Cheltenham 2023 is upon us and that means 274,000 people are about to descend upon this green corner of Gloucestershire, primed in their best attire and ready to get betting on the horses.
There’s nothing quite like Cheltenham Festival. It’s the World Cup, Wimbledon and Super Bowl of horse racing tied into one. Punters have four days to squeeze as much as they can out of the bookies – and enjoy the frivolities of watching live horse racing at the same time, of course.
Paddy Power will be at Cheltenham offering the best odds and picks from our range of expert tipsters, former jockeys, and industry insiders.
And if you’re new to Cheltenham you might not know the ins and outs of this amazing place. So, Paddy’s here to bring you the ultimate Cheltenham 2023 guide. Get to know the course, the grandstands, and the dress codes. See where the toilets are, how much a beer costs these days, and where the best place is to watch all the action.
When is Cheltenham 2023?
Cheltenham 2023 takes place between Tuesday 14 March and Friday 17 March. A total of 28 races are run over the four days, 14 of which are Grade 1. Each day’s racing begins at 1:30pm but gates open to ticket holders from as early as 10:30am. The last race of each day is at 5:30pm.
Biggest races at Cheltenham each day
Cheltenham hosts some of the world’s most iconic horse races over its four-day festival – and each day there is one mega race that punters have their eye on. Three of these races take place at the primetime slot of 3:30pm, although Thursday’s Ryanair Steeple Chase at 2:50pm on Thursday bucks that trend.
Below are the feature races at Cheltenham 2023 you won’t want to miss…
- Tuesday: Champion Hurdle – 3:30pm on ITV
- Wednesday: Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase – 3:30pm on ITV
- Thursday: Ryanair Steeple Chase – 2:50pm on ITV
- Friday: Cheltenham Gold Cup – 3:30pm on ITV
Types of Cheltenham ticket
Below is a list of the different Cheltenham Festival tickets you can buy, and how much they’ll set you back:
- Best Mate Enclosure – £60
- Tattersalls Enclosure – £77
- Club Enclosure – £108
- Guinness Grandstand (Club and Tattersalls) – £122
- Club & Festival Lounge – £193
- Hospitality – From £690
- Core on Course 3 Michelin Star hospitality – From £1350
How to get to Cheltenham racecourse
Cheltenham racecourse is a massive campus required to host more than 65,000 racegoers on a Festival day. With so many people entering the racecourse each morning of the festival, it’s no wonder organisers have created a number of ways to get there. Here’s how to get to Cheltenham racecourse:
Car – There is a massive car park at Cheltenham but racegoers are likely to need to pre-book their spot. Cheltenham racecourse is located north of Cheltenham town centre, up the A435.
Bus – There is a dedicated bus service between Cheltenham Spa railway station, Cheltenham town centre and the racecourse’s south car park.
Taxi – Thousands of racegoers will likely take a taxi to Cheltenham. Local taxis can drop off at New Barn Lane, while private taxis are directed to Swindon Lane.
Train – Most people heading into Cheltenham for the day will arrive on train and Cheltenham Spa station can get extremely busy. Cheltenham Spa is a 40-minute walk to the racecourse and there is a dedicated bus service for those who don’t fancy the stroll, or who need assistance. Bear in mind the station is incredibly busy both before and after race days. Train strikes are planned for Thursday 16 March and Saturday 18 March.
Coach – National Express are putting on extra coaches to Cheltenham festival due to train strikes taking place on Thursday 16 March and Saturday 18 March.
Helicopter – Yes, some people arrive at Cheltenham by helicopter. There’s on average 100 helicopter flights a day during the festival, and the Jockey Club say it’s the best way to “avoid the hustle and bustle of the crowds”. It’s alright for some.
Walk – It takes around half an hour to walk from Cheltenham town centre to the racecourse. Not bad when the spring weather is balmy. Awful when it’s torrential rain.
Best place to watch races at Cheltenham
Rather unsurprisingly Cheltenham reserve the best views for the most expensive tickets. Get a VIP box in the Main Grandstand or the Princess Royal stand and you can lord over all you survey, while also being in line with the post. However, the best view at Cheltenham for us normal folk is in the Best Mate grandstand. From the grandstand you can look right and up to the top of the hill, and gaze left for the winning post. In front of the grandstand you have a close-up view of the race and the finish.
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What is the attendance at Cheltenham Festival?
