also carries selected coverage. International audiences in the United States, Australia and Asia can watch via Racing TV’s international streaming service. Racing Post provides in-running coverage online.
History and Records
The Cheltenham Festival in its current form dates back to 1911 when the National Hunt meeting moved permanently to Prestbury Park. The Cheltenham Gold Cup was first run as a chase in 1924. Golden Miller is the only horse to have won five consecutive Gold Cups, between 1932 and 1936. Best Mate emulated parts of that record with three consecutive wins from 2002 to 2004.
Willie Mullins set a Festival record of ten winners at a single meeting in 2022. Ruby Walsh holds the record for the most riding winners at the Festival with 59 victories. Istabraq won the Champion Hurdle three times in a row from 1998 to 2000. The legendary Arkle won the 1964, 1965 and 1966 Gold Cups.
Tickets and Attendance
Tickets are sold by The Jockey Club via cheltenhamfestival.co.uk and the racecourse box office. Enclosure options range from the Best Mate Enclosure to the Tattersalls and Club enclosures, each offering different views and facilities. Hospitality packages provide premium dining and access. Gold Cup Day is the most expensive and sought-after, with all four days regularly selling out in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Cheltenham Festival 2027 start?
Tuesday 16 March 2027, with the first race at approximately 1:30pm GMT.
Where is the Cheltenham Festival being held?
Cheltenham Racecourse, Prestbury Park, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.
How can I watch the Cheltenham Festival?
ITV1 and ITV4 in the UK and Ireland, Racing TV for subscribers, Racing TV International for overseas viewers.
Who won the last Cheltenham Gold Cup?
The Cheltenham Gold Cup has been dominated by Irish-trained horses in recent years, with Galopin Des Champs winning back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024 for Willie Mullins.