Horse Racing
2025 Cheltenham Festival Prize Money For ALL 28 Races Ranked From Most Lucrative To Least Valuable
Andy is a horse racing journalist and betting expert who specializes in trends and stats. With his long association with TrainersQuotes and FromTheStables, Andy has also built up solid s with some of the best stables in the UK. Has written for GeeGeez and bookmakers Matchbook and BetBright in the past too, plus was the former sports betting editor of odds comparison site Easyodds and Juicestorm. Has also appeared on betting podcasts for MatchBook and has featured in the popular Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Guide in the past. Andy's also ghost written for former top jockey Richard Dunwoody and continues to have a monthly column in the Racing Ahead horse racing magazine. Now a regular on Sportscasting giving his views, trends and tips mainly on horse racing - if there's a stat to be explored and it's a sport, Andy is sure to find a betting angle to use. You can also hear Andy's weekly horse racing views and best bets on the popular Final Furlong podcast.
Get to know Andy Newton betterPublished09 Mar 2025
With the biggest four days of jumps racing on the horizon here at SportsCasting we look at 2025 Cheltenham Festival prize money over the meeting – including which race is the most valuable, just how much winnings are on offer throughout the entire fixture, plus rank ALL 28 races based on their purses.
2025 Cheltenham Festival Winner Prize Money Ranked By Race
See below ALL 28 races ranked by their winning Cheltenham Festival prize money – with the Gold Cup way out in front with £351,688 on offer.
If the hot favourite with the best betting sites in the UK – Galopin Des Champs – can win a third Gold Cup he’ll take his total career earnings to just shy of £2m at £1,996,382.
The Gold Cup prize money stands at £98,473 more than the Champion Hurdle and a massive £327,243 more than the St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase, which is the race that follows the Gold Cup on the Friday.
| Rank | Cheltenham Festival Race | Class | Total Prize Money | Prize Money Winner |
| 1 | Cheltenham Gold Cup | Grade 1 | £625,000 | £351,688 |
| 2 | Champion Hurdle | Grade 1 | £450,000 | £253,215 |
| 3 | Queen Mother Champion Chase | Grade 1 | £400,000 | £225,080 |
| 4 | Ryanair Chase (ed as the Festival Trophy) | Grade 1 | £375,000 | £211,013 |
| 5 | Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | £325,000 | £182,878 |
| 6- | Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase | Grade 1 | £200,000 | £112,540 |
| 6- | Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (ed as the Broadway) | Grade 1 | £200,000 | £112,540 |
| 7- | Supreme Novices’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 7- | Ultima Handicap Chase | Premier Handicap | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 7- | Turners Novices’ Hurdle (ed as the Baring Bingham) | Grade 1 | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 7- | Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase | Premier Handicap | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 7- | TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase | Premier Handicap | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 7- | JCB Triumph Hurdle | Grade 1 | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 7- | Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (ed as the Spa) | Grade 1 | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 8 | Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (ed as the Liberthine) | Grade 2 | £120,000 | £73,151 |
| 9 | Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | £120,000 | £67,524 |
| 10 | Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase | Grade 2 | £125,000 | £64,300 |
| 11- | County Hurdle | Premier Handicap | £100,000 | £61,897 |
| 11- | Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle | Premier Handicap | £100,000 | £61,897 |
| 11- | Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle | Premier Handicap | £100,000 | £61,897 |
| 12 | Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (ed as the Dawn Run) | Grade 2 | £105,000 | £59,084 |
| 13 | National Hunt Chase (Novices’ Handicap) | Class 2 | £100,000 | £52,030 |
| 14 | Weatherbys Champion Bumper | Grade 1 | £80,000 | £45,560 |
| 15 | Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle | Premier Handicap | £80,000 | £45,016 |
| 16- | Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (A Limited Handicap) | Class 2 | £75,000 | £39,023 |
| 16- | Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle | Class 2 | £75,000 | £39,023 |
| 17 | Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Amateur Riders) | Class 2 | £75,000 | £36,688 |
| 18 | St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase | Class 2 | 50,000 | £24,445 |
| TOTALS | £4,930,000 | £2,771,304 |
Day One Cheltenham Festival Prize Money: Tuesday 11th March 2025
The opening day of the Festival will see a stonking £1.25m in total Cheltenham Festival prize money on offer.
With the Champion Hurdle the most valuable Tuesday race at £450,000, of which £253,000 will go to the winner. Who the best horse racing betting sites in the UK feel will be the 2023 winner Constitution Hill as he currently heads the market.
Next best on day one is the Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase, with £112,540 on offer to the winner – which could go to one of the big Cheltenham bankers in Majborough this year.
| Time | Race | Class | Total Prize Money | Prize Money Winner |
| 1:20pm | Supreme Novices’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 2:00pm | Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase | Grade 1 | £200,000 | £112,540 |
| 2:40pm | Ultima Handicap Chase | Premier Handicap | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 3:20pm | Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | £120,000 | £67,524 |
| 4:00pm | Champion Hurdle | Grade 1 | £450,000 | £253,215 |
| 4:40pm | Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle | Premier Handicap | £80,000 | £45,016 |
| 5:20pm | National Hunt Chase (Novices’ Handicap) | Class 2 | £100,000 | £52,030 |
| TOTALS | £1,250,000 | £699,135 |
Day Two Cheltenham Festival Prize Money: Wednesday 12th March 2025
On the second day at the meeting and the Cheltenham Festival prize money dips slightly with £1.155m on offer over the seven races.
