Cheltenham Racecourse Race Days & Festivals in 2027

Cheltenham Racecourse has an action-packed start to 2027, with a number of highlight racedays before the biggest week of the National Hunt season. From New Year’s Day racing through to the drama of the Cheltenham Festival, these fixtures capture the importance of Prestbury Park as one of jump racing’s most significant venues.
New Year’s Day Racing – Friday 1 st January 2027

Cheltenham welcomes the New Year with one of its most popular and family-friendly fixtures. New Year’s Day Racing at Cheltenham offers competitive jump racing, a festive crowd and a chilled-out feel after the New Year’s Eve celebrations. With seven races on the card including Graded and Listed races, this is a raceday that provides more than just an excuse to go racing as a family – it’s often seen as a chance to take an early look at horses that might be running in more significant races later in the year. Gates are listed to open at 10.30am with the first race off at 12.15pm and the last at 3.45pm.
Festival Trials Day – Saturday 3 rd January 2027

Festival Trials Day is the final Cheltenham raceday before the Festival itself and is a raceday that always creates a sense of excitement and anticipation. The card is listed for 2027 as “8 Races, 8 Trials”, and every race on this card could potentially throw up a contender for a run in March. It is a serious racing day that appeals to form students and those keen to take a close look at runners and riders before the Cheltenham Festival comes around again. This fixture also includes key races such as the Cotswold Chase, Cleeve Hurdle and Cross Country Chase.
Cheltenham Festival – Tuesday 16 th to Friday 19 th March 2027

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the pinnacles of the jump racing calendar, and it is also the largest event hosted by Cheltenham Racecourse. Across four days, seven races will be run on each afternoon, with a total of 28 races scheduled that comprise many of the sport’s most prestigious prizes. The 2027 Festival runs from Tuesday 16 th March through to Friday 19 th March, with gates listed to open at 10.30am on each afternoon and racing starting at 1.20pm and finishing at 5.20pm.

The meeting opens with Champion Day, which includes the Champion Hurdle, with the Queen Mother Champion Chase being the highlight of Ladies Day on Wednesday. The Stayers’ Hurdle and Ryanair Chase highlight the St Patrick’s Thursday card, while the final day, Friday 19 th March is Gold Cup Day. The Cheltenham Gold Cup will start at 4.00pm, run on the New Course over a distance of three miles, two furlongs, with 22 fences to be jumped.
The April Meeting – Wednesday 14 th to Thursday 15 th April 2027

The April Meeting will bring some of the Festival feeling into the spring. Running for two days, the meeting offers a slightly more relaxed feel than the main March meeting but maintains a high quality of jump racing at the Home of Jump Racing. The meeting is a great option for visitors who want to experience Cheltenham but without the frenzy that is the Festival. It is scheduled to run on Wednesday 14 th and Thursday 15 th April with gates set to open at 12.00pm on both days and the first race due to run from approximately 1.30pm.
Race Night – Friday 30 th April 2027

Race Night will conclude the 2026/27 Cheltenham race season. It is the only evening fixture to be held by Cheltenham during the year, and as such it provides a unique atmosphere to any raceday. The card comprises exclusively of hunter chases, offering amateur jockeys and trainers an opportunity to compete at one of the most famous racecourses in the world. Evening racing, an enjoyable crowd and the culmination of the jump racing season combine to make Race Night one of the more memorable fixtures.

Cheltenham in 2027 really does provide a fine combination of the traditional, the potential for Festival clues, the major championship races and spring racing too. Whether it is for the first time or for an annual pilgrimage, there are certainly dates on the calendar in 2027 for all racing fans to look forward to.