Cheltenham Festival

The latest news, views, analysis and opinions on Cheltenham from the Irish Examiner sports desk and our team of award-winning horse racing writers, tipsters and fans.

Ruby Walsh
Ruby Walsh

The voice of racing

Cheltenham Racing Festival - Day Four
Paul Townend makes Cheltenham Gold Cup history on Gaelic Warrior
Townend ended Willie Mullins’ long wait for a first Gold Cup win in 2019.

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Festival 2026 - Gold Cup Day - Cheltenham Racecourse
Willie Mullins' Apolon De Charnie shocks Cheltenham with 50-1 victory in Triumph Hurdle
Trained by Willie and ridden by his son Patrick, the four-year-old was aiming to keep the trophy in the Closutton stable after Poniros struck at 100-1 on what was his hurdling debut 12 months ago.

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

Jockey Rachael Blackmore, The Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year for 2021 at the presentation of this years award
Rachel Blackmore 'misses' racing but happy with decision to retire
Rachel Blackmore, who was appointed as the Head of Ladies Day at the Cheltenham Festival, returned to the racing festival this week

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Festival 2026 - Gold Cup Day - Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Day 4: tips, cards, results and live updates on Gold Cup Friday
The Irish challenge has dominated the big one recently, but will that end today?

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

Spillane's Tower file photo
JP McManus-owned Spillane's Tower out of Cheltenham Gold Cup
It was decided that the ground was too quick for the Jimmy Mangan trained eight-year-old so he was withdrawn at 11am.

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Chats: What's Ruby Walsh's one big Festival regret?
Cheltenham Chats: What's Ruby Walsh's one big Festival regret?
Our racing columnist Ruby Walsh had no hesitation in choosing the moment when asked what race he would love to have back again

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

Three things we will learn on the final day of Cheltenham Festival
Three things we will learn on the final day of Cheltenham Festival
A final shootout for Envoi Allen An old gunfighter will buckle up his Cheltenham holster for the final time in the Gold Cup (4. 00) this afternoon.

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

JJ Slevin on Home By The Lee comes home to win 12/3/2026
S A Mug's Game: Right horse, wrong year, these minor details
Enda McEvoy's Cheltenham kitty is dwingling by the end of day three.

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

JJ Slevin on Home By The Lee comes home to win 12/3/2026
S Ruby Walsh: Gaelic Warrior can stay distance to claim pinnacle of our sport
Gold Cup holder Iknowthewayurthinkin has had plenty of positive chat again, but he is hard to have faith in.

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

19-year-old Cork jockey Shane Cotter calls Kim Muir Challenge Cup win a 'dream'
19-year-old Cork jockey Shane Cotter calls Kim Muir Challenge Cup win a 'dream'
“It was unbelievable,” the Ballynoe native said

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Darragh O’Keeffe on Heart Wood celebrates after winning the Ryanair Chase 12/3/2026
De Bromhead continues Cheltenham hot streak as O'Keefe and Heart Wood gallop to Ryanair Chase victory
Paying tribute to Heart Wood, O’Keeffe said: 'He jumped brilliant. I got into a great rhythm'

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

JJ Slevin on Home By The Lee comes home to win 12/3/2026
Cheltenham Festival day 3: What we learned as Home By The Lee wins Stayers’ Hurdle
Home By The Lee’s emotional Stayers’ Hurdle victory highlighted patience and persistence on a dramatic day at Cheltenham

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

O’Driscoll delight as 'superstar' Home By The Lee rips up the script in Stayers' Hurdle
O’Driscoll delight as 'superstar' Home By The Lee rips up the script in Stayers' Hurdle
It was a case of fifth time lucky at Prestbury Park on Thursday.

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Festival 2026 - St Patrick's Thursday - Cheltenham Racecourse
Wodhooh steps up once more for Elliott
It was she who ensured Elliott would not end the 2025 Cheltenham Festival without a winner, scoring in the 28th and final race of the week, the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Queally and De Boinville shake hands and bury hatchet after 'racism row' at Cheltenham
Queally and De Boinville shake hands and bury hatchet after 'racism row' at Cheltenham
The incident on Wednesday involved some alleged abuse on the part of De Boinville which Queally described as 'horrific' following the race

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Racing Festival - Day Three
Cheltenham Festival Day 3: Follow all the latest race updates, results and reaction
Heart Wood's win in the Ryanair means Henry de Bromhead has now won at 10 festivals in-a-row.