No surprises to see the day’s feature contest – the Queen Mother Champion Chase as the most lucrative on Wednesday – with £255,080 going to the winner.
Next best on day two is the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase with £112,540 on offer to the winning connections.
While the Cross Country Chase is the least valuable race on the second day with £39,023 banked for the winner.
| Time | Race | Class | Total Prize Money | Prize Money Winner |
| 1:20pm | Turners Novices’ Hurdle (ed as the Baring Bingham) | Grade 1 | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 2:00pm | Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (ed as the Broadway) | Grade 1 | £200,000 | £112,540 |
| 2:40pm | Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle | Premier Handicap | £100,000 | £61,897 |
| 3:20pm | Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (A Limited Handicap) | Class 2 | £75,000 | £39,023 |
| 4:00pm | Queen Mother Champion Chase | Grade 1 | £400,000 | £225,080 |
| 4:40pm | Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase | Premier Handicap | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 5:20pm | Weatherbys Champion Bumper | Grade 1 | £80,000 | £45,560 |
| TOTALS | £1,155,000 | £652,910 |
Day Three Cheltenham Festival Prize Money: Thursday 13th March 2025
The Cheltenham Festival prize money on day three jumps back up to a total of £1,255,000, which is mainly due to their being two championship races in the Ryanair Chase and the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Of the two the Ryanair carries the bigger purse with £211,013 going to the 2025 winner, while the Stayers’ Hurdle hero will net £182,878 for their owners.
The Kim Muir comes in last on the Thursday in of Cheltenham Festival prize money – with £36,668.
| Time | Race | Class | Total Prize Money | Prize Money Winner |
| 1:20pm | Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (ed as the Dawn Run) | Grade 2 | £105,000 | £59,084 |
| 2:00pm | Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase | Grade 2 | £125,000 | £64,300 |
| 2:40pm | Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle | Premier Handicap | £100,000 | £61,897 |
| 3:20pm | Ryanair Chase (ed as the Festival Trophy) | Grade 1 | £375,000 | £211,013 |
| 4:00pm | Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | £325,000 | £182,878 |
| 4:40pm | TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase | Premier Handicap | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 5:20pm | Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Amateur Riders) | Class 2 | £75,000 | £36,668 |
| TOTALS | £1,255,000 | £700,245 |
Day Four Cheltenham Festival Prize Money: Friday14th March 2025
It’s Gold Cup Day on the Friday and with this Blue Riband contest being the Festival flagbearer race it’s also the one that carries the most Cheltenham prize money.
The favourite this year is Galopin Des Champs, who is looking to win the race for a third year on the bounce – and, if he can win again, will also land £351,688 in prize money for his owner Mrs Audrey Turley.
Next best on the final day is the Triumph Hurdle and the Albert Barlett – both at £84,405 to the winner.
While the lowest overall Cheltenham Festival prize money race is also on day four – the St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase with just £24,445 going to the winner.
| Time | Race | Class | Total Prize Money | Prize Money Winner |
| 1:20pm | JCB Triumph Hurdle | Grade 1 | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 2:00pm | County Hurdle | Premier Handicap | £100,000 | £61,897 |
| 2:40pm | Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (ed as the Liberthine) | Grade 2 | £120,000 | £73,151 |
| 3:20pm | Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (ed as the Spa) | Grade 1 | £150,000 | £84,405 |
| 4:00pm | Cheltenham Gold Cup | Grade 1 | £625,000 | £351,688 |
| 4:40pm | St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase | Class 2 | £50,000 | £24,445 |
| 5:20pm | Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle | Class 2 | £75,000 | £39,023 |
| TOTALS | £1,270,000 | £719,014 |
Cheltenham Festival Prize Money 2025 Totals By Day
We’ve also broken down the Cheltenham Festival prize money by day – where you can see the Wednesday has the least overall purse and Gold Cup Day on the Friday having the most.
| Day |
Total Prize Money (all races) | Prize Money Winner (all races) |
| Day One – Tuesday 11th March 2025 | £1,250,000 | £699,135 |
| Day Two – Wednesday 12th March 2025 | £1,155,000 | £652,910 |
| Day Three – Thursday 13th March 2025 | £1,255,000 | £700,245 |
| Day Four – Friday 14th March 2025 | £1,270,000 | £719,014 |
| TOTALS | £4,930,000 | £2,771,304 |
The Cheltenham Gold Cup Is The Most Valuable Festival Race
With £351,688 on offer to the winner of the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup, this is by far the most valuable race at the Cheltenham Festival.
Watch: Galopin Des Champs Winning His Second Gold Cup in 2024
How Do The Five Championship Races Rank By Cheltenham Festival Prize Money?
| Rank | Race | Class | Total Prize Money | Prize Money Winner |
| 1 | Cheltenham Gold Cup | Grade 1 | £625,000 | £351,688 |
| 2 | Champion Hurdle | Grade 1 | £450,000 | £253,215 |
| 3 | Queen Mother Champion Chase | Grade 1 | £400,000 | £225,080 |
| 4 | Ryanair Chase (ed as the Festival Trophy) | Grade 1 | £375,000 | £211,013 |
| 5 | Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | £325,000 | £182,878 |
| TOTALS | £2,175,000 | £1,223,874 |
What Is The Least Valuable Cheltenham Festival Race?
At just £24,445 the St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase is the race that carries the least Cheltenham Festival prize money.