Why you'll be seeing more of the Cheltenham Festival on ITV in 2025

Zara Tindall speaks to ITV racing during day three of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


ITV Racing has confirmed it will broadcast an additional race on each day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. This will bring the total number of live races shown on terrestrial television to six per day.

Racing TV will continue to air all seven daily races of the Festival. The 2025 Festival takes place from Tuesday, March 11 to Friday, March 14

Today also sees the publication of the Order of Running for Festival, which you can see further down this article. The feature race on all four days will now take place later in the card.

READ MORE:Save almost £100 on cosy winter boots with fur trim from Debenhams

READ MORE:Cheltenham Racecourse slammed for lack of cash machines on site

Increases in prize money are also announced today, with the two Grade One novices’ chases – the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and the My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase - now worth £200,000 each (up from £175,000). In addition, all handicap chases have been increased in value to £150,000 (up from £125,000).

Richard Willoughby, ITV Racing Editor, said today: "Terrestrial viewers will be delighted that ITV Racing are able to show an additional race each day of The Festival in 2025. This means we will be showing 24 live races across the week and be on air for over four hours every day, as well as broadcasting our extended 90-minute Opening Show each morning.”

Racing fans can watch live Cheltenham Festival coverage on ITV and Racing TV. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)
Racing fans can watch live Cheltenham Festival coverage on ITV and Racing TV. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Ian Renton, The Jockey Club’s Managing Director of Cheltenham Racecourse, said: “It is fantastic news that ITV Racing will be now covering six of the seven races on each day of The Festival. We are hugely grateful for ITV’s ongoing and increased support, which enables us to showcase the very best in Jump racing to as wide an audience as possible.

“The publication of the Order of Running today follows on from the changes announced last month and sees the feature race now taking place later in the card each day, allowing the sense of excitement and anticipation to build through the afternoon.

“We are also pleased to be able to increase prize money for the two Grade One novices’ chases and all handicap chases, which will help to maintain and build on their competitiveness.”

Order of running at The Cheltenham Festival 2025

Champion Day, Tuesday, March 11 (Old Course)

13:20 ITV Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m £150,000

14:00 ITV My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 2m £200,000

14:40 ITV Ultima Handicap Chase 3m1f £150,000

15:20 ITV Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 4f £120,000

16:00 ITV Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m £450,000

16:40 ITV Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle 2m £80,000

17:20 National Hunt Chase (Novices’ Handicap) 3m 6f £100,000

Style Wednesday, March 12 (Old Course)

13:20 ITV Turners Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 5f £150,000

14:00 ITV Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase 3m £200,000

14:40 ITV Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle 2m 5f £100,000

15:20 ITV Glenfarclas Cross Country Limited Handicap Chase 3m 5f £75,000

16:00 ITV BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) 2m £400,000

16:40 ITV Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase 2m £150,000

17:20 Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) 2m £80,000

St Patrick’s Thursday, March 13 (New Course)

13:20 ITV Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 1f £105,000

14:00 ITV Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase 2m 4f £125,000

14:40 ITV Pertemps Network Final (Handicap Hurdle) 3m £100,000

15:20 ITV Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) 2m 4f £375,000

16:00 ITV Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 3m £325,000

16:40 ITV Trustatrader Plate (Handicap Chase) 2m 4f £150.000

17:20 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase (Sponsored By The JRL Group) 3m 2f £75,000

Gold Cup Day, Friday, March 14 (New Course)

13:20 ITV JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m £150,000

14:00 ITV William Hill County Handicap Hurdle 2m £100,000

14:40 ITV Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (Grade 2) 2m 4f £120,000

15:20 ITV Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 3m £150,000

16:00 ITV Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) 3m 2f £625,000

16:40 ITV St. James Place Festival Hunter Chase 3m 2f £50,000

17:20 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f £75,000