Cheltenham Festival

For other uses, see Cheltenham Festival (disambiguation).

British horse racing festival

51°55′13″N 2°3′28″W﻿ / ﻿51.92028°N 2.05778°W﻿ / 51.92028; -2.05778

Champion Hurdle, 2014

The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National.[1] The four-day festival takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. It usually coincides with Saint Patrick's Day and is particularly popular with Irish visitors.[2]

The meeting features several Grade I races including the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Stayers' Hurdle. Large amounts of money are gambled; hundreds of millions of pounds are bet over the course of the week. Cheltenham is noted for its atmosphere, including the "Cheltenham roar", which refers to the enormous amount of noise that the crowd generates as the starter raises the tape for the first race of the festival.

Cheltenham Festival was not held between 1941 and 1945 because of World War II and in 2001 due to the foot-and-mouth disease crisis.

## History

[edit]

### Origins

[edit]

Cheltenham racecourse in 2010

The Cheltenham Festival originated in 1860 when the National Hunt Chase was first held at Market Harborough. It was initially titled the Grand National Hunt Meeting and took place at several locations since its institution, at the turn of the 20th century it was mostly held at Warwick Racecourse. In 1904 and 1905 it was staged at Cheltenham over a new course established at Prestbury Park in 1902, having previously taken place at Cheltenham in 1861. From 1906 to 1910 it was again held at Warwick but further additions and major improvements made at Cheltenham by Messrs. Pratt and Company, including a new stand (the fourth one), miles of drain to prevent unsuitable racing ground, tar paving in the enclosures and the paddock extended to 35 saddling boxes, proved enough to make the National Hunt Committee decide that the 1911 meeting was to return at Prestbury Park, Cheltenham where it remained to the present day.[3][4][5] The earliest traceable reference to a "Festival" is in the Warwick Advertiser of 1907.[6]

The Stayers' Hurdle, which first ran in 1912, is the oldest race from the Cheltenham festival that is currently a championship race. The Gold Cup, established in 1924, was originally a supporting race for the County Hurdle. This was the main event of the first day but that quickly changed, and in the following seasons it became a championship race. For many years it was still used by the trainers as a preparation race for the Grand National. The Champion Hurdle first ran in 1927 and the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1959; they were both championship races from the time they were introduced, unlike the Stayers' Hurdle and Gold Cup.[7]

### Races

[edit]

Cross-country chase, 2010

Until 2005 the festival had traditionally been held over the course of three days, but this changed with the introduction of a fourth day, meaning there would be one championship race on each day, climaxing with the Gold Cup on the Friday. To ensure each day would still have six races, five new races were introduced. Four further races have since been added, bringing the total to 28 races overall, with grade one events including the Champion Bumper, Triumph Hurdle, Ryanair Chase, Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, Arkle Challenge Trophy, Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, Champion Hurdle, Stayers' Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and the feature race, the Gold Cup. The festival also includes one of the two biggest Hunter Chases of the season, the Festival Hunters' Chase, which is run on the Friday over the same course as the Gold Cup.

Unlike Royal Ascot and many other top flat racing events in Great Britain and Ireland, the Cheltenham Festival does not have a history of attracting many international contenders, though French-trained horses have done well. Baracouda was perhaps the best known, after landing the Stayers' Hurdle twice.

## Notable events

[edit]

### 1983–2019

[edit]

Winners' enclosure in 2014

In 1983 Caroline Beasley became the first female jockey to ride a winner at the festival. She won the Foxhunter Chase on Eliogarty.[8]

On 17 March 1987, 21-year-old Gee Armytage won the Kim Muir Challenge Cup, back then held on Tuesdays and backed it with another victory the next day in the Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup on a horse aptly named Gee-A, becoming the first female jockey to win a race against professionals at the festival.[9]

In 2001 the festival was cancelled due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Britain. The meeting had initially been postponed to April, but when a case of the disease was confirmed locally, putting the racecourse within an exclusion zone, all racing had to be called off.[10]

In 2008, the second day of the festival was cancelled on safety grounds due to heavy storms making the marquees in the tented hospitality area unsafe. The races scheduled for that day were instead run on the third and final days.[11] In 2019 a record opening day crowd of 67,934 people attended.[12]

### 2020 coronavirus pandemic

[edit]