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Watch: Ruby Walsh breaks down how tactics have changed down the years
Watch: Ruby Walsh breaks down how tactics have changed down the years
Our racing columnist Ruby Walsh chats to Brendan O'Brien ahead of another helping of festival racing.

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham storm as Irish jockey Queally alleges 'repeated racial abuse' by De Boinville
Cheltenham storm as Irish jockey Queally alleges 'repeated racial abuse' by De Boinville
"I got repeated racial abuse from Nico de Boinville when I was coming in around the corner and then he called me a f*****g p***k a couple of times in front of the ITV camera," the Waterford amateur said

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Paul Townend celebrates with Il Etait Temps after winning 11/3/2026
S A Mug's Game: Sometimes it ain’t what you do but what you don’t do
Nothing much happening for Enda McEvoy on Day 2 at Cheltenham, but caution proves the better part of valour

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham flaw: Like Liverpool and Real Madrid playing Europa because better chance of winning it than Champions League
Cheltenham flaw: Like Liverpool and Real Madrid playing Europa because better chance of winning it than Champions League
Three things we will learn on Thursday at Cheltenham.

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham storm as Irish jockey Queally alleges 'repeated racial abuse' by De Boinville
Wednesday learnings: False starts no longer a source of amusement
Queally is a man of West Waterford, a hurler and probably has some blood of the Déise, a feared warrior tribe from a thousand years ago. Not the kind of man to take a backward step.

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

All about proving himself as Elliott-trained Teahupoo aims to reclaim Stayers’ Hurdle crown
All about proving himself as Elliott-trained Teahupoo aims to reclaim Stayers’ Hurdle crown
Victorious in this race two years ago, Teahupoo surrendered his crown last year but is unbeaten in three starts since to take his total Grade One tally to seven.

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Ruby Walsh: The value is elsewhere in the Bambino v Oldschool novice duel
S Ruby Walsh: The value is elsewhere in the Bambino v Oldschool novice duel
Both mares have been to the track and won since their Naas clash, and both look to have improved, but still... 

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Groom Virginia Bascop with Il Etait Temps 11/3/2026
'I nearly had a heart attack at the last' - Fourth time plucky for champion Il Etait Temps
While Majborough was imploding, Il Etait Temps was travelling smoothly under a motionless Paul Townend and survived a late scare to take Wednesday's biggest prize

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Trainer Gavin Cromwell celebrates Conor Stone-Walsh on Final Orders winning 11/3/2026
Cromwell thrilled at claiming first, third and fourth in Cross Country Limited Handicap Chase
The festival weeks quirkiest contest was won by Final Orders from the strongly backed favourite, Favori De Champdou with his Cromwell stablemates Vanillier and Stumptown back in third and fourth places.

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Harry Cobden on Kitzbuhel comes home to win 11/3/2026
The grey for Gold? Kitzbuhel gives Mullins lots to ponder after answering Final Demand
The easy-to-back 11-1 shot delivered impressively under Harry Cobden in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase. Now a Gold Cup bid or a tilt at King George glory await

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Festival 2026 - Ladies Day - Cheltenham Racecourse
Il Etait Temps survives final-fence scare to win Queen Mother Champion Chase
Unsuccessful in three previous visits to the showpiece meeting, Willie Mullins' pint-sized grey was a faller at Ascot on his most recent start but bounced back to the form he showed when winning the Tingle Creek in December.

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Mullins baffled King Rasko Grey travelled under radar
Mullins baffled King Rasko Grey travelled under radar
It’s not every day a horse trained by Willie Mullins and the chosen mount of Paul Townend can be backed at odds of 11-1

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Paul Townend on Lossiemouth celebrates winning 10/3/2026
Cheekpieces explainer: The items that have had a transformative effect on Lossiemouth
Darren Norris explains what Cheekpieces are, what they do and why are they in vogue?

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Festival 2026 - Ladies Day - Cheltenham Racecourse
King Rasko Grey powers to Turners glory for Mullins and Townend
Favourite No Drama This End was unable to make an impression on the race

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Racing Festival - Day One
McManus' big guns in great shape for Ryanair Chase head-to-head
Fact To File is one of the leading lights of McManus' all-star team for the meeting, but there is no horse the owner holds with more affection than Jonbon, Nicky Henderson's 12-time Grade One winner.

