Cheltenham Festival Day 1

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The first day of the Cheltenham Festival is known as Champions Day. In this Cheltenham Festival Day One Guide, you will learn everything you need to know from the latest news, tips, stats and information on all the Day 1 action from Cheltenham Racecourse.

The official date of day one of the Cheltenham 2024 Festival is Tuesday 12th March.

This first day, is the first of four days of top-class racing, starting on a Tuesday and finishing on Friday.

The opening day showcases the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle which is a fiercely contested 2m hurdling race for the best hurdlers in the world. Other major races on the first day include the Grade 1 Arkle Trophy and the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

It also sees the start of the British and horses Irish runners competing against each other in The Prestbury Cup annual challenge.

Find out more about the first day of racing at the Cheltenham Festival:

Contents

Cheltenham Festival Day One

Cheltenham Festival Day One Racecards

Here are the following races competed on day one of the Cheltenham Festival, Tuesday 12th March 2024:

13:30 The Skybet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

The curtain-raiser of the Festival is the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, there are eight hurdles to jump during the race, which is 2 miles and 12 furlongs long.

The opening race always draws huge loud cheers from the horse racing fans – known as the “Cheltenham roar”.

Cheltenham 13.30 Tips – The Skybet Supreme Novice Hurdle

  • Cheltenham 13.30 NAP – Firefox
  • Cheltenham 13.30 NB – Mystical Power
  • Cheltenham 13.30 Long Shot – Asian Master

14:10 Arkle Challenge Trophy

The Arkle Challenge Trophy is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase for horses aged five and above.

It is run over a distance of 2 miles on the Old Course and there are 13 fences to jump during the race.

It is always one of the most thrilling and eagerly anticipated races of the festival.

Cheltenham 14.10 Tips – The Arkle Chase

  • Cheltenham 14.10 NAP – Found A Fifty
  • Cheltenham 14.10 NB – Facile Vega
  • Cheltenham 14.10 Long Shot – Sharjah
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14:50 Ultima Handicap Chase

The Ultima Handicap Chase is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase for horses aged 5 and over.

It is run a distance of around 3 miles and 1 furlong on the Old Course at Cheltenham, and there are twenty obstacles to jump during the race.

Cheltenham 14.50 Tips – The Ultima Chase

The third race of the meeting at 2:50 pm is the Ultima Handicap Chase. A race where novices have a strong record.

  • Cheltenham 14.50 NAP – Chianti Classico
  • Cheltenham 14.50 NB – The Goffer
  • Cheltenham 14.50 Long Shot – Monbeg Genius

15:30 Champion Hurdle (the feature race)

The fourth race of the meeting at 3:30 pm is the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle where the best hurdlers lock horns on the biggest stage.

This is the feature race on the opening day. It is run a distance of 2 miles and 12 furlongs on the Old Course, and there are eight hurdles to leap during the race.

For a full guide on the Champion Hurdle, or the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy to give it its full name, check out our review page.

Cheltenham 15.30 Tips – The Unibet Champion Hurdle

  • Cheltenham 15.30 NAP – State Man
  • Cheltenham 15.30 NB – Irish Point
  • Cheltenham 15.30 Long Shot – Colonel Mustard

16:10 The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Race

The David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, now known as the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle for sponsorship reasons, is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle event for mares aged four years and above.

It is run a distance of around 2 miles and 4 furlongs on the Old Course, and there are 10 hurdles to leap during the race.

Cheltenham 16.10 Tips – The Mares Hurdle

  • Cheltenham 16.10 NAP – Lossiemouth
  • Cheltenham 16.10 NB – Maries Rock
  • Cheltenham 16.10 Long Shot – Magical Zoe
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16:50 BOODLES/ Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle

The Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, also known as the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle for sponsorship purposes, is a Grade 3 National Hunt hurdle competition for horses aged four years.

It covers a distance of around 2 miles and 12 furlongs, with eight hurdles to overcome along the way.

These are the youngest horses that can compete over jumps and it is often a tricky race to predict.

The race is normally run at break-neck speed, so accurate jumping, stamina and guys are normally required to win.

Cheltenham 16.50 Tips – BOODLES/Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle

Our Cheltenham 16.50 Tips is to wager on

  • Cheltenham 16.50 NAP – Lark In The Mornin
  • Cheltenham 16.50 NB – Batman Girac
  • Cheltenham 16.50 Long Shot – Ose Partir
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17:30 The Ukraine Appeal National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Amateur Riders’ Novices’ Steeple Chase)

The last race on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival meeting at 5:30 pm is the The Ukraine Appeal National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Amateur Riders’ Novices’ Steeple Chase), a Grade 2 steeplechase for amateur riders on horses that are five years old or above.

It is run over a distance of approximately 3 miles and 6 furlongs, with 23 hurdles to be jumped along the way.

Cheltenham 17.30 Tips – The National Hunt Cup

  • 5.30 NAP – Corbetts Cross
  • 5.30 NB – Salvador Ziggy
  • 5.30 Long Shot – Henrys Friend
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Cheltenham Festival Day One Tips – 12th March 2024

Here are the betting tips for Day One of the Cheltenham Festival 2024.

  • Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – Firefox
  • Arkle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) – Found A Fifty
  • Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3) – Chianti Classico
  • Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) –  State Man
  • Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) – Lossiemouth
  • Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase (Listed) – Lark In The Mornin
  • National Hunt Chase (Grade 2) – Corbetts Cross

Check our Cheltenham tips for all the other days as well!

If you are looking to bet on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival make sure you check out any Cheltenham Festival free bets and sign-up offers, you can see these on our Cheltenham Free Bets page.

If you are looking for Cheltenham tipsters on which horses to wager there is no better source of information than the trainers direct. Check what the trainers have to say about their horses running on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Champions Day Cheltenham 2024 Tickets

Day One kicks off The Cheltenham Festival with Champion Day.

With seven races, including the Unibet Champion Hurdle, the tickets for opening day sell quickly and it is advised that you purchase in advance.

The best place to purchase tickets for Champions Day is from here.

Cheltenham Favourites for Day 1 Racing

Many punters are looking for the runners and favourites at Cheltenham today and for the whole Festival week.

FIND THE ANSWERS TO YOUR CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL DAY 1 QUESTIONS

If you are a favourite backer you will want to check out our guide to the amount of Starting Price favourites to win at the Cheltenham Festival.

Here are the current Cheltenham Favourites for Tuesday 12th March (1st Day of the Festival):

  • 1:30 –Ballyburn
  • 2:10 – II Etait Temps
  • 2:50 – Meetingofthewaters
  • 3:30 – State Man
  • 4:10 –Lossiemouth
  • 4:50 – Lark In The Mornin
  • 5:30 – Corbetts Cross

The first race at Cheltenham today is 1:30pm and the last race at Cheltenham today is 5:30pm.

Of the Cheltenham Favourites today the main bankers for punters in Acca bets would be Honeysuckle and Edwardstone.

Betting on Cheltenham Festival Day 1

Cheltenham Day 1 Free Bets And Betting Offers are out in force for the opening Champions Day at 2024 Cheltenham Festival.

If you are looking to bet on the first day of Cheltenham check out great deals by some great bookies.

  • SkyBet Champion Hurdle Offer

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    40/1 CONSITUTION HILL TO WIN
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    NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. MIN/MAX STAKE £1. FREE BETS CREDITED ON TOP OF WINNINGS WITHIN 72 HOURS. 4 X £10 BET TOKEN. FREE BET STAKES NOT INCLUDED IN RETURNS. FREE BETS CANNOT BE USED ON VIRTUALS. FREE BETS ARE NON WITHDRAWABLE. NO FREE BET EXPIRY. #AD ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND FURTHER T&CS APPLY.

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  • bet365 Cheltenham Day 1 Offer

    bet365 logo
    BET £10 GET £30
    Bet365 Champions Day Betting Promotion of the first day of the Cheltenham Festival is to deposit £10 and get £30 in free bet credits.

    Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. #AD Registration required.

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  • Betfair Cheltenham Day 1 Offer

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    BET £10 GET £45
    Many knowledgeable sports bettors voted the Betfair bet £10 and get £45 as the best Cheltenham Champions Day betting promo.

    Place a £10 Sportsbook bet on Horse racing between the 13th and 17th March, at min. odds 1.5 (1/2) — get £45 in free bets. Only deposits via cards will qualify, Apple pay not valid on this promotion. #AD

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  • BetUK Cheltenham Day 1 Offer

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    BET £20 GET £60
    The 1st day BetUK Cheltenham Offer to claim requires you to just deposit and wager £20 and get £60 in Cheltenham Festival free bets. Day one bets include the Supreme Novices, Champion Hurdle and Mares Hurdle.

    New customers on mobile only. 7 days to claim and stake £10 minimum bet at odds of 1.5 or greater to qualify. Free, void, cashed out or partially cashed out bets do not qualify. Max 3x £10 free bets credited on bet settlement. Free bets must be used on 4 or more selections with selection odds of 1.3 or greater. Free bets are non-withdrawable, and stake not returned with winnings. 7 day expiry. #AD 18+BeGambleAware.org.

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  • Unibet Cheltenham Day 1 Offer

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    UP TO £40 MONEY BACK + £10 CASINO BONUS
    Unibet’s Opening Day Cheltenham Free Bet promo is the bet 10 get 40 welcome bonus. Unibet are a great Cheltenham bookmaker and currently sponsors the Champion Hurdle on the first day of the National Hunt event.

    18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first racing bet loses. Wagering: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Sports bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. #AD Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in.

