Cheltenham Racecourse
The Home of National Hunt Racing & Cheltenham Festival
Located in Prestbury Park, Cheltenham Racecourse became the established venue for National Hunt racing in 1911 and is best known for hosting the prestigious Cheltenham Festival and many other revered race meetings.
Cheltenham Racecourse provides the ideal setting to enjoy high-class racing throughout the season. The Racecourse stretches over 350-acres and is known for its natural amphitheatre style environment, ensuring racegoers have an exceptional racing experience. Whether you’re a horse racing fanatic or seeking a fun day out with friends and family, there is something for everyone at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Over the last two centuries, the number of spectators that descend upon the Cheltenham Racecourse has increased by the thousands, with the Cheltenham Festival being the Racecourse’s main event.
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Cheltenham Racecourse Hospitality
Eventmasters are proud to provide official Cheltenham Racecourse hospitality packages as the best horses from the UK and Ireland battle it out on the iconic Cheltenham turg. Experience the Cheltenham Festival in VIP style with our range of corporate facilities, including Silks Restaurant and The Venue for all major racing events at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Enjoy the very best hospitality at Cheltenham Racecourse with our wide range of VIP hospitality options. Guests can enjoy a Private box experience like no other, though there are plenty of exclusive facilities to choose from to ensure a first-class hospitality experience.
Cheltenham Racecourse is one of the most prestigious courses in the world. Set in the gorgeous Prestbury Park, it hosts the Cheltenham Festival in March 2026. Also famous for its ‘roar’, the atmosphere at Cheltenham is simply electric. Cheltenham Racecourse hospitality facilities are also as you’d expect; superb, with restaurants, private boxes and marquees available.
Cheltenham Racecourse Hospitality for Cheltenham Festival 2026
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Watch our exclusive interview with legendary jockey Steve Smith Eccles
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Cheltenham Racecourse History
In 1815, on Nottingham Hill, the first official horse race at Cheltenham took place during the first flat meeting. Three years later, racing was also introduced on Cleeve Hill, surrounding Prestbury Park. Over time, horse racing grew in popularity, with 30,000 people attending the annual two-day July meeting, which featured the old Gold Cup, a 3m flat race. Due to the main grandstand burning down, racing at Cheltenham moved to Prestbury Park in 1831. Steeplechasing began in Andoversford in 1834 and was later relocated to the current track in 1898, now recognised as Jumps racing headquarters.
The Racecourse Holdings Trust (now widely known as the Jockey Club) was established in 1964 to ensure the future of racing at Cheltenham. The Jockey Club currently owns 14 racecourses, including Newmarket, Lambourn, Epsom and the National Stud, including jump, flat, dual-purpose and training grounds. It reinvests all proceeds back into British racing to assure the group’s future success. The Best Mate Enclosure, right in the heart of the Racecourse, received a £3 million investment between 2003 and 2004, offering a new grandstand with the best views of the racing. £17 million was invested in The Centaur, Cheltenham’s biggest venue and news conference facilities.
Cheltenham Horse Races
Cheltenham Racecourse plays host to highlighted racing throughout the Cheltenham horse race season. There’s a whole range of meetings to experience, from novice racing and trials to the renowned Cheltenham Festival. Racing events throughout the season include:
• Cheltenham New Year’s Day Meeting
The next edition of the famous Cheltenham New Year’s Day Meeting will be taking place on Thursday, 1st January 2026, with it opening the new calendar year for racing at the iconic Cheltenham Racecourse. In terms of hospitality, we are delighted to offer our Private Grandstand Box Package for this event.
Key races on this day include the Relkeel Hurdle, the Fairlawne Handicap Chase, the Handicap Chase, the Handicap Hurdle, and the Junior ‘Bumper’ National Hunt Flat Race.
The Festival Trials Day will next be taking place on Saturday, 24th January 2026, for a day that will see as many as seven thrilling races take place, including the Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle, the Cotswold Chase, the Cleeve Hurdle, and the Novices’ Hurdles. This event forms part of the build-up to the Cheltenham Festival, and it gives racegoers a preview of who could impress at the main event in March, and it is also a chance for jockeys, trainers, and owners to assess their horses.
In terms of hospitality for this event, we are delighted to offer our Private Grandstand Box Hospitality Package that is sure to enhance your day at the races.
The Cheltenham Festival is the standout event at this historic racecourse, and it is a highly prestigious race meeting. The 2026 Festival will be taking place over the course of four action-packed days, from Tuesday 10th March to Friday 13th March 2026. The final day is when the most famous race of the event, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, is run each year.