Further information: COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and in line with government advice, the festival went ahead from 10 to 13 March 2020.[13] The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic on 11 March.[14] On 16 March, three days after the festival, the British government advised against large gatherings[15] and on 23 March ordered a lockdown.[16] The festival attracted 251,684 visitors that year,[17] including a final-day crowd of 68,859, fewer than 2,000 down on the previous year's record.[18]

There were fears in early April that the festival had helped spread the disease widely across the country.[13] One visitor who developed COVID-19 later complained about having been "packed like sardines".[19] Hundreds of festival visitors also said that they had developed symptoms.[13][20] Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which covers Cheltenham, recorded 125 deaths, roughly double that in two nearby trusts at Bristol (58 each), and those covering Swindon (67) and Bath (46).[21][22]

## Horse-welfare concerns

[edit]

For several years there have been concerns about the number of horse injuries and fatalities. In 2006, 11 horses died. In response the racecourse decreased the number of runners in certain races and re-sited one of the more difficult fences.

On the opening day of the 2012 festival, three horses were euthanised after suffering bone fractures or breaks, including two during the Cross-Country Chase, becoming the second and third equine fatalities in that race since 2000.[23] Another two horses died during the festival.

At the 2018 festival there were six horse deaths, leading to a BHA review into equine safety. The review was published in December 2018 and listed 17 recommendations for future Cheltenham fixtures and jump racing in general, including reduced field size numbers at Cheltenham and a pre-race veterinary check for all runners at the festival.[24] At the 2019 festival there were three horse deaths, leading to another BHA review.[25][26] There were two further equine fatalities in 2025,[27]

## 2025 races

[edit]

The number and type of races at the Cheltenham Festival has changed dramatically over the years of its existence. In particular, it has grown from a two-day meeting to a four-day meeting. In 2025, there will be 28 races as follows:

Day | Race | Obstacles | Distance | Class | Sponsor

|
|
|
|
|

Tuesday | Supreme Novices' Hurdle | Hurdles | 2 mi 1⁄2 furlong (3.3 km) | Grade 1 | SkyBet
Tuesday | Arkle Challenge Trophy | Fences | 2 mi (3.2 km) | Grade 1 | My Pension Expert
Tuesday | Festival Trophy Handicap Chase | Fences | 3 mi 1 furlong (5.0 km) | Premier Handicap | Ultima Business Solutions
Tuesday | David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle | Hurdles | 2 mi 4 furlongs (4 km) | Grade 1 | Close Brothers Group
Tuesday | Champion Hurdle | Hurdles | 2 mi 1⁄2 furlong (3.3 km) | Grade 1 | Unibet
Tuesday | Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle | Hurdles | 2 mi 1⁄2 furlong (3.3 km) | Premier Handicap | Hallgarten and Novum Wines
Tuesday | National Hunt Challenge Cup | Fences | 3 mi 6 furlongs (6.0 km) | Ungraded | –
Wednesday | Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle | Hurdles | 2 mi 5 furlongs (4.2 km) | Grade 1 | Turners
Wednesday | Brown Advisory Novices' Chase | Fences | 3 mi 1⁄2 furlong (4.9 km) | Grade 1 | Brown Advisory
Wednesday | Coral Cup | Hurdles | 2 mi 5 furlongs (4.2 km) | Premier Handicap | Coral
Wednesday | Cross Country Chase | Cross Country | 3 mi 6 furlongs (6.0 km) | Ungraded | Glenfarclas
Wednesday | Queen Mother Champion Chase | Fences | 2 mi (3.2 km) | Grade 1 | BetMGM
Wednesday | Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase | Fences | 2 mi (3.2 km) | Premier Handicap | –
Wednesday | Champion Bumper | NHF | 2 mi 1⁄2 furlong (3.3 km) | Grade 1 | Weatherbys
Thursday | Golden Miller Novices' Chase | Fences | 2 mi 4 furlongs (4 km) | Grade 1 | Turners
Thursday | Pertemps Final | Hurdles | 3 mi (4.8 km) | Premier Handicap | Pertemps
Thursday | Festival Trophy | Fences | 2 mi 5 furlongs (4.2 km) | Grade 1 | Ryanair
Thursday | Stayers' Hurdle | Hurdles | 3 mi (4.8 km) | Grade 1 | Paddy Power
Thursday | TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase | Fences | 2 mi 4+1⁄2 furlongs (4.1 km) | Premier Handicap | TrustATrader
Thursday | Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle | Hurdle | 2 mi 1 furlong (3.4 km) | Grade 2 | Ryanair
Thursday | Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup | Fences | 3 mi 2 furlongs (5.2 km) | Ungraded | JRL Group
Friday | Triumph Hurdle | Hurdles | 2 mi 1 furlong (3.4 km) | Grade 1 | JCB
Friday | County Handicap Hurdle | Hurdles | 2 mi 1 furlong (3.4 km) | Premier Handicap | BetMGM
Friday | Spa Novices' Hurdle | Hurdles | 3 mi (4.8 km) | Grade 1 | Albert Bartlett
Friday | Cheltenham Gold Cup | Fences | 3 mi 2+1⁄2 furlongs (5.3 km) | Grade 1 | Boodles
Friday | Foxhunter Chase | Fences | 3 mi 2+1⁄2 furlongs (5.3 km) | Ungraded | St James's Place
Friday | Liberthine Mares' Chase | Fences | 2 mi 4+1⁄2 furlongs (4.1 km) | Grade 2 | Paddy Power
Friday | Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle | Hurdles | 2 mi 4+1⁄2 furlongs (4.1 km) | Ungraded | –

