Cheltenham Festival 2025: New race off times and complete schedule for jump racing’s biggest meeting

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL is the biggest week of the racing year - and an awesome punting puzzle to solve.

There are 28 races across four days featuring 12 Grade 1s and a whole load of top class handicap action.

1

The event has been dominated by Irish trainers in recent years, most notably Willie Mullins.

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He, alongside Gordon Elliott, Gavin Cromwell and Henry de Bromhead will aim for all the top prizes.

While the home team, led by the likes of Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton will aim to stop them.

Below, you'll find a breakdown of every day of Cheltenham - with some key changes to take note of.

The big race of every day is now off at 4pm having been 3.30pm previously.

And the start time of every race has been moved forward ten minutes.

A number of races have also undergone changes, most notably the Cross Country Chase now being a handicap and the National Hunt Chase being opened up to professional jockeys.

Also, the 2m4 Grade 1 novice chase has been replaced with a Grade 2 handicap over the same distance.

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Day 1 Champion Day - Tuesday March 11

1.20pm The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1)
2.00pm The My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
2.40pm The Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
3.20pm The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1)
4.00pm The Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
4.40pm The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race (Premier Handicap)
5.20pm The National Hunt Novices’ Chase (Novices’ Steeple Chase) (Novices' Handicap)

Day 2 Style Wednesday - Wednesday March 12

1.20pm The Turners Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1)
2.00pm The Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase
2.40pm The Coral Cup Hurdle (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Premier Handicap)
3.20pm The Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase
4.00pm The BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase (Grade 1)
4.40pm The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Premier Handicap)
5.20pm The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Standard Open NH Flat Race) (Grade 1)

Day 3 St Patrick's Day - Thursday March 13

1.20pm The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
2.00pm The Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
2.40pm The Pertemps Network Final (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Listed) (Premier Handicap)
3.20pm The Ryanair Steeple Chase (Grade 1)
4.00pm The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
4.40pm The TrustATrader Plate (A Handicap Steeple Chase) (Premier Handicap)
5.20pm The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase

Day 4 Gold Cup Day - Friday March 14

1.20pm The JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)
2.00pm The William Hill County Handicap Hurdle Race (Premier Handicap)
2.40pm The Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Steeple Chase (Grade 2)
3.20pm The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1)
4.00pm The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase (Grade 1)
4.40pm The St. James’s Place Festival Hunters Chase
5.20pm Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (0-145)

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