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  • Parimatch Cheltenham Day 1 Offer

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    BET £10 GET £30
    Take advantage of the very best Cheltenham Champions Day betting offers and free bets at the Parimatch sportsbook website with great sportsbook sign up bonuses for new horse racing bettors at the Cheltenham Festival

    18+ New Customers Only. Opt-in, bet on Horse Racing within 7 days of registration. Get your stake refunded up to £30 in Free Bets for set markets if your bet loses (odds 3.00+). Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. Offer valid from 16:00 UK time 04/08/2023. begambleaware.org | #AD Please Gamble Responsibly

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  • Paddy Power Day 1 Cheltenham Offer

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    £25 IN FREE BETS
    Paddy Power is the market-leading Irish Sportsbook bookmaker and on the First Day of the Cheltenham Festival 2024 they are providing a great free bet welcome bonus for horse racing punters

    New customers Only. Cash stakes only. Min £10 stake required for initial £5 free bet. Min odds ½. Max £25 in free bets. 13 settled bets required to receive full £25 free bet. Qualifying bets must be placed on sportsbook within 30 days of opening account. One free bet offer per customer, household or IP address only. Free bets expires after 7 days. Payment method restrictions apply. #AD Please Gamble Responsibly.

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  • William Hill Cheltenham Day 1 Offer

    williamhill logo
    GET £30 IN FREE BETS
    William Hill’s Cheltenham Festival Opening Day welcome offer is Bet £10 and get £30 in free bet credits. The Cheltenham Free Bets can be used on all the big races at the Festival including the Gold Cup, Champion Chase and Champion Hurdle. Certain deposit restrictions may apply.

    18+. Play Safe. From 00:01 on 18.10.2022. £30 bonus. New customers only. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook (excluding Virtual markets). Further terms apply. #AD

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  • Ladbrokes Cheltenham Day 1 Offer

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    BET £5 GET £20 IN FREE BETS
    On the First Day Ladbrokes Free Bet promotion for the 2024 Cheltenham Festival is the Bet £5 and get £20 in free bets. As one of the leading and most respected bookies in the UK, there are lots of benefits to opening an account whether for Cheltenham betting or at other times of the year.

    18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £/€5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. #AD Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions apply.

    Full T&C's Apply

  • 888sport Cheltenham Day 1 Offer

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    UP TO £250
    888sport has a great bet 10 get 30 opening day Cheltenham Free Bet. The 1st day is Champions Day and horse racing punters will searching for the top-rated sportsbook free bets on day one.

    £10 min deposit using promo code 250BONUS • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least twice with cumulative odds of 1.50 or greater • To withdraw any winnings from your bonus, you must wager the bonus amount at least 5 times • All deposit and bonus wagering requirements must be completed within 60 days • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • #AD Wagering limit of £50 per bet Applies • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods and countries apply.

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Many have some great offers for new customers at the moment, they all have wide sportsbook market betting options (not just racing), so they can be used for all your sports betting needs as well as having great horse racing market betting. Please always bet responsibly.

Other Cheltenham Festival Days Out

If you are looking for information on the other Cheltenham Festival days and Cheltenham racecourse in general, check out our guides to the races, tips, odds history and more info, on the Cheltenham Festival days:

Popular Questions

What time is first race in Cheltenham next Tuesday?

The time of the first race in Cheltenham on Tuesday is 1:30pm.

Each day of the Cheltenham Festival starts at half past one.

What Are The Cheltenham Day 1 Predictions?

The main Cheltenham Day 1 predictions are:

  • State Man to win the Champion Hurdle
  • Found A Fifty to win the Arkle Chase
  • Chianti Classico to win the Ultima Handicap Chase
  • Firefox to win the Supreme Novice Hurdle

What is the main race for Cheltenham Day One?

The main race on Day One of the Cheltenham Festival is the Champion Hurdle.

The main event race starts at 3:30pm with State Man a short-priced favourite.

What day is the Champion Hurdle on?

The Champion Hurdle takes place on the 12th of March 2024 (Day 1 of the festival).

Why is Cheltenham so popular?

Cheltenham is so popular because the greatest horses in the jump racing discipline show up and are put to the test on one of the industry’s most difficult courses.

What day is Champions Day at Cheltenham?

Champions Day at Cheltenham is on the first day which is Tuesday 12th March 2024.

Day one of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, otherwise known as Champions Day, is widely popular for the Champions Hurdle and the iconic Cheltenham Roar.

What are the cheltenham day 1 predictions

Summary of Day 1 Racing at the Cheltenham Festival

The first day of the Cheltenham Festival, known as Champion Day is held on a Tuesday at the world-class Cheltenham racecourse, the feature race is the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle where all eyes will be on Constitution Hill.

The first day of Cheltenham is famed for a cracking atmosphere and the “Cheltenham roar” which goes up after the tapes rise on the first race.

The Grade 1 Arkle Trophy and the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle are the two other significant races on the opening day. Along with several excellent handicaps including the Festival Handicap Chase, which is always a tough race.

The first day at Cheltenham is one of British sports great days out and is highly recommended by the teams here at British Racecourses.

If you have enjoyed this Cheltenham Day One guide, here are some other articles related to Cheltenham betting you may also like:

Keywords and races covered – Champion Hurdle (full name – Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy) and free bet stakes options (qualifying bet restrictions apply), National Hunt chase, Supreme novices hurdle, Cheltenham festival 2023.

Please always bet responsibly.