Cheltenham Festival Day 4 Races

Cheltenham Festival Day 4 is also known as Gold Cup day, with the most prestigious Grade 1 chase in the sport run over the New Course. Also look out for the championship hurdles race for 4-year-olds, the Triumph Hurdle, as well as the punishing Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup. We offer the latest odds, cards, results, tips and betting specials for every race.

Friday, March 13th, 2026

Time	Race	Group
13:20	JCB Triumph Hurdle	Grade 1
14:00	County Handicap Hurdle	Grade 3
14:40	Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase	Grade 2
15:20	The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle	Grade 1
16:00	Cheltenham Gold Cup	Grade 1
16:40	The St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase	Class 2
17:20	Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle	Class 2

Overview of Day 4 Races

Day 4 of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival brings the meeting to its climax with a card full of prestige, stamina tests, and festival tradition. Featuring the sport’s most famous chase, top-class juvenile and novice hurdles, a mares’ chase, and competitive handicap action, the final day delivers the kind of drama and quality that makes Cheltenham so special. Here’s a look at the races scheduled for Day 4:

1:20PM: The JCB Triumph Hurdle Race

• Distance: Two miles and 179 yards (2m 179y)
• Conditions: Open to 4-year-olds, with a prize fund of £150,000. This Grade 1 contest is the championship hurdle for juveniles and provides a major stage for the best young hurdlers of the season.

2:00PM: The William Hill County Handicap Hurdle Race

• Distance: Two miles and 179 yards (2m 179y)
• Conditions: A Premier Handicap for horses aged 5 years and older, run for £110,000. This is one of the festival’s most competitive handicap hurdles, typically run at a strong pace and demanding both speed and accurate jumping.

2:40PM: The Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Steeple Chase

• Distance: About two miles four furlongs and 136 yards (2m 4f 136y)
• Conditions: Open to mares aged 5 years and older, with a prize fund of £130,000. Registered as the Liberthine Mares’ Steeple Chase, this Grade 2 race gives high-class mares another important opportunity to shine over fences at the festival.

3:20PM: The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race

• Distance: About two miles seven furlongs and 213 yards (2m 7f 213y)
• Conditions: Open to horses aged 5 years and older, with a prize fund of £150,000. Registered as the Spa Novices’ Hurdle, this Grade 1 staying novice hurdle is a demanding contest that often reveals future long-distance stars.

4:00PM: The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase

• Distance: About three miles two furlongs and 82 yards (3m 2f 82y)
• Conditions: Open to horses aged 5 years and older, with a prize fund of £646,880. This Grade 1 championship race is the centrepiece of the entire festival and the most prestigious prize in National Hunt chasing.

4:40PM: The St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Steeple Chase

• Distance: About three miles two furlongs and 82 yards (3m 2f 82y)
• Conditions: Open to horses aged 5 years and older, with a prize fund of £50,000. Commonly known as the Hunters’ Chase, this race is a much-loved festival tradition that showcases experienced horses from the amateur and point-to-point sphere.

5:20PM: The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Race

• Distance: Two miles four furlongs and 56 yards (2m 4f 56y)
• Conditions: Open to horses aged 4 years and older, rated 0–145, with a prize fund of £75,000. This handicap hurdle, restricted to conditional jockeys, closes the festival and often provides a fiercely competitive and emotional finale to the week.

Each race on Day 4 adds to the sense of occasion that surrounds Cheltenham’s final day. From exciting juveniles and novice stayers to seasoned chasers and the ultimate championship prize, the Friday card delivers a fitting conclusion to one of racing’s greatest meetings.

Key Races to Watch on Day 4

Day 4 contains some of the most famous and most eagerly anticipated races of the entire Cheltenham Festival. Here are the standout contests to follow closely on the final day:

The Triumph Hurdle

The Triumph Hurdle is the championship race for juvenile hurdlers and often offers an early glimpse of future stars. As a Grade 1 for 4-year-olds, it combines class, speed, and raw potential, and it has a long history of highlighting horses who go on to enjoy notable careers.

The County Handicap Hurdle

Always one of the most competitive handicap hurdles of the week, the County Hurdle is usually run at a relentless pace and rewards speed, agility, and tactical awareness. It is a race that regularly attracts a strong field and adds an important layer of handicap intrigue to Gold Cup day.

The Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Steeple Chase

This race has helped strengthen the festival’s programme for mares over fences and gives proven female chasers a valuable opportunity on one of the sport’s biggest stages. With Grade 2 status and a prominent place on the card, it has become an increasingly meaningful contest on the final day.

The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

Known as a searching test for staying novice hurdlers, the Albert Bartlett often produces tough, progressive horses capable of going on to bigger things. Its stamina emphasis and competitive nature make it one of the more unpredictable but highly informative novice races of the week.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup

The Gold Cup is the defining race of the Cheltenham Festival and one of the greatest prizes in jump racing. It is the ultimate test of a steeplechaser, demanding class, jumping ability, stamina, balance, and courage in equal measure. For many fans, owners, trainers, and jockeys, winning the Gold Cup represents the pinnacle of National Hunt racing.

The Hunters’ Chase

The Festival Hunters’ Chase is a popular and distinctive part of the Gold Cup day card. It brings together horses from the hunter chase and point-to-point ranks, adding tradition, character, and a different kind of festival atmosphere to the afternoon.

The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle

Named in honour of one of the sport’s most influential trainers, this race has become a highly competitive and widely followed finale to the meeting. Restricted to conditional jockeys, it often features unexposed horses from leading yards and brings the festival to a lively and memorable close.

Taken together, these races ensure that Day 4 of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival provides a dramatic and fitting finish to the week. With the Gold Cup at its heart and a strong supporting card around it, the final day captures everything that makes Cheltenham such a special event in the racing calendar.

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