Our Hospitality Packages for this blockbuster race meeting include Silks, The Venue, The Champions Club, Cleeve Suite Restaurant, Final Fence Boxes, Private Box, Four Eighty Restaurant, and the Long Run Private Box.
The Cheltenham April Meeting is set to return for two days of enthralling horse racing in 2026, from Wednesday 15th to Thursday 16th April 2026. This particular race meeting is also the penultimate event of the jumps season, and it is one of the most popular race meetings on the entire National Hunt calendar.
In terms of hospitality for this event, we are at Eventmasters Corporate Hospitality, delighted to be able to offer the Private Grandstand Box Package for both days of the 2026 Cheltenham April Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse.
• Cheltenham Hunter Chase Meeting
The Hunter Chase Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse is its only evening event with amateur jockeys and trainers aiming to emerge victorious. It is set to return to one of the country’s most famous horse racing venues on Friday, 1st May 2026.
Some of the biggest races of the day include the Jonathan Neesom Memorial Hunters’ Steeple Chase.
We are delighted to offer hospitality for this event, which is the Private Grandstand Box VIP Package. We offer boxes for up to 12 or for up to 18 people.
• Cheltenham Showcase Meeting
The annual Cheltenham Showcase Meeting is the official curtain raiser for a new season of jump racing at this historic racecourse, with this event set to take place over the course of two action packed days, from Friday 24th to Saturday 25th October 2025.
The standout races for this event includes the squareintheair.com Handicap Steeple Chase and the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Steeple Chase.
For the latest iteration of the spectacular Cheltenham Showcase Meeting, we are offering our VIP Private Grandstand Box Package, where you can choose a box for up to 12 people, or if you prefer, a box that is capable of having up to 18 guests for either one of, or both of the two days.
• Cheltenham November Meeting
The Cheltenham November Meeting consists of three action packed and enthralling days of horse racing at one of the most famous racecourses on the planet. The latest iteration of this iconic event will take place from Friday, 14th November to Sunday, 16th November 2025.
Its most eye-catching races include the Paddy Power Gold Cup, The Unibet Greatwood Hurdle, and The Shloer Chase.
Our Private Grandstand Box Package is available for the November Meeting at Cheltenham, with our VIP boxes having a capacity of either up to 12 or 18 people, making it perfect for you and your guests.
• Cheltenham International Meeting
The Cheltenham International Meeting, which is also known as the Christmas Meeting, is set to make its return to the iconic Cheltenham Festival this year. The exciting and intense racing action will be taking place across two days, from Friday 12th to Saturday 13th December 2025. It is one of the biggest events of the National Hunt season.
Some of the key races include the Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Coming Soon Handicap Steeple Chase and the Nyetimber December Gold Cup.
We at Eventmasters are delighted to offer our VIP Private Grandstand Box Hospitality Package, where you will be able to choose either a box that holds up to 12 guests or one that holds up to 18 guests instead. This package is, of course, available for both days of this race meeting.
Experience the Cheltenham Roar in true style as you enjoy a race day like no other at this prestigious racing venue.
More Events at Cheltenham Racecourse
Junior Jumpers Membership
For little horse racing enthusiasts, the Junior Jumpers Memberships are a perfect way for local children to enjoy sports. The membership is exclusive to the following venues:
• Cheltenham
• Exeter
• Wincanton
• Warwick
Little members can enjoy exclusive access and activities designed to enhance their love of horse racing. What a great initiative to get young people involved with sport!
Wychwood Festival
100 musicians will perform over four stages at the UK’s most popular family festival, including over 100 workshops for all ages. Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Deacon Blue, Peter Hook & The Light, Boney M, The Undertones, The South, Dreadzone, and many others have performed at the Cheltenham Racecourse.
Travelling to Cheltenham Racecourse
Please use the map provided for further information.
How do I get to Cheltenham Racecourse by car?
The journey from London to Cheltenham takes approximately two hours and an hour from Birmingham or Bristol. Traffic to the Racecourse can build up quickly during peak times, so give yourself ample travelling time when visiting and leaving to attend racing at Cheltenham.
Your parking label is colour coded and will correspond to the colour of your parking zone.
Directions from the M5 heading north:
Exit the M5 at Junction 11:
Follow the A40 towards Cheltenham. At the first roundabout (Arle Court), take the third exit. Take the first exit following signs to Cheltenham Racecourse (Princess Elizabeth Way), continuing to follow signs for Bishops Cleeve and Park & Ride. Take the second exit towards Bishops Cleeve at the PC World/McDonalds roundabout.
