The eyes of the horse racing world will be on the United Kingdom in March as the prestigious 2025 Cheltenham Festival is staged.
The prestigious meeting is one of the busiest betting events of the year, with sportsbooks worldwide offering odds on National Hunt racing’s biggest occasion.
That point is evidenced to perfection in emerging betting jurisdictions such as the Middle East, where bookmakers have been offering odds on the meeting for several months.
Arab punters love indulging in horse racing betting and many of them fuel their passion for the Sport of Kings during the four-day extravaganza.
Those bettors will be in their element from March 11-14, as the top National Hunt horses in training strive to add their name to the Cheltenham Festival roll of honour.
If you are planning to attend or will be watching on television, read on as we provide a handy guide to enjoying the showpiece piece event at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Cheltenham Festival 2025 – Schedule
Day 1 – Tuesday, March 11 – Champion Day
- 1.20 pm – The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1) – 2m
- 2.00 pm – The My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) – 2m
- 2.40 pm – The Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) – 3m 1f
- 3.20 pm – The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1) – 2m 4f
- 4.00 pm – The Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) – 2m
- 4.40 pm – The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race (Premier Handicap) – 2m
- 5.20 pm – The National Hunt Novices’ Chase (Novices’ Steeple Chase) (Novices’ Handicap) – 3m 6f
Day 2 – Wednesday, March 12 – Style Wednesday
- 1.20 pm – The Turners Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1) – 2m 5f
- 2.00 pm – The Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase (Grade 1) – 3m
- 2.40 pm – The Coral Cup Hurdle (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Premier Handicap) – 2m 5f
- 3.20 pm – The Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase – 3m 5½f
- 4.00 pm – The BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase (Grade 1) – 2m
- 4.40 pm – The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Premier Handicap) – 2m
- 5.20 pm – The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Standard Open NH Flat Race) (Grade 1) – 2m
Day 3 – Thursday, March 13 – St Patrick’s Thursday
- 1.20 pm – The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) – 2m 1f
- 2.00 pm – The Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – 2m 4f
- 2.40 pm – The Pertemps Network Final (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Listed) (Premier Handicap) – 3m
- 3.20 pm – The Ryanair Steeple Chase (Grade 1) – 2m 4f
- 4.00 pm – The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – 3m
- 4.40 pm – The TrustATrader Plate (A Handicap Steeple Chase) (Premier Handicap) – 2m 4f
- 5.20 pm – The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase (0-145) – 3m 2f
Day 4 – Friday, March 14 – Gold Cup Day
- 1.20 pm – The JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) – 2m
- 2.00 pm – The William Hill County Handicap Hurdle Race (Premier Handicap) – 2m
- 2.40 pm – The Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Steeple Chase (Grade 2) – 2m 4f
- 3.20 pm – The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1) – 3m
- 4.00 pm – The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase (Grade 1) – 3m 2f
- 4.40 pm – The St. James’s Place Festival Hunters Chase – 3m 2f
- 5.20 pm – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (0-145) – 2m 4f
Cheltenham Festival 2025 – Racecourse Guide
Tickets for each of the three spacious enclosures at the Cheltenham Festival can be purchased online via the racecourse’s official website.
Club and Tattersalls offer a spectacular view of the action on the course, while Best Mate provides a head-on view down the home straight.
Cheltenham boasts an excellent transport infrastructure, making it easy to travel to the racecourse. There are also plenty of parking options if you are planning to drive.
There are a ton of hospitality options available at the racecourse designed to suit all budgets. From fast food to world-class restaurants, Cheltenham has it all.
Away from the thrill of horse racing and betting, the four-day meeting also offers visitors the chance to watch a wide range of live music across a variety of zones.
The Guinness Village is a great place to listen to Irish-themed music, while the Tattersalls Sales Arena is the best spot to experience classic hits under cover.
If you would rather enjoy relaxing acoustic tunes, The Centaur offers a more relaxing way to wind down after a busy day at the races.
For punters who are planning to watch the Festival on television, ITV Sport and Racing TV are offering extensive coverage across television and streaming platforms.