The Cheltenham Festival is back as hundreds of thousands of fans descend on the iconic Gloucestershire racecourse for one of the sport’s biggest weeks of the year but a shock flurry of snow on Wednesday morning could disrupt plans.
The Met Office has forecast dry and sunny spells with scattered showers on Day 3 of the Festival after heavy snow blanketed large parts of the Cheltenham area and Gloucestershire yesterday morning.
Yesterday’s snow did not disrupt the racing shedule and with sunny spells, and the odd shower, expected between 12pm and 5pm today’s conditions should be close to ideal.
The Gold Cup takes the headlines att Cheltenham but four action-packed days will see the very best of British and Irish racing as runners and riders battle it out for glory, though Willie Mullins will hope to repeat a dominant 2024, which saw him claim the big one with Galopin Des Champs for a second successive year.
It ensured the iconic Irish trainer went home with nine winners for the week, as well as bringing up the historic mark of 100 Cheltenham Festival winners over his career.
The festival runs from Tuesday 11 March to Friday 14 March and fans can look forward to 28 compelling races across the four days. Racing begins at 1.20pm GMT and the final race of the day is at 5.20pm, though fans pack in after the gates open daily at 10.30am.
The weather can be crucial to the chances with punters studying the going days and hours out from each race. If the course is heavy, then expect a real test of the horse’s stamina, though the forecast currently suggests a quicker track due to a dry spell just before and throughout the festival.
Apart from Wednesday’s surprise snow, the forecast generally looks good for the rest of the week: the BBC shows a gentle breeze once the sleet clears on day two, before sunny intervals and a gentle breeze on day three and day four for the Gold Cup.
Most outlets suggest a mostly dry week, though Accuweather forecasts an afternoon shower in spots on Wednesday, a couple of morning showers on Thursday and a stray morning shower on Friday
It could be a chilly week on the ground, with temperatures ranging from seven to nine degrees celsius throughout the week.
Apple weather suggests a 50 per cent chance of rain on Wednesday, meaning the ground could soften as we approach Gold Cup day on Friday. The going at Cheltenham is currently good to soft, good in places, while the top loop in front of the stands currently has soft ground.
Check out the latest Cheltenham odds before considering your bets where you’ll find the best prices from betting sites and free bet offers to claim during the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