## Top jockeys

[edit]

The top jockey for the festival is the jockey who wins the most races over the four days. The winners since 1980, with wins in brackets, are:[28][29]

* 2025 Paul Townend (4)
* 2024 Paul Townend (6)
* 2023 Paul Townend (5)[30]
* 2022 Paul Townend (5)[31]
* 2021 Rachael Blackmore (6)
* 2020 Paul Townend (5)
* 2019 Nico de Boinville (3)
* 2018 Davy Russell (4)
* 2017 Ruby Walsh (4)
* 2016 Ruby Walsh (7)
* 2015 Ruby Walsh (4)
* 2014 Ruby Walsh (3)
* 2013 Ruby Walsh (4)
* 2012 Barry Geraghty (5)
* 2011 Ruby Walsh (5)
* 2010 Ruby Walsh (3)
* 2009 Ruby Walsh (7)
* 2008 Ruby Walsh (3)
* 2007 Robert Thornton (4)
* 2006 Ruby Walsh (3)
* 2005 Graham Lee (3)
* 2004 Ruby Walsh (3)
* 2003 Barry Geraghty (5)
* 2002 Richard Johnson (2)
* 2001: Festival cancelled
* 2000 Mick Fitzgerald (4)
* 1999 Mick Fitzgerald (4)
* 1998 Tony McCoy (5)
* 1997 Tony McCoy (3)
* 1996 Richard Dunwoody (2)
* 1995 Norman Williamson (4)
* 1994 Charlie Swan (3)
* 1993 Charlie Swan (4)
* 1992 Jamie Osborne (5)
* 1991 Peter Scudamore (2)
* 1990 Richard Dunwoody (2)
* 1989 Tom Morgan (2)
* 1988 Simon Sherwood (2)
* 1987 Peter Scudamore (2)
* 1986 Peter Scudamore (2)
* 1985 Steve Smith Eccles (3)
* 1984 Jonjo O'Neill (2)
* 1983 Graham Bradley (2)
* 1982 Jonjo O'Neill (1)
* 1981 John Francome (3)
* 1980 Jim Wilson (3)

## Leading trainers

[edit]

The leading trainer for the festival is the trainer who trains the most winners in the races over the four days. The winners since 1997, with wins in brackets, are:[32][33][34]

* 2025 Willie Mullins (10)
* 2024 Willie Mullins (9)
* 2023 Willie Mullins (6)[30]
* 2022 Willie Mullins (10)[31]
* 2021 Willie Mullins (6)[35]
* 2020 Willie Mullins (7)
* 2019 Willie Mullins (4)
* 2018 Gordon Elliott (8)
* 2017 Gordon Elliott (6)
* 2016 Willie Mullins (7)
* 2015 Willie Mullins (8)
* 2014 Willie Mullins (4)
* 2013 Willie Mullins (5)
* 2012 Nicky Henderson (7)
* 2011 Willie Mullins (4)
* 2010 Nicky Henderson (3)
* 2009 Paul Nicholls (5)
* 2008 Paul Nicholls (3)
* 2007 Paul Nicholls (4)
* 2006 Paul Nicholls (3)
* 2005 Howard Johnson (3)
* 2004 Paul Nicholls (4)
* 2003 Jonjo O'Neill (3)
* 2002 Martin Pipe (3)
* 2001: Festival cancelled
* 2000 Nicky Henderson (4)
* 1999 Paul Nicholls (3)
* 1998 Martin Pipe (4)
* 1997 Martin Pipe (4)

