What Channel Is Cheltenham Festival On?

The very best jump racing event returns to Cheltenham this week, drawing stellar horses from Britain, Ireland and France to the Cotswolds town for four days of action. Running from Tuesday 11 March to Friday 14 March, you don’t have to be at Cheltenham Festival to enjoy the magic. Here’s how to watch the races in the comfort of your own home.

Interested in the ins and outs of Cheltenham Festival? Read our full guide here.

Is Cheltenham Festival On TV?

Yes, ITV will broadcast the first six races of each day at Cheltenham Festival for free on ITV1 and ITVX, starting from race number one at 1.20pm. However, ITV’s coverage will begin at the slightly earlier time of 12.45pm with some introductory commentary. Each day, coverage will end at 5pm.

If you’d like to watch the seventh and final races (at 5.20pm), you’ll need a Racing TV subscription. Racing TV boasts the best coverage of British racing, including comprehensive coverage in the run up and during each meeting. Prices start from £14.99 per month.

If you fancy a bit of atmosphere, here are our favourite sports bars and pubs in London, many of which will be showing Cheltenham Festival broadcasts throughout the week.

Radio Coverage

Cheltenham Festival will also be covered live by radio broadcasters for anyone without screen access. This includes BBC Radio 5 Live, which will pair live commentary with expert analysis and interviews with racing personalities, jockeys, trainers and pundits. talkSPORT will also cover every major race at Cheltenham, including live commentary and discussion of bookies’ favourites.

How To Watch The Cheltenham Gold Cup

The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup is the biggest race of the week, boasting a £625,000 prize for the victor. Luckily for us at home, it’ll air on TV free of charge: tune in on ITV1 and ITVX at 4pm on Friday 14 March 2025.