Cheltenham Festival weather: Latest forecast ahead of racing

Fans are set to flock to Gloucestershire for the annual Cheltenham Festival, one of the fixtures of the racing calendar.

Four action-packed days will see the runners and riders battle it out for some of the most coveted jump races in the sport, including the Gold Cup.

The festival runs from Tuesday 12 March to Friday 15 March, with 28 races across the four days.

Racing begins at 1.30pm GMT and concludes shortly after the final start of the day at 5.30pm, with gates open daily from 10.30am.

While there is no official dress code put in place by The Jockey Club, many like to dress up for the occasion — though plenty will know from experience that it is important to keep an eye on the weather, which can put a dampener on proceedings.

Thankfully for racegoers, though, the forecast looks good for the four days of action.

While there may be rain to soften the surface further after a wet winter ahead of Tuesday’s start, it is expected to be dry across the first three days of racing with temperatures in the early teens.

There is a chance of some showers on Gold Cup Friday, but it would appear that no heavy rain is likely in the Cheltenham area.