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 [year] 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:
[toc]
Cheltenham Festival Day One Racecards
Here are the following races competed on day one of the Cheltenham Festival, Tuesday 12th March [year]:
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
BoyleSports Cheltenham OfferBET £10 GET £20 IN FREE BETS
New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. #AD T&Cs apply.
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
Unibet Cheltenham OfferBET £20 GET £20 + £10 CASINO BONUS
18+. BeGambleAware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £20 (debit cards only). Opt in for £20 racing bonus money. Place a £20+ bet on Horse Racing at min odds 2/5 (1.40) each leg, casino 50x. Unless forfeited, racing offer must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Racing bonus valid for 30 days. Geographical restrictions and T&C’s apply.
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.
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.
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
Cheltenham Festival Day One Tips – 12th March 2024
Here are the betting tips for Day One of the Cheltenham Festival [year].
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.
40-1 odds on Constitution Hill to win the Champion Hurdle has been voted the best betting promotion for day one Cheltenham Races
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
Paddy Power is the market-leading Irish Sportsbook bookmaker and on the First Day of the Cheltenham Festival [year] 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.
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
On the First Day Ladbrokes Free Bet promotion for the [year] 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.
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.
Full T&C's Apply
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:
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.
Other Cheltenham Related Articles
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.
40-1 odds on Constitution Hill to win the Champion Hurdle has been voted the best betting promotion for day one Cheltenham Races
Bet365 Champions Day Betting Promotion of the first day of the Cheltenham Festival is to deposit £10 and get £30 in free bet credits.
Many knowledgeable sports bettors voted the Betfair bet £10 and get £45 as the best Cheltenham Champions Day betting promo.
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.
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.
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
Paddy Power is the market-leading Irish Sportsbook bookmaker and on the First Day of the Cheltenham Festival [year] they are providing a great free bet welcome bonus for horse racing punters
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.
On the First Day Ladbrokes Free Bet promotion for the [year] 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.
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.