## See also

[edit]

* Horse racing in Great Britain
* List of British National Hunt races
* Cheltenham Gold Cup

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Going is good for Cheltenham". BBC Sport. 17 March 1998. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
2. ^ "Cheltenham festival gets underway this afternoon". The Belfast Telegraph. 10 March 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
3. ^ "1912 Improvemnts and additions at Cheltenham". Gloucester Citizen. 9 December 1912. Retrieved 14 November 2015.(Subscription required.)
4. ^ "1911 National Hunt Steeplechase meeting at Prestbury Park". Cheltenham Chronicle. 11 March 1911. Retrieved 15 November 2015.(Subscription required.)
5. ^ "1913 National Hunt Meeting – a record attendance". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 13 March 1913. Retrieved 14 November 2015.(Subscription required.)
6. ^ Stevens, Peter, History of the National Hunt Chase 1860–2010. ISBN 978-0-9567250-0-4
7. ^ "A head victory for Red Splash". Western Morning News. 13 March 1924. Retrieved 14 November 2015.(Subscription required.)
8. ^ Burton, Scott (14 March 2019). "Long road from Eliogarty to Frodon as women rise to the occasion". Racing Post. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
9. ^ "Geee upsets odds – and men – at the Festival". The Glasgow Herald. 19 March 1987. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
10. ^ "Cheltenham Festival called off". BBC Sport. 1 April 2001. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
11. ^ "Cheltenham Festival". BBC Sport. 12 March 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
12. ^ "Day Two of Cheltenham Festival will go ahead despite strong winds and heavy rain". Irish Independent. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
13. ^ a b c Humphries, Will (3 April 2020). "Fears that Cheltenham Festival may have spread coronavirus throughout country". The Times. Archived from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
14. ^ "WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19—11 March 2020". World Health Organization. 11 March 2020. Archived from the original on 11 March 2020.
15. ^ "COVID-19 guidance for mass gatherings". gov.uk. 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020.
16. ^ Stewart, Heather; Mason, Rowena; Dodd, Vikram (23 March 2020): Boris Johnson orders UK lockdown to be enforced by police. The Guardian.
17. ^ "Shadow sports minister says there are 'serious questions' over why Cheltenham went ahead". BBC Sport, 4 April 2020.
18. ^ Cook, Chris (13 March 2020). "Cheltenham Festival bubble brings respite despite disbelief elsewhere". The Guardian.
19. ^ Conn, David (3 June 2020). "'We were packed like sardines': evidence grows of mass-event dangers early in pandemic". The Guardian.
20. ^ Forte, Joseph (19 March 2020). "Statement released after Cheltenham Festival staff and racegoers develop coronavirus symptoms". Stroud News & Journal.
21. ^ Nuki, Paul (28 April 2020). "Revealed: The three UK sporting events that may have led to a coronavirus death spike". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
22. ^ Calvert, Jonathan; Arbuthnott, George; Leake, Jonathan; Gadher, Dipesh (23 May 2020). "22 days of dither and delay on coronavirus that cost thousands of British lives". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
23. ^ GMT (14 March 2012). "Cheltenham Festival: Two more horses die on second day". BBC. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
24. ^ Barber, Bill (12 December 2018). "BHA unveils 17 recommendations from welfare review of Cheltenham Festival". Racing Post.
25. ^ "Cheltenham Festival 2019: Sir Erec suffers fatal injury in the Triumph Hurdle". BBC News. 15 March 2019.
26. ^ "Cheltenham Festival horse Sir Erec's death to be investigated by BHA". Gloucestershire Live. 15 March 2019.
27. ^ Astley, Oliver. "Horse deaths at Cheltenham Festival spark anger at animals 'sacrificed for entertainment'". gloucestershirelive. gloucestershire live.
28. ^ "2015 Top Jockey". Irish Racing. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
29. ^ "Top Jockeys 2014-1997". Cheltenham. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
30. ^ a b Keogh, Frank (17 March 2023). "Cheltenham 2023: Willie Mullins savours 'mind-blowing' Festival success". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
31. ^ a b Harding, Jonathan (18 March 2022). "Mullins finishes top trainer with record ten winners after dominant final day". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
32. ^ "Cheltenham Festival Top Trainers 2004–2013". Eclipse. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
33. ^ "Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer 2014-1997". Cheltenham Festival. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
34. ^ "2015 Leading Trainer". Irish Racing. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
35. ^ Riley, Stuart (19 March 2021). "Willie Mullins top festival trainer as Galopin Des Champs strikes in Martin Pipe". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 March 2022.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cheltenham Festival.

