Race times, day-by-day schedule, betting tips and talkSPORT commentary for racing event of the year

Cheltenham Festival is a huge highlight of the horse-racing calendar and the 2023 edition is off to a cracking start.

From The Gold Cup and The Champion Chase, Cheltenham is always full of drama as thousands of fans flock to the famous Gloucestershire course.

SEE ALL CHELTENHAM FREE BET OFFERS HERE

Rachael Blackmore was the star of the show last year, claiming glory in the Champion Hurdle with Honeysuckle before going on to also clinch victory in the showpiece race, The Gold Cup, on A Plus Tard.

And she was the standout on the opening day of this year’s festival as well, leading Honeysuckle to victory in the Mares’ Hurdle in the horse’s last race before retirement.

The superstar jockey will be back in action later in the week as the punters continue to flood in.

talkSPORT will once again bring you all the action from the prestigious meeting.

Cheltenham Festival: Date and start time

The 2023 Cheltenham Festival will run from Tuesday, March 14 to Friday, March 17.

The meeting is held over four days with seven races on each day – so 28 in total.

The first race of each day will be due off at 1:30pm with the last run at 5:30pm.

Tuesday is traditionally Champion Day, Wednesday is Ladies Day, Thursday is St Patrick’s Thursday and Friday is Gold Cup day.

The week features 14 Grade 1 races with the best horses, trainers and jockeys going head-to-head.

Cheltenham Festival: How to follow

talkSPORT will once again be at the heart of Cheltenham, bringing you live coverage of the elite racing.

Rupert Bell and Lizzie Kelly will have commentary of the first five races of each day on talkSPORT.

Racing Live with Emmet Kennedy and Paddy Aspell will then take in the rest of each day’s action on talkSPORT 2.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

The action is also set to be shown on free-to-air television on ITV.

Cheltenham Festival: Betting tips

Thursday’s opener, the Turners Novices’ Chase, is likely to be won by favourite Mighty Potter who has continued to improve for Gordon Elliott this season.

Later on Thursday is the Ryanair Chase, fronted by the familiar yellow and black of Shishkin who has bounced back for Henderson since having a wind operation in January, staying on to win by 16 lengths at Ascot in February.

Luccia is another promising horse from the Seven Barrows yard who has had similar rumblings of potential as Constitution Hill did last year.

She is among the frontrunners for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and is incredibly easy to back at around 7/4.

Now onto the showpiece of the entire festival and one of the biggest races of the year, the Gold Cup on Friday.

Despite being the clear 13/8 favourite, Galopin Des Champs trained by Willie Mullins, looks like one of the best bets of the festival and to take home the £351k prize money in style.

He’s also out with unfinished business after falling at the last hurdle in the festival last year despite going strongly and leading by a big distance.

You can get all the latest betting tips and free bet offers for the festival here.

Cheltenham Festival: Race guide and results

There will be 28 races run at the 2023 festival and here is your race-by-race guide.

Champion Day – Tuesday, March 14

• 13:30 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

1 Marine Nationale (M J M O’Sullivan) 9-2
2 Facile Vega (P Townend) 9-4 Fav
3 Diverge (Mr P W Mullins) 25-1

• 14:10 Arkle Challenge Trophy

1 El Fabiolo (P Townend) 11-10 Fav
2 Jonbon (Aidan Coleman) 2-1
3 Saint Roi (M P Walsh) 11-1

• 14:50 Handicap Steeple Chase

1 Corach Rambler (D R Fox) 6-1 Jt Fav
2 Fastorslow (J J Slevin) 7-1
3 Monbeg Genius (Jonjo O’Neill Jr.) 6-1 Jt Fav

• 15:30 Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy

1 Constitution Hill (N de Boinville) 4-11 Fav
2 State Man (P Townend) 7-2
3 Zanahiyr (D N Russell) 66-1

1 Honeysuckle (R Blackmore) 9-4 Jt Fav
2 Love Envoi (J J Burke) 11-1
3 Queens Brook (D N Russell) 16-1

• 16:50 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

1 Jazzy Matty (M O’Sullivan) 18-1
2 Byker (P Byrnes) 6-1
3 Risk Belle (L P Dempsey) 10-1

• 17:30 National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup

1 Gaillard Du Mesnil (Mr P W Mullins) 10-11 Fav
2 Chemical Energy (Mr J J Codd) 8-1
3 Mister Coffey (Mr Derek O’Connor) 11-1

Ladies Day – Wednesday, March 15

• 13:30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle

1 Impaire Et Passe (P Townend) 5-2
2 Gaelic Warrior (P W Mullins) 9-2
3 Champ Kiely (D E Mullins) 13-2

• 14:10 Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase

1 The Real Whacker (S Twiston-Davies) 8-1
2 Gerri Colombe (J Gainford) 5-4 Fav
3 Bronn (D Jacob) 50-1

1 Langer Dan (H Skelton) 9-1
2 An Epic Song (J J Slevin) 16-1
3 Camprond (A Coleman) 20-1

• 15:30 Queen Mother Champion Chase

1 Energumene (P Townend) 6-5 Fav
2 Captain Guinness (R Blackmore) 12-1
3 Greaneteen (H Cobden) 25-1

• 16:10 Cross-Country Steeple Chase

1 Delta Work (K Donoghue) 11-10 Fav
2 Galvin (D Russell) 11-4
3 Franco De Port (P Mullins) 9-2

• 16:50 Grand Annual Handicap Chase

1 Maskada (D O’Keeffe) 22-1
2 Dinoblue (L Dempsey) 7-2 Fav
3 Global Citizen (L Morgan) 12-1

• 17:30 Champion Bumper     

1 A Dream to Share (J. L. Gleeson) 7/2
2 Fact To File (P. Mullins) 16/5
3 Captain Teague (H. Cobden) 40/1

St Patrick’s Thursday – Thursday, March 17

• 13:30 Turners Novices’ Chase
• 14:10 Pertemps Network Final Hurdle               
• 14:50 Ryanair Chase   
• 15:30 Stayers’ Hurdle
• 16:10 County Plate Chase        
• 16:50 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
• 17:30 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup 

Gold Cup Day – Friday, March 17

• 13:30 Triumph Hurdle Jump    
• 14:10 Country Handicap Hurdle            
• 14:50 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 
• 15:30 Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase     
• 16:10 Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
• 16:50 Mares’ Chase    
• 17:30 Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle