The Best Day to Go To Cheltenham 2024

Meta title: What is the best day to go to Cheltenham?

One of the biggest events on the British horse racing calendar, the Cheltenham Festival is all set to return to its eponymous racecourse this March. The “Blue Riband” event is the highlight of the Jumps racing season, attracting the best of the best runners, riders and trainers. Naturally, there’ll be hundreds of racing enthusiasts in attendance at the four day festival, which this year is set to run from March 12th to 15th. As a keen footie fan, you might just be hoping to be among them.

Whether you’re gearing up as an experienced racegoer, or if Cheltenham 2024 will be your first ever racing meet, the burning question is always, “what’s the best day to go?”. Choosing the perfect day to attend is a bit like picking your favourite horse. But with four action-packed days to choose from, you really can’t go wrong no matter which you end up attending. Each day has its own distinctive vibe and, of course, there are headline races taking place throughout the entire meet.

Keep reading for the lowdown on everything from Champion Day to the Gold Cup.

Betting at Cheltenham

A huge part of the thrill of Cheltenham is the betting action, and when it comes to placing your bets there are a couple of options open to you.

The first is traditional racecourse betting, where you place your bets with on-course bookmakers throughout whichever day you eventually decide to attend. This approach provides that classic race day experience, so you can interact directly with the bookies, assess the odds and place your bets right up until final bets are called.

While we're all for the excitement of placing bets on course, we'll let you into a little secret: placing your bets in advance online can save you a pretty penny.

Comparison platforms like oddschecker.com provide an array of free bet options for Cheltenham races, allowing you to have a flutter without burning a hole in your pocket. Plus, choosing this option means you can explore different types of bets, like win, each-way, forecasts and tricasts, all in your own time. You can also take full advantage of ante post betting markets.

Cheltenham Festival 2024 Day by Day

Now that you’re a bit more clued up on how to bet at Cheltenham, let’s break down the racing action day by day.

Day 1

Tuesday at Cheltenham is known as Champion Day and it's the day to attend if you want to get a glimpse of both young blood and more established horses. This opening day really does set the tone for the entire festival with an exciting lineup of top-quality races. The highlight is undoubtedly the Unibet Champion Hurdle, a Grade 1 race that attracts the best two-miler hurdlers. Other notable races include the Close Brothers Mares Hurdle, open to mares aged 4 and over, and the Supreme Novices Hurdle.

Scheduled races:

• Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

• Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Steeplechase

• Ultima Handicap Steeplechase

• Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy

• Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle

• Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race

• National Hunt Steeplechase Challenge Cup

Champion Day 2024 favourites: Constitution Hill (Champion Hurdle) Jeriko Du Reponet (Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Race), Lossiemouth (Mares’ Hurdle).

Day 2

The second day of the festival, Ladies Day, is as famous in the fashion world as it is the racing industry. Ladies Day is when attendees dress to impress, showcasing their sartorial prowess with an array of imaginative outfits that excuse sophistication and glamour. As well as the fashion, Wednesday at Cheltenham has plenty of world-class racing to enjoy, the highlight of which is undoubtedly the Grade 1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Scheduled races:

• Ballymore Novices Hurdle

• Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

• Coral Cup

• Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

• Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase

• Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase

• Weatherbys Champion Bumper

Ladies Day 2024 favourites: El Fabiolo (Queen Mother Champion Chase), Delta Work (Cross Country Chase), Firefox (Novices Hurdle).

Day 3

St Patrick’s Thursday, as Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival is more commonly known, has a distinctly Irish flavour. This is the day to attend if you want to soak up a lively, celebratory atmosphere and get a good look at the strong Irish contingent that are often in attendance. The feature race of St Paddy’s Day is the Stayers’ Hurdle, an iconic Grade 1 race that tests the stamina and endurance of the UK’s top stayers. The Ryanair Chase is also a cracking race to follow, it being a known training ground for potential Gold Cup winners.

Scheduled races:

• Turners Novices’ Chase

• Pertemps Network Final

• Ryanair Chase

• Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle

• The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. Plate

• Mares Novices’ Hurdle

• Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase

St Patrick’s Day 2024 favourites: Teahupoo (Stayers’ Hurdle) Mighty Potter (Ryanair Chase), Dysart Enos (Mares Novices’ Hurdle).

Day 4

We’ve reached the grand finale of the festival Gold Cup Day. Friday at Cheltenham is a very special day indeed, with the undisputed highlight being the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup race. This Grade 1 steeplechase plays out over a gruelling three mile, two and a half furlong course, and is one of the most prestigious trophies in National Hunt racing. In addition to the Gold Cup, Day 4 features several other significant races, such as the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and the JCB Triumph Hurdle

Scheduled races:

• JCB Triumph Hurdle

• The McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle

• Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

• The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup

• St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase

• Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle

Gold Cup Day 2024 favourites: Galopin Des Champs (Gold Cup), Corbetts Cross (Novices Hurdle), Lossiemouth (Triumph Hurdle).