From British Champions Day to Christmas: Six Racing Meetings to Experience with Eventmasters Hospitality

Autumn marks a major turning point in the British horse racing calendar. The leading stars of the Flat season come together for one final afternoon at Ascot before attention turns firmly towards the jumps, with Cheltenham, Newbury and Warwick among the racecourses taking centre stage as the temperatures begin to fall.

For racing fans, the closing months of 2026 offer much more than simply counting down towards the Cheltenham Festival. From championship races and valuable handicaps to festive racedays in December, there are major occasions throughout autumn and winter that can be experienced with Eventmasters hospitality.

Eventmasters offers official horse racing hospitality at several of Britain’s leading racecourses, including Ascot, Cheltenham and Newbury, with packages ranging from private boxes and premium restaurants to dedicated dining facilities. There is also the annual Eventmasters Christmas at the Races at Warwick, combining hospitality with race sponsorship for a distinctive festive experience.

Here are six horse racing meetings to have on the calendar across autumn and winter 2026.

Qatar Racing British Champions Day, Ascot

Saturday 17th October 2026

Before the jumps season takes over, Ascot provides one final celebration of the Flat with Qatar Racing British Champions Day on Saturday 17th October.

The season finale brings many of the leading Flat horses, jockeys and trainers together on a seven-race card worth £4.35 million, including five Group 1 contests. Races are staged across distances ranging from six furlongs to two miles, giving champions from several divisions the opportunity to end their campaigns with one of the biggest prizes of the season.

British Champions Day is also one of the major Ascot occasions available with Eventmasters hospitality. The Silks package provides access to an exclusive restaurant with a private viewing balcony, alongside a Champagne reception, morning refreshments, three-course fine dining, a complimentary bar and afternoon tea. Racecards and racing papers are also included, creating a premium base for an afternoon that traditionally brings the Flat season to a dramatic conclusion.

The November Meeting, Cheltenham

Friday 13th to Sunday 15th November 2026

By November, the focus has shifted decisively towards National Hunt racing, and few meetings signal the arrival of the jumps season quite like Cheltenham’s November Meeting.

Three days at Prestbury Park begin with Countryside Day on Friday before Super Saturday stages the Paddy Power Gold Cup. Carnival Sunday completes the meeting and includes the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, while the weekend as a whole provides an early opportunity to see horses who could return to Cheltenham with much bigger prizes in their sights the following March.

Eventmasters is an Official Hospitality Provider directly appointed by Cheltenham Racecourse, with several options available across the November Meeting. These include the Private Grandstand Box overlooking the winning line, the fifth-floor Panoramic Restaurant, National Hunt Room, Horseshoe Pavilion and Gold Cup Restaurant. Packages combine quality dining and dedicated hospitality facilities with easy access to the racing, allowing guests to experience one of Cheltenham’s biggest pre-Festival weekends in style.

Coral Gold Cup Day, Newbury

Saturday 28th November 2026

Newbury takes its turn in the spotlight two weeks later when Coral Gold Cup Day returns on Saturday 28th November.

The meeting is built around the Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase, one of the most established staying handicaps of the early jumps season. The race has produced memorable performances throughout its history and remains an important target for leading staying chasers, with Panic Attack winning the latest renewal for trainer Dan Skelton and jockey Tristan Durrell in November 2025.

Eventmasters is an Official Hospitality Supplier at Newbury Racecourse and offers the Silks package for Coral Gold Cup Day. Guests can enjoy a private table and viewing balcony overlooking the winning line, a Premier Enclosure ticket, morning refreshments and a three-course plated lunch. The experience also includes an inclusive bar of house wines, beers and soft drinks, plus racing insight from Eventmasters ambassador and ITV Racing personality Matt Chapman.

For entertaining clients or enjoying one of the major Saturday meetings of the winter with friends and family, the combination of a significant race and premium racecourse hospitality makes Newbury an excellent addition to the seasonal calendar.

Eventmasters Sponsored Christmas Race Day, Warwick

Thursday 10th December 2026

December racing does not have to wait until Boxing Day to provide a memorable festive occasion. Eventmasters Christmas at the Races returns to Warwick Racecourse on Thursday 10th December for the ninth anniversary of the sponsored raceday.

This meeting is different from the other events on the list because guests can become much more directly involved in the occasion. The Eventmasters experience combines an afternoon of jump racing with corporate sponsorship opportunities, making it particularly suited to businesses looking for an end-of-year event that goes beyond a traditional Christmas meal or hospitality day.

The Table of 10 package is based within a private suite and includes race sponsorship benefits such as race naming rights and racecard advertising. Guests can select the Best Turned Out horse before their sponsored race and have the opportunity to present a memento to the winning connections afterwards. A four-course luncheon, complimentary bar, entry badges and racecards are also included, with views available from the Paddock Suite towards the finishing straight, final fences and Parade Ring.

