Glitz and glamour at the Cheltenham Festival

The starting gates of the Cheltenham Festival known as the pinnacle of Jump Racing will open on Tuesday 11 March. The festival takes place at the Cheltenham Racecourse near Gloucestershire. This highly regarded National Hunt race event features 28 races over four days. Each day of racing keeps with tradition and races commences at 1.20pm sharp and taking place every 40 minutes.

The Cheltenham Festival which dates back as far as 1860 consists of four days of racing. Day one which falls on a Tuesday is the Championship Day. Day two is on a Wednesday is Style day. Thursday is St. Patrick’s Day for the Irish spectators, and finally, the last day is Gold Cup Day. Visitors can dress in whatever they fancy at the Cheltenham Festival 2025, however, they are urged to wear something warm.

Furthermore jump racing is a type of horse racing, where jockeys and horses have to navigate obstacles. These obstacles includes fences, hurdles, ditches as well as water jumps.  The Chelteham Festival offers different types of Jump races which include Bumpers (National hunt flat races) which are races without any obstacles. Steeplechases have varied obstacles, such as water jumps and fences of 4.5 feet, while hurdle races, on the other hand, have smaller obstacles of 3.5 feet.

Key races to look out for on Champion Day

Firstly, Champion Day is the first day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, has seven races taking place. Thus three of those being notable, and the Unibet Championship Hurdle race being the highlight of the day.

13:20 – The Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1 ) 2 Miles. Favourites to win the race are, Kopek Des Bordes, Salvator Mundi, Jeroboam Machin, Redemption Day and Jasmin De Vaux.

14:00 – The My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 2 Miles. The leading contenders are, Majborough, L’Eau Du Sud and Only By Night.

16:00 – The Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) 2 Miles. Here are the odds on the strongest contenders for the main race of the day. Constitution Hill is 4/5, Brighterdaysahead 9/4, Lossiemouth 6/1 and lasty State Man at 9/1.

Key races to look out for on Style Wednesday

Style Wednesday is all about going out and displaying glamour and fashion. Thus the Slow Fashion awards being held on the day celebrate borrowed and vintage items. The race day also boasts seven races. The highlight race for the day, is the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase (Grade1).

14:00 – Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase (Grade 1) 3 Miles. Here are what some favourites to win from the bookies, Dancing City, The Jukebox Man and Ballyburn at 13/8.

15:20 – Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase, 3 miles. Leading contenders are, Galvin 8/1, Mister Coffey, 10/1, Vanillier 16/1 and Stumptown 4/1.

16:00 – BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase (Grade 1) 2 Miles. The front runners for the main race are; El Fabiolo 8/1, Energumene 6/1, Gaelic Warrior 6/1 and Jonbon 10/11.

Races to watch out for on St Patrick’s Thursday

St Patrick’s Thursday is one of the most anticipated days on the calendar and also celebrates Irish traditions. Therefore the day is filled with dance music, with the Guinness Village being the place to be on the day. Seven races are showcased on the day with Ryanair Steeple Chase as well as Ryanair Steeple Chase being the two main races.

15:20 – Ryanair Steeple Chase (Grade 1) 2 Miles, 4 furlongs. Strong contenders for the race are, Protektorat 8/1, Il Est Francais 7/1, Spillane’s Tower 6/1, Fact To File 5/4.

16:00 – The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 3 Miles. Odds on some of favourites, The Wallpark 16/1, Lucky Place 10/1, Home By The Lee 6/1, Teahupoo 6/5.

Two races which are great to bet on Gold Cup day

The last and final day is, without a doubt, the most important day of the festival. The main race on the day is the Boodels Cheltenham Gold Cup. Where the winner will take home the coveted Gold Cup.

13:20 –  JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) 2 Miles. Favourites of the bookies are, Lady Vega Allen 14/1, Hello Neighbour 5/1, Lulamba 9/4, East India Dock 2/1.

16:00 – The Boodels Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) 3 Miles, 2 furlongs. The strongest contenders for the most prestigious race are. Fact To File 14/1, Montys Star 12/1, Banbridge 5/1 and Galopin Des Champs with 4/7.

Best Betting Sites for Horse Racing

Horse Racing is a big love amongst sports bettors in South Africa. Therefore here we list our recommendations of bookies to consider for the best markets and odds:

Cheltenham Festival 2025 Excitement

This year’s event is set to exceed all expectations, with each day offering a distinct mix of fun and celebration. Prestbury Park will be the site of four days of outstanding racing and entertainment from Champion Day to Gold Cup Day. Considering the festival’s rich past, from its humble origins to its existing status as a top racing event. It is clear that racing fans all throughout the world have a special place in their hearts for the Cheltenham Festival.

This year also sees the return of the “Love our Turf” Campaign which was trialed in 2022 and been a major success. This campaign encourages racegoers to respect the town and be considerate racegoers. Another great horse racing event that is coming up soon is the Hollywoodbets Durban July, so mark those calendars. Thus now is the time to register a Hollywoodbets account so as not to miss out on any of their great promotions. Another great promo is the Betway Mane Million.