Racing guides · Cheltenham · Updated November 2026
Cheltenham Festival 2027: a guide for Irish punters
By the Irish Sports Betting Sites team
In short: the 2027 Cheltenham Festival runs from Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March, with seven races a day. The big four are the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday, the Stayers’ Hurdle on St Patrick’s Thursday and the Gold Cup on Friday. Irish-trained horses have won most of the races at recent Festivals, so Irish form is the place to start.
The four days at a glance
| Day | Date | Feature race |
|---|---|---|
| Champion Day | Tuesday 16 March | Champion Hurdle |
| Ladies Day | Wednesday 17 March | Queen Mother Champion Chase |
| St Patrick’s Thursday | Thursday 18 March | Stayers’ Hurdle and Ryanair Chase |
| Gold Cup Day | Friday 19 March | Cheltenham Gold Cup |
Why the Irish form matters
Cheltenham is the high point of the jumps season on both sides of the Irish Sea, and in recent years Irish trainers have won the majority of the races. Ireland and Britain compete for the Prestbury Cup, awarded to whichever country’s trainers win more races across the week.
The best guide to the big races is often the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in early February. Many of the Irish Festival favourites run there, and the results reshape the Cheltenham markets overnight. Our Leopardstown guide covers that meeting.
Ante-post or on the day?
You can bet on Festival races months in advance, known as ante-post betting. Prices are usually bigger, but if your horse doesn’t run, a normal ante-post bet is lost.
- Non-runner no bet (NRNB): in the weeks before the Festival, many bookmakers offer NRNB on the big races. If your horse doesn’t line up, you get your stake back. Check the terms of each bookmaker.
- Best odds guaranteed: on the day, some bookmakers pay out at the starting price if it’s bigger than the price you took. It usually applies to bets placed on the day of the race.
- Extra places: the big handicaps have large fields, and bookmakers often pay extra each-way places. Read our each-way betting guide and our handicap racing guide before you back one.
Five tips for Festival week
- Set a budget for the whole week before Tuesday, not one per day.
- Compare prices: the gap between bookmakers is often biggest on the handicaps.
- Check the going. Cheltenham in March can turn soft quickly, and some horses need good ground.
- Small stakes on big-field handicaps are fine. These races are hard to win.
- Set a deposit limit with your bookmaker. Festival week is when spending creeps up.
FAQs
When is the Cheltenham Festival 2027?
Tuesday 16 March to Friday 19 March 2027. Thursday is St Patrick’s Day, and the Gold Cup is on the Friday.
How many races are there at Cheltenham?
There are 28 races, seven on each of the four days.
What is the Prestbury Cup?
It’s the trophy for the Ireland v Britain contest at the Festival. The country whose trainers win more races takes the cup.
What does non-runner no bet mean?
If you back a horse with an NRNB concession and it doesn’t run, your stake is returned. Without it, an ante-post bet on a non-runner is lost.
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