Cheltenham Festival week is marked in every horse racing fan’s calendar as soon as the previous edition finishes. It is the showpiece event of the National Hunt season, where the finest jumps horses in Britain and Ireland come together to do battle at Cheltenham racecourse.
Here is everything you need to know about the Cheltenham Festival 2022, from the latest news and odds to race times and TV schedule.
When does Cheltenham Festival 2022 start?
This year’s meeting will take place over four days from Tuesday March 15 to Friday March 8.
See the full schedule including all the race times below.
What TV channel are the races on?
There are two options when it comes to watching Cheltenham on TV. The majority of races will be free to air on ITV, while Racing TV will also be showing the action. You will also be able to follow live updates on Telegraph Sport’s daily live blog.
What are the big races?
The Cheltenham Festival is not a case of separating the small races from the big races – it only contains big races and even bigger races.
Each of the four days has a headline event. Tuesday’s showpiece race is the Champion Hurdle, while the Queen Mother Champion Chase tops the Wednesday bill – and this year’s Champion Chase clash between Shishkin and Energumene promises to be one for the ages.
Thursday features two prize races in the Ryanair Chase and Stayers’ Hurdle, and everything builds up to the Gold Cup on Friday. Minella Indo won the big race in 2021 and should be back to defend his crown against a field likely to include two-time winner Al Boum Photo and last year’s runner-up A Plus Tard.
Cheltenham Festival 2022 race schedule
Tuesday, March 15
- 1.30pm, Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 87y
- 2.10pm, The Sporting Life Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1), 1m 7f 199y
- 2.50pm, Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3), 3m 1f
- 3.30pm, Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 87y
- 4.10pm, Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 3f 200y
- 4.50pm, The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race (Grade 3)
- 5.30pm, National Hunt Chase (Amateur Riders’ Novices’ Chase) (Grade 2), 3m 7f 147y
Wednesday, March 16
- 1.30pm, Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 5f
- 2.10pm, Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1), 3m 80y
- 2.50pm, Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3), 2m 5f
- 3.30pm, Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1), 1m 7f 99y
- 4.10pm, Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, 3m 6f 37y
- 4.50pm, The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Grade 3), 2m 44y
- 5.30pm, Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1), 2m 87y
Thursday, March 17 (St Patrick’s Day)
- 1.30pm, Turners Novices’ Chase (Grade 1), 2m 3f 166y
- 2.10pm, Pertemps Network Final (Handicap Hurdle) (Grade 3), 2m 7f 213y
- 2.50pm, Ryanair Chase (Grade 1), 2m 4f 127y
- 3.30pm, Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 7f 213y
- 4.10pm, Paddy Power Plate (Handicap Chase) (Grade 3), 2m 4f 166y
- 4.50pm, Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2), 2m 179y
- 5.30pm, Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase, 3m 2f
Friday, March 18
- 1.30pm, JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 179y
- 2.10pm, McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3), 2m 179y
- 2.50pm, Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m 7f 213y
- 3.30pm, Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1), 3m 2f 70y
- 4.10pm, St James’s Place Hunters’ Chase, 3m 2f 70y
- 4.50pm, Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (Grade 3), 2m 4f 127y
- 5.30pm, Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (0-145), 2m 4f 56y
Latest odds
Unibet Champion Hurdle
- Honeysuckle 1/2
- Appreciate It 6/1
- Epatante 9/1
- Zanahiyr 16/1
- Quilixios 20/1
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
- Shishkin 4/5
- Energumene 10/3
- Chacun Pour Soi 13/2
- Nube Negra 11/1
- Allaho 16/1
Ryanair Chase
- Allaho 5/4
- Energumene 8/1
- Saint Calvados 10/1
- Shan Blue 12/1
- First Flow 14/1
Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle
- Flooring Porter 7/2
- Thyme Hill 5/1
- Champ 6/1
- Klassical Dream 13/2
- Paisley Park 7/1
Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup
- A Plus Tard 7/2
- Galvin 9/2
- Minella Indo 11/2
- Al Boum Photo 10/1
- Protektorat 10/1