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Ruby Walsh during From The Horses Mouth 29/12/2023
Ruby Walsh’s Morning Line: The champion columnist's top tips for Day 2 at Cheltenham
Ruby Walsh on the form of Gordon Elliott's horses, No Drama This End being opposable in the Turner's Novices Hurdle, and Majborough being unopposable in the Champion Chase

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Jade Holland Cooper arrives 10/3/2026
Ladies Day returns to Cheltenham festival promising ‘glamour and glory’
Jockey Club says aim is to get more women watching racing and revival is not a response to ‘woke’ jibes

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Watch: Ruby Walsh explains difference between Cheltenham inside and outside the rails
Watch: Ruby Walsh explains difference between Cheltenham inside and outside the rails
During his career as a Ruby Walsh never really got to experience to mania around Cheltenham. 

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Townend hoping Bambino Fever can provide yet more Cheltenham joy 
Townend hoping Bambino Fever can provide yet more Cheltenham joy 
Last year’s Champion Bumper heroine heads the market for the Grade Three Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and Townend is confident she’ll run a big race in the opening race on day three.

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Danny Mullins on Kargese comes home to win 10/3/2026
A Mug's Game: It'll be all downhill from here
A good start to the week indeed for our man Enda McEvoy.

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Racing Festival - Day One
S Ruby Walsh: Majborough impossible to oppose but there's real value in Saint Baco
I think the bookies will get a result, so going back to November time, when the geese start to become swans on the Closutton gallops, Saint Baco stood out to me.

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Mark Walsh on Majborough celebrates winning The Ladbrokes Dublin Steeplechase 31/1/2026
Hard to see how anyone gets near Majborough in Champion Chase
Seven odds-on shots have failed to win the Champion Chase over the last decade. Majborough can make light of that trend on Wednesday at Cheltenham

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Festival 2026 - Champion Day - Cheltenham Racecourse
Solid start for Irish trainers as Cheltenham kicks off in style
More than 57,000 attended day one of horse racing's biggest festival

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Festival 2026 - Champion Day - Cheltenham Racecourse
Lossiemouth and Cheltenham are an irresistible combination
The grey mare’s Cheltenham record was flawless going into Tuesday’s feature race and remained so afterwards the two miles

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Festival 2026 - Champion Day - Cheltenham Racecourse
Willie Mullins' Kargese foils Kopek and Lulamba in Arkle surprise
A mistake at the last may have cost the Cork-owned Kopek des Bordes the victory.

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Festival 2026 - Champion Day - Cheltenham Racecourse
Old Park Star rules Supreme for Nicky Henderson at Cheltenham
Old Park Star has claimed the opening race of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Festival 2026 - Champion Day - Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Festival, Day One tips, results and live updates
The Irish raiders will look to start as they mean to go on in the battle for the Prestbury Cup.

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Watch: Ruby Walsh on crowds, covid and Cheltenham 
Watch: Ruby Walsh on crowds, covid and Cheltenham 
Our champion columnist on criticisms of the fan experience at Cheltenham in recent years, and on how the festival’s covid experience has shaped it.

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Ruby Walsh’s Morning Line: The champion columnist's top tips for Day 1 at Cheltenham
Ruby Walsh’s Morning Line: The champion columnist's top tips for Day 1 at Cheltenham
Ruby Walsh gives his view ahead of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival 

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Brace yourself for that Christmas morning feeling: three things we will learn on Tuesday at Cheltenham
Brace yourself for that Christmas morning feeling: three things we will learn on Tuesday at Cheltenham
In terms of the quality of the field, it looks like the deepest Supreme Novices Hurdle renewal for many years.

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Racing Festival - Day One
Fermoy's McCarthy family dream of more Cheltenham glory with Kopek Des Bordes
Kopek Des Bordes is back at Cheltenham for the Arkle a year after his success in the Supreme Novices Hurdle. "It'll take a fair horse to beat him," trainer Willie Mullins recently told owner Charlie McCarthy

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Fancy a flutter: There's always value lurking in the handicaps 
Fancy a flutter: There's always value lurking in the handicaps 
From Winston Junior in the Juvenile Handicap Hurdle to Konfusion in the Ultima, two each-way chances could offer the best betting value away from the headline races on day one at Cheltenham

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Paul Townend onboard Lossiemouth comes home to win 29/12/2025
S Ruby Walsh: Sober Glory has Supreme value to get us all off to a flyer 
Lossiemouth's addition has given the Champion Hurdle one hell of an injection but there are still many questions to be answered 

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Cheltenham Racing Festival - Day Two
The New Lion can give JP McManus perfect Cheltenham birthday present
The New Lions surrendered his unbeaten record in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle but returned to winning ways at Cheltenham trials day. The suspicion is we have seen his best form. It should materialise in the Champion Hurdle

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

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