It makes Warwick one of the most distinctive corporate racing experiences available during the festive period, combining Christmas hospitality with an opportunity for companies to put their name at the heart of the raceday.

The Christmas Meeting, Cheltenham

Friday 11th to Saturday 12th December 2026

Just one day after Warwick, the festive racing schedule moves to the Home of Jump Racing as Cheltenham hosts its Christmas Meeting on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th December.

The two-day fixture mixes Cheltenham’s familiar competitive racing with a noticeably different atmosphere as Christmas approaches. Friday includes the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, while Saturday features Grade 2 and Grade 3 racing alongside several important Cheltenham Festival trials, including races for juvenile hurdlers and staying novices.

There is an extensive choice of Eventmasters hospitality available for the meeting. The Panoramic Restaurant sits on the fifth level of the Grandstand overlooking the winning post and combines its elevated views with five-course dining, while the National Hunt Room includes a drinks reception, buffet lunch, afternoon tea and allocated Grandstand seating. Other options include the Mandarin Restaurant, Gold Cup Restaurant and Private Grandstand Box, giving groups several different ways to experience Cheltenham before Christmas.

With the Festival only a few months away by this point, there is also added intrigue surrounding horses beginning to establish their credentials for the major races of the spring.

Howden Christmas Racing Weekend, Ascot

Friday 18th to Saturday 19th December 2026

Ascot brings its 2026 racing calendar to a close with the Howden Christmas Racing Weekend on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th December.

The two-day meeting provides one of the final major racing occasions before Christmas and combines National Hunt action with Ascot’s festive atmosphere. Friday features contests including the Howden Noel Novices’ Chase, before Saturday stages the Grade 1 Howden Long Walk Hurdle, one of the leading staying hurdle races of the British season.

Eventmasters offers the Windsor Forest Restaurant and Private Box hospitality for the weekend. Windsor Forest includes a private table, Champagne on arrival, four-course lunch, afternoon tea and a complimentary bar serving beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks, alongside betting facilities and racecards. Private Boxes provide an exclusive setting within the Grandstand for groups of between 12 and 18, with fine dining, refreshments and excellent views across the course.

For those looking to combine Christmas celebrations with a day at the races, Ascot provides a fitting way to round off the year before attention turns towards the biggest National Hunt meetings of 2027.

Looking Ahead to the Biggest Horse Racing Events of 2027

The end of the calendar year is far from the end of the racing season. Once Christmas has passed, the build-up intensifies towards two of the biggest events in British sport.

The Cheltenham Festival returns from Tuesday 16th to Friday 19th March 2027, culminating in Gold Cup Day, while the Randox Grand National Festival takes place at Aintree from Thursday 8th to Saturday 10th April.

Eventmasters hospitality provides the opportunity to experience major horse racing occasions throughout the season, whether entertaining clients, rewarding colleagues or planning a memorable day at the races with friends and family. From the final Flat championship contests at Ascot to the growing anticipation surrounding Cheltenham and Aintree, there is no shortage of major racing to experience over the coming months.

Autumn and Winter Horse Racing FAQs

What are the biggest horse racing meetings in autumn and winter 2026?

Major meetings include Qatar Racing British Champions Day at Ascot, Cheltenham’s November Meeting, Coral Gold Cup Day at Newbury, Eventmasters Christmas at the Races at Warwick, the Cheltenham Christmas Meeting and Ascot’s Howden Christmas Racing Weekend.

When is British Champions Day 2026?

Qatar Racing British Champions Day takes place at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday 17th October 2026. The meeting features a seven-race card including five Group 1 contests.

When is the Cheltenham November Meeting 2026?

The November Meeting takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th November 2026. Super Saturday on 14th November features the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

When is the Coral Gold Cup 2026?

Coral Gold Cup Day takes place at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday 28th November 2026. Eventmasters offers Silks hospitality for the meeting as an Official Hospitality Supplier directly appointed by Newbury Racecourse.

Can I book horse racing hospitality with Eventmasters?

Yes. Eventmasters offers official hospitality packages across leading racecourses including Ascot, Cheltenham and Newbury, as well as its sponsored Christmas raceday at Warwick. Packages vary by meeting and can include premium dining, complimentary drinks, private tables, dedicated viewing areas and private boxes.

When is the 2027 Cheltenham Festival?

The 2027 Cheltenham Festival takes place from Tuesday 16th to Friday 19th March, with Champion Day, Style Wednesday, St Patrick’s Thursday and Gold Cup Day making up the four-day meeting.