A Guide To The Cheltenham Festival 2024

10 months ago

Everything you need to know about the four-day horse racing extravaganza

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The most prestigious jump racing event of the year returns next month, running from 12–15 March 2024, marking the start of the social season. Here’s everything you need to know about The Cheltenham Festival 2024, plus how to get tickets.

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The Cheltenham Festival 2024

Each year over 260,000 people flock to The Jockey Club’s Cheltenham Festival for four days of horse racing, live music, food and drink. Horses are made heroes and reputations of top jockeys are on the line. Champions return to retain their crown, while others battle to steal the limelight. It’s a week of drama and high emotion, with moments of pure theatre thrown in for good measure. There’s plenty to enjoy off the track too: from shopping to restaurants to entertainment.

Celebrating 100 years of the Gold Cup, 2024 is a very special edition of The Cheltenham Festival, with guaranteed excellence and big celebrations no matter which day you attend.

The Races

Day One (12 March): Champion Day, featuring the Unibet Champion Hurdle
Day Two (13 March): Style Day, featuring the Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase
Day Three (14 March): St Patrick’s Thursday, featuring the Ryanair Steeple Chase
Day Four (15 March): Gold Cup Day, featuring the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase

The Food

The dining options at the festival are world class, with over 45,000 meals being plated up over the four days and a fantastic 3,500 catering team taking part each day. In true British style, over 9,000 gallons of tea and coffee are consumed, with nine tons of locally produced potatoes and five tons of locally sourced salmon devoured throughout the week. Local produce is in fact at the heart of the festival’s catering, with up to 70 percent of the fruit and vegetables coming from within the Cotswolds region and 100 percent of the cheese produced within 50 miles of Cheltenham. What’s more, the entirety of the afternoon tea selection is quintessentially ‘best of British’.

Excitingly Core on Course in back for 2024 (having debuted in 2023), the first sporting hospitality experience by Michelin-star chef Clare Smyth, famed for her Notting Hill restaurant Core by Clare Smyth. She’ll be bringing her acclaimed cooking back to the festival, offering a six-course tasting menu alongside paired wines selected by head sommelier Head Sommelier Gareth Ferreira.

Award-wining venues include The Horse and Groom Pub, a relaxed and informal spot which overlooks the final two fences of the racecourse. Elsewhere, visitors can dine in the company of the iconic Roux family at Chez Roux, one of the most prestigious restaurants at the festival hosted by the world-renowned Albert Roux, his son Michel Roux Jr. and granddaughter Emily. The Centenary Restaurant, meanwhile, offers great views of the horses as they move between the Paddock and the course, alongside brunch and afternoon tea.

Dress Code

While there is no formal dress code in place, many guests like to dress up for Cheltenham. You can get some inspiration from House of Cavani’s Frankie Foster and Holland Cooper‘s Jade Holland Cooper here – or why not go the extra mile and book in for a personal shopping experience with Holland Cooper (the festival’s fashion partner, renowned for its British heritage and classic tailoring) at its flagship Cheltenham Boutique?

It’s worth noting that two-thirds of the car parks are on grass, so suitable footwear is advised, and bear in mind the weather can be unpredictable.

Where?

The festival is held at Cheltenham Racecourse (Evesham Road, Cheltenham GL50 4SH). It’s a five-minute drive from the town centre.

When?

The Cheltenham Festival will take place from 12–15 March 2024. Gates open at The Festival every day at 10.30am. The first race is at 1.30pm, and the last race at 5.30pm. Each day there is a feature race at 3.30pm.