Reigning champion Minella Indo will be hoping to make it successive Gold Cup wins toward the end of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, but will face plenty of competition from the likes of last year’s National Hunt Chase winner Galvin and previous two-time winner of this race Al Boum Photo.
That all comes after four full days of racing though, with 250,000 race-goers expected to descend on the event across the course of the week after last year was one of many sporting spectacles held behind closed doors.
Ruby Walsh Trophy winner Rachael Blackmore is expected to be a headline act once more after racking up six victories a year ago, including the Champion Hurdle.
Paul Townend, Nico de Boinville and last year’s Gold Cup winner Jack Kennedy are among the other jockeys hoping to taste success across a busy week of action in the racing world.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.
When is the 2022 Cheltenham Festival?
The 2022 Cheltenham Festival starts on Tuesday, 15 March 2022 and ends on Friday, 18 March 2022.
The festival will showcase seven races each day. The first race starts daily at 1:30pm with the last race ending each day’s racing at 5:30pm.
Cheltenham Festival race schedule, guide and results
Look out for 28 races across the four days at the 2022 festival.
Day One: Champion Day – Tuesday, March 15
- Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – 1.30pm
1st - Constitution Hill 9/4
2nd - Jonbon 5/1
3rd - Kilcruit 15/2
- Arkle Novices’ Chase – 2.10pm
1st - Edwardstone 5/2
2nd - Gabynako 20/1
3rd - Blue Lord 4/1
- Ultima Handicap Chase – 2.50pm
1st - Corach Rambler 10/1
2nd - Gericault Roque 9/1
3rd - Oscar Elite 22/1
- Champion Hurdle – 3.30pm
1st - Honeysuckle 8/11
2nd - Epatante 16/1
3rd - Zanahiyr 28/1
- Mares’ Hurdle – 4.10pm
1st - Marie’s Rock 18/1
2nd - Queens Brook 4/1
3rd - Mrs Milner 14/1
- Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – 4.50pm
1st - Brazil 10/1
2nd - Gaelic Warrior 13/8
3rd - Bell Ex One 28/1
- National Hunt Novices’ Chase – 5.30pm
1st - Stattler 2/1
2nd - Run Wild Fred 15/8
3rd - Vanillier 11/4
Day Two: Ladies Day – Wednesday, March 16
- Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle – 1.30pm
1st - Sir Gerhard 8/11
2nd - Three Stripe Life 8/1
3rd - Whatdeawant 18/1
- Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – 2.10pm
1st - L’Homme Presse 9/4
2nd - Ahoy Senor 4/1
3rd - Gaillard Du Mesnil 11/1
- Coral Cup – 2.50pm
1st - Commander Of Fleet 50/1
2nd - Fastorslow 8/1
3rd - Ashdale Bob 14/1
- Champion Chase – 3.30pm
1st - Energumene - 5/2
2nd - Funambule Sivola 40/1
3rd - Envoi Allen 10/1
- Cross Country Chase – 4.10pm
1st - Delta Work - 5/2
2nd - Tiger Roll 3/1
3rd - Plan Of Attack 25/1
- Grand Annual Handicap Chase – 4.50pm
1st - Global Citizen - 28/1
2nd - Andy Dufresne 10/3
3rd - Frero Banbou 6/1
- Champion Bumper – 5.30pm
1st - Facile Vega - 15/8
2nd - American Mike 5/2
3rd - James's Gate - 16/1
Day Three: St Patrick’s Thursday – Thursday, March 17
- Turners Novices’ Chase – 1.30pm
1st: Bob Olinger 6/5
2nd: Busselton 50/1
3rd: El Barra 22/1
- Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle – 2.10pm
1st - Third Wind 22/1
2nd - Alaphilippe 11/2
3rd - Mill Green 33/1
- Ryanair Chase – 2.50pm
1st: Allaho 4/7
2nd: Janidil 12/1
3rd: Eldorado Allen 14/1
- Stayers’ Hurdle – 3.30pm
1st: Flooring Porter 4/1
2nd: Thyme Hill 5/1
3rd: Paisley Park 8/1
- Paddy Power Plate – 4.10pm
1st: Coole Cody 22/1
2nd: Imperial Alcazar 7/2
3rd: Spiritofthegames 12/1
- Mares’ Novice Hurdle – 4.50pm
1st: Love Envoi 15/2
2nd: Ahorsewithnoname 50/1
3rd: Grangee 13/2
- Kim Muir Challenge Cup – 5.30pm
1st: Chambard 40/1
2nd: Mister Coffey 5/1
3rd: Didero Vallis 66/1
Day Four: Gold Cup Day – Friday, March 18
- Triumph Hurdle – 1.30pm
- County Hurdle – 2.10pm
- Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – 2.50pm
- Gold Cup – 3.30pm
- Festival Hunters’ Chase – 4.10pm
- Mares’ Chase – 4.50pm
- Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle – 5.30pm
How to watch and follow festival plus ticket information
You can be there in person for the Greatest Show on Turf, with ticket prices starting from £40, with various other price tiers that open up the experience to fans with different enclosures and areas of the racecourse.
However, non-hospitality tickets for Thursday and Friday are now sold out. For full ticket information visit the Cheltenham Festival website here.
If you can’t be there in person, you can watch the coverage unfold on ITV1 with live coverage of the first five races of each day - coverage starts at 12:40pm, though be sure to tune into the hour-long Opening Show on ITV4 at 9am daily, with a preview of all the action ahead.
The only place to watch the entirety of each day though is Racing TV, which offers subscriptions starting from £10 for a day pass, as well as monthly and annual deals and is also part of some Sky Sports TV packages. You can follow coverage there from 10am each day.
There is a live stream of the action across ITV Hub and theRacing TV website or app.
You can listen to the races live with the first four races of each day live on talkSPORT, including the headline race at 3.30pm.
While Indy Sport will have you covered with a daily live blog, including all the best tips, results and reaction to the action.
Cheltenham Gold Cup odds
- A Plus Tard 10/3
- Galvin 10/3
- Minella Indo 9/2
- Protektorat 8/1
- Al Boum Photo 10/1
- Conflated 11/1
- Tornado Flyer 12/1
- Chantry House 16/1
- Royale Pagaille 16/1
- 25/1 bar
*Odds provided by Betfair, NRNB market, correct as of Sunday, March 13.
