As one of the highlights of the British sporting calendar, the Cheltenham Festival has the country’s best photographers jostling to capture the drama and glory of National Hunt racing’s flagship festival.
Punters, racing aficionados and a host of celebrities have donned their glad rags and descended upon the Gloucestershire town to catch a glimpse of the sporting drama.
Harry Redknapp and Sir Alex Ferguson have horses in the running and they will rub shoulders with plenty of other recognisable faces from sport, politics and the arts.
– Cheltenham Festival: What to know, dates, races, horses, how to watch, prize money, more
– Prestbury Cup at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival explained: Score, winners, standings, more
St Patrick’s Thursday
– St Patrick’s Thursday results, race times, weather, going, odds, favourites, more
There was a sea of green from not just Irish-trained horses on Thursday, as punters got into the St Patrick’s Day spirit.
The Cheltenham wind claimed a few early victims, with hats flying everywhere as conditions changed for the worse at Prestbury Park.
Ladies Day
– Ladies Day results, race times, weather, odds, favourites, more
HRH Queen Camilla chatted to the queen of Cheltenham Rachael Blackmore on Ladies Day.
Fascinators were the item of the day as Ladies Day made its long awaited return to the Cheltenham Festival.
Il Etait Temps took the Queen Mother Champion Chase, to the delight of all connections.
HRH Queen Camilla spoke to two members of the England Women’s Rugby World Cup winning side captain Zoe Aldcroft and scrum-half Natasha Hunt.
There was a wide array of splendid headwear on display on the second day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
England rugby legend Jeremy Guscott was one of several sporting icons who took to Prestbury Park for Ladies Day.
Final Orders took the unique Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase for Gavin Cromwell.
For some the conditions were better suited to a fur hat rather than a fascinator.
Champion Day
– Champion Day results, race times, weather, going, odds, favourites, more
Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Nathan Aspinall swapped the oche for Prestbury Park on Champion Day.
Jordan Pickford was one of the 57,000 horse racing fans who took to Prestbury Park for the opening day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
Some of the first punters enter the Cheltenham gates and bask in glorious sunshine.
Zara and Mike Tindall ensured there was a Royal presence at Prestbury Park.
Champion Hurdle winner Lossiemouth greets owner Rich Ricci with winning jockey Paul Townend in the winner’s enclosure.
Connections of National Hunt Challenge Cup, including trainer Nicky Henderson, celebrate Holloway Queen’s victory.
Owner JP McManus had two winners on his 75th birthday.
Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson had two winners each on the opening day of the Festival.
