Day At The Races

2026 Horse Racing Calendar

Cheltenham Racecourse – The home of jump racing

The place where owners, trainers, jockeys, stable staff, and breeders dream of having winners, Cheltenham is at the heart of almost every aspect of Jump racing. It’s the place where the most important races are run. As always, there is much to look forward to in the season, with 16 exciting days of top-class Jump racing. Hundreds of thousands of racing fans come to Cheltenham every year, but you don’t need to be an expert to make lasting memories!

The first flat race meeting in Cheltenham took place in 1815 on Notting Hill, with the first races taking place in 1818 in August. It gained popularity over the next decade and brought in crowds soaring up to 30,000 people visiting for the annual two-day July meeting.

Cheltenham consists of a wide variety of experiences, ranging from the relaxed feel of the meetings in October and April to the invigorating excitement of The November Meeting and the family fun of New Year’s Day!

The Festival: Tuesday, March 10th to Friday, March 13th, 2026

The focus of any Jump season is always The Festival which includes four days of magic, magnificence, and madness, played out on a stage framed by the breath-taking panorama of the Cotswold Hills. It features a cast of the best horses, jockeys, and trainers playing to an audience of 265,000 racegoers who flock in by car, train, minibus and even helicopter.

The opening day of The Festival is headlined by the UNIBET Champion Hurdle, a 2 mile Grade 1 race, won over the years by the likes of Istabraq, Hurricane Fly, and Buveur D’Air. Seven races are scheduled for the first day, beginning with The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and ending with The Princess Royal National Hunt Novices’ Handicap Chase.

The highlight of the second day, traditionally known as Ladies Day, is the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase. This is a race that sets the pulses raising as some of the best in the business battle it out in a Grade1 event jumping 12 fences over a 2-mile course. Another 7 races this day, beginning with The Turners Novices’ Hurdle at 1.20pm and ending with The Weatherbys Champion Bumper at 5.20pm. 

ST Patrick’s Thursday marks day three of The Festival, with the Ryanair Steeple Chase (Grade 1) headlining the action at 4pm. Kicking off the Irish-packed action of the day is The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at 1.20pm and closing the festivities for the day is The Rosconn Group Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.

The fourth and final day of this action-packed festival is the highly anticipated Gold Cup Day. The highlight of this day is The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, more than 3 miles and 2 furlongs, it is the premier race of the day. Other races for the day include The JCB Triumph Hurdle, The William Hill County Handicap Hurdle, The Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase, The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, The St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase and The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle. 

Cheltenham April Meeting 2026

The Cheltenham April Meeting is a two-day event that hosts a high-quality racing experience in a more relaxed atmosphere, when compared to The Festival. It’s competitive jump racing includes a range of hurdle and steeplechase races and it is considered an excellent opportunity to introduce new friends to the thrills of Cheltenham. From Countryside entertainment, the popular Village with live music and plenty of free Family Fun throughout each of the days, there’s plenty for people of all ages to enjoy.
This year’s April Meeting is running from Wednesday, April 15 to Thursday, April 16, 2026.
Although parking is free for this event, we encourage you to take advantage of minibus hire with a driver, so you can sit back and simply enjoy your day, with peace of mind your travel arrangements are all in hand. 

Race Day Calendar 2026

Below are some of the key race days at Cheltenham in 2026:

New Year’s Day Race: 1st January 2026
Festival Trials Day: 24th January 2026
Cheltenham Festival: 10th March – 13th March 2026
The April Meeting: 15th and 16th April 2026
Race Night featuring Hunter Chase Racing: 1st May 2026
November Meeting: TBC

Newmarket QIPCO Guineas Festival 2026

King Charles II returned to Newmarket 25 years after his last visit following Restoration to the Throne and spearheaded the development of the town, Racecourses, and industry into what is affectionately known as the global headquarters of racing today; the Home of Horseracing. Still run to this day, a race which by law is still staged on the same three-and-three-quarter mile course on which it was inaugurated three and a half centuries ago. In 1974, Newmarket Racecourses became part of The Jockey Club. In 2009, the 200th running of the 2000 Guineas took place and in 2016, Newmarket Racecourses celebrated their 350th birthday in conjunction with Newmarket Town.