This year Cheltenham organisers are capping the crowd at 68,500 per day. It was decided to set a maximum capacity in order to reduce overcrowding and ensure facilities could meet demand. That comes after the 2022 Cheltenham Festival saw 73,754 and 73,875 on St Patrick’s Day Thursday and Gold Cup Friday respectively.
It means the new Festival attendance limit over the four days is 274,000.
How much is a beer at Cheltenham?
Racegoers at Cheltenham are restricted to buying a maximum of four beers at one time. This is partly to combat heavy drinking but also reduce the queue time at bars and stalls. Still, four pints of Guinness will set you back £30. That’s because the cost of a pint is expected to remain the same as last year, at £7.50.
Back in January Cheltenham racecourse came under fire for charging “just” £6 for a pint at the World Grand Prix snooker. But the Jockey Club argues prices need to be higher for the festival to cover the extra costs of hosting the event.
Cheltenham 2023 map (inc. toilets, of course)
(Source: Jockey Club)
Not much has changed at Cheltenham compared to last year but racegoers who experienced the action in 2022 will likely have an easier time of it this year. That’s because organisers have capped daily attendances to 68,500 in order to ease the strain on bars, food stalls, grandstands and toilets.
As the map shows, there is more than one entrance for Club and Tattersalls ticket holders, while the Best Mate enclosure entrance is situated close to the bus and taxi drop-off point. Cheltenham has a big car park but this will still be very full during the festival.
There are cash machines across the Guinness Village, and a few more dotted around the main grandstand. A cash machine is also located behind the Best Mate stand.
As for toilets, there are public toilets in all grandstands and enclosures of the racecourse, while additional toilets will be in place across the Village area and the Best Mate enclosure. The council also plans to place additional temporary toilets along the route to the racecourse. Some nearby residents are even painting walls with hydrophobic paint as part of a “war on wee” campaign to deter racegoers from urinating in public.
There are accessible toilets in the main grandstand at:
- The Panoramic Restaurant (5th Floor)
- Near boxes 4008-4028 boxes (4th Floor)
- The Sovereign and Crest Rooms (3rd Floor)
- The Winged Ox Bar (2nd Floor)
- The Betting Hall (1st Floor)
Accessible toilets are also available on all floors of the Princess Royal Stand, and are also located across the racecourse at:
- Centaur entrance
- Istabraq bar
- Hall of Fame (below)
- Gold Cup & Festival Restaurants entrance foyer
- See You Then Terrace
- See You Then Bar
- First Aid Centre
- Best Mate grandstand
Other toilets with larger cubicles include Best Mate Enclosure, Quevega’s and Mandarin Bar. All toilets can be accessed using a Radar Key.
How to bet at Cheltenham
You can bet on every race at the 2023 Cheltenham festival with Paddy Power. We offer the best horse racing betting odds and extra places on some of the festivals biggest races, including the Gold Cup! Get the latest Cheltenham tips from our experts, access great racing betting offers, and keep on top of all the action with Paddy Power!
Find out how to join Paddy Power and bet on Cheltenham races here.
Cheltenham Old and New Courses
Cheltenham has Old and New Courses that intertwine over the racecourse. The two runs are individually famed for staging some of the most dramatic events in horse racing history.
But knowing exactly what makes each stand out from the other is important for your bets. So, let Ruby Walsh take you through the key differences between Cheltenham’s New Course and Old Course.
Cheltenham races dress code
Strictly speaking, Cheltenham doesn’t have a dress code. The festival champions a “dress to feel your best” approach and be mindful that sometimes the weather it utterly appalling.
As the Jockey Club website puts it: “For some, wearing a nice sweatshirt, pair of jeans and clean trainers is what makes them feel confident and at-ease. For others, they might prefer to turn heads with a sharp suit or glamorous dress and high heels, particularly for one of our big race meetings.”
However, racegoers should be aware that “inappropriate or offensive” fancy dress won’t be tolerated. Football shirts also aren’t allowed – largely because they “sometimes appear antagonistic”. It’s also probably worth bringing a coat.
Cheltenham races Ladies Day
Ladies’ Day at Cheltenham takes place on Wednesday 15 March 2023 – Day Two of the festival. Ladies’ Day features seven races, including the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Champion Bumper.
Is Cheltenham festival flat or jumps?
Cheltenham festival is all about jump racing. It is the pinnacle of the National Hunt season and plays host to both fence and hurdle racing. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is one of the most reputable jumps races in the world, and carries a prize pot of £614,813.
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