Below are the races scheduled for the festival over four days at Cheltenham Racecourse:
Tuesday: Cheltenham Champion Day
- Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 87y
- Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 199y
- Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 2m 87y
- Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 3m 1f
- Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 87y
- Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 2m 4f 44y
- Princess Royal National Hunt Novices’ Handicap Chase 3m 5f 201y
Wednesday: Ladies Day
- Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 5f
- Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 3m 80y
- Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 2m 5f
- Cross Country Handicap Chase 3m 6f 37y
- Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 199y
- Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 1m 7f 199y
- Champion Bumper (Grade 1) 2m 87y
Thursday: St Patrick’s Thursday
- Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 179y
- Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2) 2m 4f 127y
- Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 4f 213y
- Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 7f 213y
- Steeple Chase (Grade 1) 2m 4f 127y
- Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 2m 7f 113y
- Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase 3m 2f
Friday: Gold Cup Day
- Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 179y
- County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 2m 179y
- Mrs Mares’ Chase (Grade 2) 2m 4f 127y
- Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 7f 213y
- Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) 3m 2f 70y
- Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase 3m 2f 70y
- Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f 56y
Major Race Previews: What Can We Expect in 2026?
Looking for an angle ahead of this year’s Cheltenham Festival? Here’s how the biggest races on the card might go:
2026 Champion Hurdle Preview
The New Lion won the 2026 Grade 2 International Hurdle at Cheltenham in January, in what was perfect preparation for the Champion Hurdle in March.
The Dan Skelton-trained horse has won on six of his seven outings, including in the 2025 Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last year.
He’s the favourite for this year’s Champion Hurdle, but there’s also a lot of noise around Brighterdaysahead. The seven-year-old went superbly in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown at the start of February and could be one to watch in the first big race of this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
2026 Queen Mother Champion Chase Preview
Most eyes will be on ante-post favourite Majborough in the lead-up to the 2026 Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham. This Willie Mullins hopeful won the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown in February, under the impressive Mark Walsh.
It was a sixth career win for Majborough, who claimed his first Cheltenham win in the 2024 Triumph Hurdle.
Elsewhere, 2025 winner Marine Nationale is heavily fancied again this year, and he will arrive at Cheltenham off consecutive second-placed finishes.
2026 Stayers’ Hurdle Preview
Teahupoo will be back chasing a second win in this race in 2026, following his triumph in the 2024 Stayers’ Hurdle. He missed out last year to Bob Olinger in the Stayers’, but heads a strong field in the ante-post market this time around.
Honesty Policy, who won three times in 2025, is also heavily fancied ahead of the 2026 Stayers’ Hurdle, while Kabral du Mathan, who won the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle on New Year’s Day at Cheltenham, is also in the frame.
2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup Preview
Willie Mullins’ Fact to File is the favourite to win the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He won the Ryanair Chase last year and arrives at Cheltenham after winning the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February under Mark Walsh.
Two-time winner Galopin Des Champs, who narrowly lost out last year, will be back for another shot at glory, while last year’s winner Inothewayurthinkin will be in the pack.
Jango Baie, who won the Arkle last year, is a Gold Cup hopeful, and Jukebox Man, owned by Harry Redknapp, has shown significant recent promise, winning on his last four outings.
