Cheltenham Festival Tips
The 2027 Cheltenham Festival runs from Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March at Prestbury Park: four days and 28 races, from the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Tuesday afternoon to the Martin Pipe on Gold Cup day. Below you’ll find our view on each day, the full race card with links to every race preview, and where the early betting stands for the big races.
By Dave, editor of Cheltenham Festival Tips · Last updated October 2026
Jump to: Day 1 · Day 2 · Day 3 · Day 4 · FAQs
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It’s still early in the season, so the best place to start is our Cheltenham ante-post tips, which cover the early betting for the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase. Closer to March, our Cheltenham Festival bankers and Lucky 15 tips will carry our strongest views, and if you’re playing the bet365 6 Horse Challenge, we cover that too.
Cheltenham Day 1 Tips – Champion Day, Tuesday 16 March 2027
The Festival opens with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 1.20pm and the famous Cheltenham Roar, followed by the Arkle Chase for two-mile novice chasers. The feature is the Champion Hurdle at 4pm – read our Champion Hurdle tips for the full preview. The Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, Ultima and Plate give punters three big-field handicaps, and the National Hunt Chase for amateur riders closes the card.
Our view: Lossiemouth sets the standard in the Champion Hurdle after her win last March, but mares can always switch to the Mares’ Hurdle, and she has done before. At around 5/2 we’d only back her now with non-runner no bet. Brighterdaysahead, who beat The New Lion and Alexei at Aintree after finishing second to her, is the one we’d rather have on side at a price.
| Time | Race | Race Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1:20 | Supreme Novices’ Hurdle | Novice Hurdle |
| 2:00 | Arkle Chase | Novice Chase |
| 2:40 | Juvenile Handicap Hurdle | Handicap Hurdle |
| 3:20 | Ultima Handicap Chase | Handicap Chase |
| 4:00 | Champion Hurdle | Championship Race |
| 4:40 | Plate Handicap Chase | Handicap Chase |
| 5:20 | National Hunt Chase | Novice Chase For Amateur Jockeys |
Race times on this page follow the 2026 running order and will be updated when the 2027 programme is confirmed. Read our full Cheltenham day 1 tips for selections across the card.
Cheltenham Day 2 Tips – Ladies Day, Wednesday 17 March 2027
Day Two opens with the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at 1.20pm, and with 17 March falling on the Wednesday this year, Ladies Day doubles up as St Patrick’s Day. The feature is the Queen Mother Champion Chase at 4pm – see our Champion Chase tips. The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase is a key pointer to future Gold Cups, the Coral Cup, Cross Country and Grand Annual offer plenty of betting angles, and the Champion Bumper closes the day.
Our view: Il Etait Temps won last year’s Champion Chase by ten lengths and followed up at Punchestown, so he deserves to be favourite. But the race to watch this winter is the rematch between Kargese and Kopek Des Bordes, first and second in last season’s Arkle. Whichever comes out on top next time will shorten sharply.
| Time | Race | Race Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1:20 | The Turners Novices’ Hurdle | Grade 1 Novice Hurdle |
| 2:00 | The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase | Grade 1 Novice Chase |
| 2:40 | The Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle | Premier Handicap Hurdle |
| 3:20 | The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase | Cross Country Handicap Chase |
| 4:00 | The BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase | Grade 1 Championship Chase |
| 4:40 | The Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase | Premier Handicap Chase |
| 5:20 | The Weatherbys Champion Bumper | Grade 1 National Hunt Flat Race |
Read our full Cheltenham day 2 tips for every race on the card, and don’t forget to enter the ITV7 racing competition.
Cheltenham Day 3 Tips – St Patrick’s Thursday, 18 March 2027
St Patrick’s Thursday opens with the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at 1.20pm, followed by the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase and the Mares’ Hurdle. The two championship races are the Stayers’ Hurdle at 3.20pm and the Ryanair Chase at 4pm, and the Pertemps Final and Kim Muir close the card – two big fields with a history of decent-priced winners.
Our view: we’re in no rush with Thursday’s big races. The Ryanair field is shaped by which horses swerve the Gold Cup and the Champion Chase, and the Mares’ Hurdle depends on where Lossiemouth goes. Those targets won’t be clear until the new year, so these are races to bet nearer the time.
| Time | Race | Race Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1:20 | The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle | Grade 2 Mares’ Novice Hurdle (2m 1f) |
| 2:00 | The Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase | Grade 2 Limited Handicap Chase (2m 4f) |
| 2:40 | The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle | Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle (2m 4f 56y) |
| 3:20 | The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle | Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle (3m) |
| 4:00 | The Ryanair Chase | Grade 1 Championship Chase (2m 5f) |
| 4:40 | The Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle | Premier Handicap Hurdle (3m) |
| 5:20 | Kim Muir Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase | Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase (3m 2f) |
Read our full Cheltenham day 3 tips for selections across the card.
Cheltenham Day 4 Tips – Gold Cup Day, Friday 19 March 2027
Friday is all about the Cheltenham Gold Cup at 4pm. The card also features two more Grade 1s: the Triumph Hurdle for juveniles and the Albert Bartlett, a real stamina test for novice hurdlers. The Hunters’ Chase is run over the Gold Cup course and distance for amateur riders, before the Martin Pipe brings the Festival to a close. For more Friday selections, see our Templegate tips.
Our view: Gaelic Warrior was a convincing winner last March, but around 2/1 this far out is no bet for us – too much can go wrong between now and March. Jango Baie, second last year, is the most logical alternative, and we’ll be watching the King George on Boxing Day for any second-season chaser stepping forward.
| Time | Race | Race Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1:20 | The JCB Triumph Hurdle | Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle (2m 1f) |
| 2:00 | The William Hill County Handicap Hurdle | Premier Handicap Hurdle (2m 1f) |
| 2:40 | The Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase | Grade 2 Mares’ Chase (2m 4f 127y) |
| 3:20 | The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle | Grade 1 Novice Hurdle (2m 7f 213y) |
| 4:00 | The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup | Grade 1 Championship Chase (3m 2f ½f) |
| 4:40 | The St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase | Amateur Riders’ Hunter Chase (3m 2f ½f) |
| 5:20 | The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle | Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (2m 4f ½f) |
Read our full Cheltenham day 4 tips for selections across the card.
Cheltenham Festival FAQs
When is the Cheltenham Festival 2027?
The 2027 Cheltenham Festival runs from Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March. Racing starts in the early afternoon each day, and the Gold Cup is the 4pm feature on Friday.
Which Cheltenham races are on ITV?
ITV1 shows the feature races live each day, including the Champion Hurdle, the Champion Chase and the Gold Cup. Racing TV shows every race of the Festival live for subscribers.
Is there a dress code at the Cheltenham Festival?
There’s no formal dress code in most enclosures, though plenty of racegoers dress smartly, especially on Gold Cup day, and some hospitality areas set their own rules. Above all, dress for the weather: March at Prestbury Park can be cold and wet, and you’ll do a lot of walking.
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