Embrace the ultimate adrenaline rush at the Betfred Guineas Festival, where world-class flat racing takes centre stage. 
Running from Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd May 2026, this three-day event provides non-stop entertainment and an unforgettable atmosphere. The iconic Rowley Mile hosts the thrilling Betfred 2000 Guineas on Saturday and the Betfred 1000 Guineas on Sunday, coupled with dazzling entertainment, the atmosphere at the Betfred Guineas Festival is electric. 
Additional extra features of the Betfred Guineas Festival include the option to hire a private box, an Air Charter Service, and excellent quality hospitality on the course. As well as the option to hire a private minibus with a driver, to eliminate all the stress of travelling to and from the event, allowing you to fully enjoy the weekend. 

Ascot

Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in Berkshire, and used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in Britain hosting nine of the UK’s 32 annual Group 1 races. Ascot is closely associated with the British Royal Family as it is approximately six miles from Windsor Castle.
This exhilarating five-day event starts on Tuesday, June 16th and runs through to Saturday, June 20th, 2026. Sitting proudly as the jewel in the crown of the British social season, the Royal Ascot brings thrilling racing, fine dining, entertainment and pageantry. 

Dating back to 1768, the Royal Ascot is Britain’s most popular race meeting, playing host to more than 300,000 racegoers across the five days and offering a substantial £7.3m in prize money. This exciting event features 8 Group One races and 19 Group races in total and it is viewed in over 200 countries around the globe.

Raceday event dates 2026:

BetMGM Clarence House Chase: 17th January 2026
Betfair Ascot Chase: 14th February 2026
Spring Family: 29th March 2026
Royal Ascot Trials Day: 1st May 2026
Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% May Friday: 8th May 2026
Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% May Victoria Cup: 9th May 2026
Royal Ascot: 16th June – 20th June 2026
Racing to Zero Summer Mile Friday: 10th July 2026
Racing to Zero Summer Mile Family: 11th July 2026
King George Friday: 24th July 2026
King George Day: 25th July 2026
Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup: 8th August 2026
The Big Ascot Food & Wine: 4th – 5th September 2026
BetMGM Autumn: 2nd October – 3rd October 2026
QIPCO British Champions Day: 17th October 2026
Fireworks Spectacular Family: 31st October 2026

Aintree 2026

Aintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England, bordering the city of Liverpool. The racecourse is best known for annually holding the Grand National steeplechase. The Grand National meeting takes place in April over 3 days.

Most of Aintree’s old stands were demolished in 1985, leaving just the County Stand. A temporary stand, the Aintree Stand, was erected. The County Stand was renovated and extended in 1988. Three years later the temporary stands were replaced by a permanent one, opened by and named after the Queens Mother. In 1995 Red Rum, the only horse to win the Grand National three times, died in October and was buried near the winning post. A statue to the horse had been unveiled at the course on Grand National day in 1988.

2006 saw the start of extensive re-development of the racecourse. A new parade ring, weighing room and winners’ enclosure were opened. The old weighing room was turned into a wine bar and museum. A year later two further grandstands were opened, named after the Earl of Derby and Lord Sefton.

The 2026 Grand National Festival will take place on Thursday 9th April through to Saturday 11th April, featuring Opening Day, Ladies Day and Grand National Day. The main Randox Grand National race is running on the afternoon of Saturday 11th April 2026.

Race Day Calendar
Randox Grand National Festival Open Day: 9th April 2026
Randox Ladies Day: 10th April 2026
Randox Grand National Day: 11th April 2026
Halloween Family Day: 25th October 2026