The 2022 Cheltenham Festival is back with big crowds set to bring the famous atmosphere for the first time in two years.
The ground is officially described as good to soft on Tuesday, for those plotting who to back with clerk of the course Jon Pullin initially reporting a little more ease in conditions earlier on Monday afternoon, but then issued a teatime update after a dry and sunny day.
Pullin, in charge of his first Festival since taking over the reins from Simon Claisse, is anticipating rain on Wednesday and will wait to see what happens before outlining any watering plans.
“Following a drying day on Monday, I have removed the soft in places from the going description on the Old course and switched round the going description on the New course to become good to soft, soft in places,” he said.
“We will monitor conditions and see what the weather brings before making any further decisions on watering.”
The Old course is in use on Tuesday and Wednesday with the New course taking over on Thursday and Friday. The Cross Country course, in use for Wednesday’s Glenfarclas Chase, is good to soft, soft in places.
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
- Arkle Novices’ Chase – 2.10pm
- Ultima Handicap Chase – 2.50pm
- Champion Hurdle – 3.30pm
- Mares’ Hurdle – 4.10pm
- Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – 4.50pm
- National Hunt Novices’ Chase – 5.30pm
Day Two: Ladies Day – Wednesday, March 16
- Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle – 1.30pm
- Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – 2.10pm
- Coral Cup – 2.50pm
- Champion Chase – 3.30pm
- Cross Country Chase – 4.10pm
- Grand Annual Handicap Chase – 4.50pm
- Champion Bumper – 5.30pm
Day Three: St Patrick’s Thursday – Thursday, March 17
- Turners Novices’ Chase – 1.30pm
- Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle – 2.10pm
- Ryanair Chase – 2.50pm
- Stayers’ Hurdle – 3.30pm
- Paddy Power Plate – 4.10pm
- Mares’ Novice Hurdle – 4.50pm
- Kim Muir Challenge Cup – 5.30pm
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. You can follow coverage there from 10am each day.
There is a live stream of the action across ITV Hub and the Racing 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.
