Horse Racing
Cheltenham Festival 2025 Dates, Race Times, TV and New Running Order
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
See below the Cheltenham Festival 2025 dates and NEW running order as the biggest jumps meeting of the season draws nearer. The action at Prestbury Park this year starts on Tuesday 11th March and will run through till Friday 14th March.
There are also some new race titles and a slightly different Cheltenham Festival 2025 running order to note – we clear all this up below so you can plan the best horse racing jumps week on the planet.
When Is The Cheltenham Festival 2025?
This year’s Cheltenham Festival 2025 dates will see the four-day meeting runs from Tuesday 11th March to Friday 14th March.
- 🏇Tuesday 11th March 2025: Day 1 – Champion Day
- 🏇Wednesday 12th March 2025: Day 2 – Style Wednesday
- 🏇Thursday 13th March 2025: Day 3 – St Patrick’s Thursday
- 🏇Friday 14th March 2025: Day 4 – Gold Cup Day
Cheltenham Festival 2025 Dates 🗓️- Day ONE (Tuesday 11th March 2025): Old Course
The Cheltenham Festival 2025 kicks-off with Champion Day on Tuesday 11th March, with the Champion Hurdle the feature race.
It’s a prize that the Willie Mullins-trained State Man won in 2024 (watch below), but all the talk ahead of the 2025 renewal has been about the return of Constitution Hill, who won the race in 2023.
Constitution Hill had to miss is Champion Hurdle title defence last season due to a setback but has returned this season with a facile win in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.
This unbeaten hurdler will be looking to give trainer Nicky Henderson a tenth win in the Cheltenham Festival day one showcase race.
You can also watch ALL the 2024 Cheltenham Festival races again here.
| Time |
Race Name & Class |
Distance |
TV |
| 1:20 | Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) | 2m | ITV / RTV |
| 2:00 | Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) | 2m | ITV / RTV |
| 2:40 | Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) | 3m 1f | ITV / RTV |
| 3:20 | Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) | 2m 4f | ITV / RTV |
| 4:00 | Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) | 2m | ITV / RTV |
| 4:40 | Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle (Premier Handicap) | 2m | ITV / RTV |
| 5:20 | National Hunt Chase (Novices’ Handicap) (Class 2) | 3m 6f | RTV |
WATCH: State Man Winning The 2024 Champion Hurdle
Cheltenham Festival 2025 Dates 🗓️- Day TWO (Wednesday 12th March 2025): Old Course
Onto day two at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival and horse racing fans have another top afternoon to look forward to.
With the action getting going with the Grade One Turners Novices’ Hurdle at 1:20pm.
However, the Champion Chase at 3:20 is the feature contest on day two, where the Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon has been heading the market for much of the season.
He’ll take on the two-time winner of the race Energumene, who had to miss the race with injury last season.
This Willie Mullins runner will be looking to become the first horse since Sprinter Sacre to win back his Champion Chase crown.
Captain Guinness won the prize 12 months ago for top female jumps jockey Rachael Blackmore and is sure to also be back for more (watch below).
| Time |
Race Name & Class |
Distance |
TV |
| 1:20 | Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) | 2m 5f | ITV / RTV |
| 2:00 | Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) | 3m | ITV / RTV |
| 2:40 | Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) | 2m 5f | ITV / RTV |
| 3:20 | Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (A Limited Handicap) (Class 2) | 3m 5f | ITV / RTV |
| 4:00 | BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) | 2m | ITV / RTV |
| 4:40 | Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase (Premier Handicap) | 2m | ITV / RTV |
| 5:20 | Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) | 2m | RTV |
WATCH: Captain Guinness Winning The 2024 Champion Chase
Cheltenham Festival 2025 Dates 🗓️- Day THREE (Thursday 13th March 2025): Old Course
Day three at the Cheltenham Festival 2025 starts with the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle as we get a chance to see some potential stars of the future strutting their stuff.
The Ryanair Chase at 3:20pm is also one of the feature contests. A prize the Dan Skelton-trained Protektorat won in 2024 and is expected to line-up again.
But we also have the Grade One Stayers’ Hurdle on the third day. Where the Gordon Elliott-trained Teahupoo will be looking to defend his title.
If he can – he’ll the likes of Flooring Porter, Big Buck’s, Inglis Drever and Baracouda as multiple winners of this top Cheltenham Festival race.
| Time |
Race Name & Class |
Distance |
TV |
| 1:20 | Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) | 2m | ITV / RTV |
| 2:00 | Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2) | 2m 4f | ITV / RTV |
| 2:40 | Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) | 3m | ITV / RTV |
| 3:20 | Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) | 2m 4f | ITV / RTV |
| 4:00 | Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) | 3m | ITV / RTV |
| 4:40 | TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) | 2m 4f | ITV / RTV |
| 5:20 | Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Class 2) | 3m 2f | RTV |
WATCH: Teahupoo Winning The 2024 Stayers’ Hurdle
Cheltenham Festival 2025 Dates 🗓️- Day FOUR (Friday 14th March 2025): Old Course
The 2025 Cheltenham Festival draws to a close on Friday 14th March this year. With the biggest race at the meeting, the Gold Cup taking centre stage.
It’s a race top Irish trainer Willie Mullins has won four times since 2019. Including for the last two seasons with his star staying chaser Galopin Des Champs.
He’ll be back to try and win one of the biggest prizes in jumps racing for a third year on the spin. If he can, he’ll replicate Best Mate, who won the Gold Cup three times between 2002 and 2004.
| Time |
Race Name & Class |
Distance |
TV |
| 1:20 | JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) | 2m | ITV / RTV |
| 2:00 | County Hurdle (Premier Handicap) | 2m | ITV / RTV |
| 2:40 | Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (Grade 2) | 2m4f | ITV / RTV |
| 3:20 | Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) | 3m | ITV / RTV |
| 4:00 | Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) | 3m 2f | ITV / RTV |
| 4:40 | St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase (Class 2) | 3m 2f | ITV / RTV |
| 5:20 | Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) | 2m 4f | RTV |
WATCH: Galopin Des Champs Winning The 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup
Cheltenham Festival 2025 To Be Shown On ITV Racing 📺
It’s also been confirmed that the Cheltenham Festival 2025 ITV Racing schedule will include the first SIX races on each day.
Meaning that ITV Racing will be covering 24 of the 28 Cheltenham Festival 2025 races.
Plus, all the races at the Festival will be shown on subscription channel Racing TV. Or, if having a wager with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK, then most will also have Cheltenham Festival 2025 streaming via their platforms.
Keep up-to-date with which horses are the current Cheltenham Festival favourites for 2025 here.