One of the most prestigious National Hunt meetings in Britain, Cheltenham Festival occupies four days in March in the horse racing calendar. Its first day is often referred to as the Cheltenham Festival Tuesday as the event typically starts on the second day of the week.
In this article you will find detailed information on what to expect on the first day of Cheltenham Festival, what significance it bears, what races it hosts, and what its race cards have in store for horse racing enthusiasts.
What Is Cheltenham Day 1?
Cheltenham Day 1 is the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. It typically falls on the second Tuesday of March, that’s why it is also often referred to as Cheltenham Tuesday. As it opens one of Britain’s most anticipated National Hunt events of the season, Cheltenham Tuesday sets the tone for the entire Festival. Visitors on the ground are in for some spectacular action on the tracks.
Cheltenham Day 1 also hosts the country’s most prestigious hurdle race, the Champion Hurdle. Because of this, it is widely known as Champion Day. Naturally, with an event of such magnitude on its schedule, Champion Day enjoys high attendance year in, year out.
Bookmaking platforms report strong Cheltenham betting volume on this day. Horse racing punters take the opportunity to back a horse they see as the most likely to win not only in the feature race but all seven races, as each of them includes both experienced runners and promising novices.
Cheltenham Day 1 Races
The following are the Cheltenham Day 1 races that will be conducted on Tuesday, 10 March.
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race that accepts both male and female horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles and 1/2 furlong (2 miles and 87 yards, or 3,298 metres) and includes eight hurdles to be jumped. As the first race of the annual Cheltenham Festival, it is preceded by the famous “Cheltenham roar”.
Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase
The Arkle Challenge Trophy is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase that accepts both male and female horses aged five years or older. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mile, 7 furlongs and 199 yards, or 3,199 metres) and includes 13 fences to be jumped. In the National Hunt calendar, it is considered to be the leading minimum-distance chase for novices.
Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle is a Premier Handicap National Hunt hurdle race that accepts both male and female horses aged four years. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles and ½ furlong (2 miles and 87 yards, or 3,298 metres) and includes eight hurdles to be jumped. It was added to the event schedule when the Cheltenham Festival was expanded to carry on for four days. It was named after Fred Winter, whose achievements at the Cheltenham Festival included 17 victories as a jockey and 28 as a trainer.
Ultima Handicap Chase
The Festival Trophy Handicap Chase is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase that accepts both male and female horses aged five years or older. It is run over a distance of about 3 miles and 1 furlong (5,029 metres) and includes 20 fences to be jumped. Winners of this race often go on to participate in the Grand National.
Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race that accepts both male and female horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles and 1/2 furlong (2 miles and 87 yards or 3,298 metres) and includes eight hurdles to be jumped. This is the headline event of the first day of the Cheltenham Festival and the most prestigious hurdle of the season.
The Sun Racing Plate Chase
The Plate Handicap Chase is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase that accepts both male and female horses aged five years or older. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 1/2 furlongs (2 miles 4 furlongs and 127 yards, or 4,139 metres) and includes 17 fences to be jumped. It received its Premier Handicap status in 2023.
The National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup
The National Hunt Challenge Cup is a National Hunt steeplechase that accepts both male and female horses aged five years or older. It is run over a distance of about 3 miles 6 furlongs (3 miles 5 furlongs and 201 yards, or 6,018 metres) and includes 23 fences to be jumped. Celebrating its 166th edition this year, it remains the race with the most number of runs at the Cheltenham Festival.
Cheltenham Tuesday Feature Race – Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race that accepts both male and female horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles and 1/2 furlong (2 miles and 87 yards or 3,298 metres) and includes eight hurdles to be jumped.
Established in 1927, Champion Hurdle is the most prestigious event in its category in Britain. It is also the last leg of the Triple Crown of Hurdling. The other two include the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, held at the Newcastle Racecourse, and the Christmas Hurdle, held at Kempton Park Racecourse.
The latest winner of the Champion Hurdle is bay mare Golden Ace in 2025. Golden Ace, who at the time was 7 years old, became the seventh mare to win the race. It was also her first win at the Champion Hurdle. She has already been announced to take part in this year’s hurdle.
Golden Ace was trained by Jeremy Scott and led on the tracks by jockey Lorcan Williams. For both of them, this was their first win in the race.
This year the Champion Hurdle is scheduled to start at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, 10 March.
Currently, there are 12 runners announced to compete in this year’s race, but this number may change before the day of the race. The jockeys for the race are still awaiting confirmation.