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Cheltenham Festival

Tuesday|

* Supreme Novices' Hurdle
* Arkle Challenge Trophy
* Ultima Handicap Chase
* Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle
* Champion Hurdle
* Hallgarten and Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
* National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Nov Hcap Ch

Wednesday|

* Turners Novices' Hurdle
* Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
* Coral Cup
* Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
* Queen Mother Champion Chase
* Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase
* Champion Bumper

Thursday|

* Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle
* Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase
* Pertemps Final
* Ryanair Chase
* Stayers' Hurdle
* TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase
* Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup

Friday|

* Triumph Hurdle
* County Handicap Hurdle
* Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase
* Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
* Cheltenham Gold Cup
* St James's Place Festival Hunter Chase
* Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Discontinued|

* Cathcart Challenge Cup
* Centenary Novices' Handicap Chase

* v
* t
* e

Cheltenham Gold Cup

* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

* Cheltenham Festival
* Cheltenham Racecourse

* v
* t
* e

Cheltenham

Areas|

* Alstone
* Arle
* Benhall
* Charlton Kings
* Fairview
* Hesters Way
* Lansdown
* Leckhampton
* Montpellier
* Pittville
* Prestbury
* Rowanfield
* St. Pauls
* Up Hatherley
* Swindon
* Whaddon
* Wyman's Brook

Buildings and
structures|

* Grade I listed buildings in Cheltenham
* Grade II* listed buildings in Cheltenham
* 153–159 Fairview Road
* All Saints' Church
* The Bacon Theatre
* Cavendish House
* Le Champignon Sauvage
* Cheltenham Masonic Hall
* Cheltenham Minster, St Mary's
* Cheltenham Racecourse Heliport
* Cheltenham Synagogue
* Cheltenham Town Hall
* The Doughnut
* Ellenborough Park Hotel
* Everyman Theatre
* Montpellier Rotunda
* Pittville Pump Room
* The Playhouse
* St Philip and St James Church, Leckhampton
* St Gregory's Church
* Cheltenham High Street Halt railway station
* Cheltenham Spa railway station
* Thirlestaine House
* Trinity Cheltenham

Culture|

* The Bacon Theatre
* Cheltenham Town Hall
* Everyman Theatre
* Pittville Pump Room
* The Playhouse
* Spy Booth
* The Cheltenham Ghost
* The Wilson (Cheltenham)

Education|

* Gloucestershire College
* University of Gloucestershire
* National Star College
* Westminster Theological Centre
* All Saints' Academy
* Balcarras School
* Cheltenham Bournside School
* Cheltenham College
* Cheltenham Ladies' College
* Dean Close School
* Pate's Grammar School
* Pittville School
* St Edward's School
* University of Gloucestershire
* Hereford College of Arts
* Urban Learning Foundation

Politics|

* Cheltenham Agreement
* Cheltenham (UK Parliament constituency)
* Cheltenham Borough Council
* Cheltenham Borough Council elections
* Cheltenham by-election, 1911
* Cheltenham by-election, 1928
* Cheltenham by-election, 1937
* GCHQ trade union ban
* John Taylor, Baron Taylor of Warwick

Sport|

* Cheltenham Association Football League
* Cheltenham Cricket Club
* Cheltenham Rugby Festival
* Cheltenham Saracens F.C.
* Cheltenham Town F.C.
* Cheltenham Festival
* Cheltenham Gold Cup
* Old Patesians R.F.C.
* College Ground, Cheltenham
* Dowty Arle Court
* East Gloucestershire Cricket Club Ground
* Hatherley and Reddings Cricket Club Ground
* Cheltenham Racecourse
* Sandford Parks Lido
* The Victoria Ground
* Whaddon Road

Transport|

* Cheltenham and District Light Railway
* Cheltenham High Street Halt railway station
* Cheltenham Racecourse Heliport
* Cheltenham Racecourse railway station
* Cheltenham Spa Express
* Cheltenham Spa Malvern Road railway station
* Cheltenham Spa railway station
* Cheltenham Spa St. James railway station
* Gloucester and Cheltenham Tramroad
* Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
* Stagecoach West

* Category

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template