Directions from the M5 heading south:
Exit the M5 at Junction 10:
Follow the A4019 towards Cheltenham, then take the 1st exit onto Kingsditch Lane at the McDonald’s roundabout. At the following roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Swindon Road, turn left onto Windyridge Road and then take the 2nd exit onto Swindon Lane. Head straight over the next two roundabouts to enter Cheltenham Racecourse.
Pick up and Drop off
For The Festival, the pickup and drop off area can be found at the bottom of the West Car Park. Please follow the signage. This is about a 5-minute walk from the gates.
How do I get to Cheltenham Racecourse by train?
Trains from London to Cheltenham Spa station tend to run every hour and take about two hours. Trains from Birmingham run approximately every thirty minutes and can take anywhere between 35-50 minutes. From Bristol, trains leave every hour and take about 35 minutes. Cheltenham Spa station is a ten-minute drive to the Racecourse, or a bus will take you directly there.
How do I get to Cheltenham Racecourse by bus?
Stagecoach service D runs every 10 minutes during the day on Monday to Saturday evenings. The service runs hourly on Sundays.
Service 527 also provides a regular service from Cheltenham Centre to Bishops Cleeve and Gotherington via the Racecourse Roundabout.
A shuttle bus service will be operating at The Festival, picking up racegoers from Cheltenham Spa Railway Station and outside WHSmith in the centre of town before dropping them off at Cheltenham Racecourse. Return buses pick up from the Racecourse with stops at Pittville Street and the Station.
- Return from Station – £5
- Single from Station – £3
- Single from Town – £2.50
- Single from Racecourse – £2.50
Please read our travel guide for further guidance.
Cheltenham Racecourse Venue Page FAQs:
Where is Cheltenham Racecourse located?
The racecourse is located at Prestbury Park near the town of Cheltenham in the county of Gloucestershire in England. You can find specific directions to Cheltenham Racecourse for a number of different modes of transport just above these FAQs.
In terms of a specific address for this historic horse racing venue, it is as follows:
Cheltenham Racecourse, Evesham Road, Cheltenham, GL50 4SH.
Which horse race meetings are held at Cheltenham Racecourse?
Cheltenham Racecourse hosts a wide variety of horse race meetings throughout the calendar year, with the most famous, historic, and significant event held there is, of course, the Cheltenham Festival, which takes place there every March, and it will be returning once more in 2026.
The Cheltenham Festival is the stage for a number of particularly prestigious races, including the Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle, the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Ryanair Chase, and finally the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Over the calendar year, the other horse racing events that Cheltenham Racecourse hosts include The Showcase Meeting in October, The November Meeting, The Christmas Meeting in December, the New Year’s Day Meeting, Festival Trials Day in January, the April Meeting, and the Hunter Chase Evening in May.
When do the gates open on a race day at Cheltenham Racecourse?
Typically, for major race days at Cheltenham Racecourse, such as the iconic Cheltenham Festival, the gates are open at 10:30 am, with the first race getting underway at 13:20 in the early afternoon.
For other race meetings, the gates will typically open at around two hours before the first race gets underway – this includes events held in the evening.
What is the dress code for Hospitality facilities you offer at Cheltenham?
The dress code for our hospitality offerings at Cheltenham Racecourse for any race meeting that you attend will be smart casual. For example, men should wear a suit with a collared shirt and a tie. Many ladies who attend will wear hats.
You are also advised to wrap up warm, though this will of course be weather dependent on the day that you attend an event at Cheltenham.
Am I able to pay using cash at Cheltenham Racecourse?
Cash is accepted at on course bookmakers, but the rest of the facilities located at Cheltenham Racecourse are cashless. You can use apps such as Google Wallet or Apple Pay, whilst you, of course, can use your credit or debit card as well for any purchases you make across your day(s) at this historic venue.
How do I contact Eventmasters with an enquiry about hospitality at Cheltenham Racecourse?
There are a couple of ways in which you can contact us here at Eventmasters Corporate Hospitality. You can fill in the enquiry form at the bottom of this page, or you can, if you would prefer, call our dedicated Sales Team on 020 7989 6500.
Cheltenham Racecourse News
The Cheltenham Festival starts with Champion Day before coming to the culmination of a four-day romp through high-class entertainment and hospitality with Gold Cup Day.
Impressive horse racing is not the only racing event at Cheltenham Racecourse. Home to The Centaur, one of the largest venues in the South West of England. Concerts, conferences and comedy shows have all been enjoyed here, ensuring an unforgettable experience.
Stay up to date with the latest Cheltenham horse race news and racing events.