The current full list of contenders and their trainers runs as follows:
- Alexei (age 6, trainer Joe Tizzard)
- Anzadam (age 6, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Ballyburn (age 8, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Casheldale Lad (age 6, trainer Gordon Elliott)
- Lucky Place (age 7, trainer Nicky Henderson)
- Poniros (age 5, trainer Willie Mullins)
- The New Lion (age 7, trainer Dan Skelton)
- Wilful (age 7, trainer Jonjo and A J O’Neill)
- Workahead (age 8, trainer Henry De Bromhead)
- Brighterdaysahead (age 7, trainer Gordon Elliott)
- Golden Ace (age 8, trainer Jeremy Scott)
- Lossiemouth (age 7, trainer Willie Mullins)
Cheltenham Races Tuesday Schedule
The daily race card for the first day of the Cheltenham Festival 2026 is as follows. Please note that the ground condition (going) may change before the start of the races.
Tuesday, 10 March
Going: soft
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 1:20 pm | THE SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (Grade 1) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | Two miles about half a furlong
(2m 87yds) |
4YO+ £150,000.00 |
| 2:00 pm | THE SINGER ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY NOVICES’ STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (Grade 1) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | About two miles
(1m 7f 199yds) |
5YO+ £200,000.00 |
| 2:40 pm | THE MCCOY CONTRACTORS JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (PREMIER HANDICAP) (Registered as the FRED WINTER JUVENILE HURDLE) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | Two miles about half a furlong
(2m 87yds) |
4YO £80,000.00 |
| 3:20 pm | THE TRUSTMARQUE ULTIMA HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (PREMIER HANDICAP) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | Three miles about one furlong (3m 1f) | 5YO+ £150,000.00 |
| 4:00 pm | THE CHAMPION HURDLE CHALLENGE TROPHY (CLASS 1) (Grade 1) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | Two miles about half a furlong
(2m 87yds) |
4YO+ £450,000.00 |
| 4:40 pm | THE SUN RACING PLATE HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (PREMIER HANDICAP) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | Two miles about four furlongs
(2m 4f 44yds) |
5YO+ £150,000.00 |
| 5:20 pm | THE PRINCESS ROYAL NATIONAL HUNT CHALLENGE CUP NOVICES’ HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 2) (GBB RACE) (CL 2) | Three miles about six furlongs
(3m 5f 201yds) |
5YO+ £100,000.00 Rating 0-145 |
What Time Do Cheltenham Day 1 Races Start?
The current timeline for the Cheltenham races on Tuesday is the following:
- Gate opening: 10:30 am
- First race: 1:20 pm
- Headline race: 4:00 pm
- Last race: 5:20 pm
Cheltenham Festival Tuesday Atmosphere & Highlights
As Cheltenham Tuesday opens the annual edition of the Cheltenham Festival, the motley crowd of race goers, horse racing enthusiasts, and sports punters are in for an unforgettable experience.
Right before the first race of the day, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, starts, the famed Cheltenham roar will thunder through the entire venue, marking the beginning of one of Britain’s most renowned National Hunt meetings. This is the perfect representation of how excited the people in the enclosures are to see heated rivalries, follow outstanding performances, and celebrate the well-known and newly emerging talents on the tracks.
The opening day energy culminates in the highlight of the day, the Champion Hurdle. Britain’s most acclaimed hurdle will see some of the most talented hurdlers compete for the winner title, in many ways setting the atmosphere for the rest of the Cheltenham Festival.
Cheltenham Day 1 FAQ
What is Cheltenham Day 1?
Cheltenham Day 1, also known as the Cheltenham Tuesday or Champion Day, is the opening day of the annual Cheltenham Festival, one of the most prestigious National Hunt horse racing events in Britain.
What races are on Cheltenham Tuesday?
Cheltenham Tuesday hosts 7 races. These are: Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase, Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, Ultima Handicap Chase, Champion Hurdle (featured race), The Sun Racing Plate, The National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup.
What time does Cheltenham Day 1 start?
The gates open at 10:30 am on Tuesday, 10 March. The first race will start at 1:20 pm, while the last one will begin at 5:20 pm. Be sure to check the start time before the beginning of the event for any changes.
What is the main race on Cheltenham Tuesday?
The main race on Cheltenham Tuesday is the Champion Hurdle. It is the most prestigious hurdle race in Britain that welcomes horses aged four years or older. It is also the third and final leg of the Triple Crown of Hurdling.
How many races are on Day 1?
In its current format, Cheltenham Festival hosts a total of 28 races. All of them are evenly distributed across 4 days of the event. Day 1 includes 7 races, as do other days of the Festival.
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