The Cheltenham Festival 2027 runs from Tuesday 16 March to Friday 19 March at Cheltenham Racecourse. It's the biggest jump racing meeting of the year in Britain and Ireland, finishing with the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the Friday. Cheltenham ante-post markets are already open on most of the big races, at bigger prices but with more risk.
When is Cheltenham Festival 2027? Dates and feature races
Each of the four days has its own name and feature race.
| 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 |
| Gold Cup Day | Friday 19 March | Cheltenham Gold Cup |
Racing runs every afternoon of the four days. Each feature race goes by its sponsor's name too, which can change from year to year, so the names above are the ones that stay the same.
What is the Cheltenham Festival?
Cheltenham is National Hunt racing, which means jumps: hurdles and steeplechase fences. The Festival brings together the best jumps horses from Britain and Ireland, with championship races for two milers, stayers and novices across the four days.
It's also one of the biggest betting weeks of the year. Bookmakers compete hard on prices and offers, which is why extra places, non-runner no bet and free bets are everywhere in the run up.
What is Cheltenham ante-post betting?
An ante-post bet is one placed well before the race, usually before the final runners are confirmed. For Cheltenham, markets on the big races open months in advance.
The appeal is price. A horse that's 12/1 in November can be 6/1 by March if it keeps winning. The risk is that it doesn't make it to the race at all, because of injury, a change of plan or running elsewhere.
| What happens | Ante-post at 12/1 | On the day at 6/1 |
|---|---|---|
| Runs and wins | £130.00 | £70.00 |
| Runs and loses | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Doesn't run | £0.00, stake lost | No bet placed |
| Doesn't run, with non-runner no bet | £10.00 back | No bet placed |
Ante-post rules: non-runners, Rule 4, best odds guaranteed and each way
- If your horse doesn't run, you normally lose your stake.
- Non-runner no bet (NRNB) means you get your stake back if the horse doesn't run. Bookmakers often offer it on the big Cheltenham races in the weeks before, so it's worth waiting for unless the price is too good to miss.
- Rule 4 deductions don't apply to ante-post bets.
- Best odds guaranteed usually doesn't apply either. Most bookmakers only offer it on the day.
- Each way terms are fixed when you bet, so check them before you place it.
Betting during Festival week: each way, extra places and Lucky 15s
Big fields mean each way betting and extra place offers come into their own. Lucky 15s across a day's card are popular, because one winner gets something back. Check the place terms, the best odds guaranteed rules and any Rule 4 before each race.
Festival calculators:Lucky 15 calculatorEach way calculatorRule 4 calculatorForecast and tricast calculator
After Cheltenham: the Grand National on 10 April
The 2027 Grand National is on Saturday 10 April at Aintree, three weeks after the Festival. Many Cheltenham runners go on to Aintree, so Festival form shapes the National market too.
Questions people ask
When is the Cheltenham Festival 2027?
Tuesday 16 March to Friday 19 March 2027, at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire.
What day is the Cheltenham Gold Cup 2027?
Friday 19 March 2027, the last day of the Festival.
What happens to an ante-post bet if the horse doesn't run?
You normally lose your stake. If you took a non-runner no bet offer, you get your stake back.
Does Rule 4 apply to ante-post bets?
No. Rule 4 deductions only apply to bets struck closer to the race, after the runners are known.