Festival Trials Day: Cheltenham's Last Dance Before March

There is a quiet electricity about Cheltenham Racecourse in late January, a sense that something both familiar and extraordinary is about to unfold. On Saturday, 24th January, Festival Trials Day arrives. The last dance at The Home of Jump Racing before those four days of extraordinary in March.

With eight races on the card, each contest is more than just a warm-up; it is a statement, a hint of what may come, a rehearsal for potential glory before the Irish come and try to spoil it. Some look to reaffirm their dominance, while bold newcomers seek to announce themselves to the racing world. Every leap over obstacles and every gallop up the hill carries with it the weight of possibility of stories yet to be told on the grandest stage of National Hunt racing.

This year’s occasion is made all the more poignant by the hosting of the 2026 Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) Awards. The charity, devoted to the welfare of retired racehorses, reminds us that the story of a horse does not end at the finish line, and that racing’s triumphs are inseparable from its responsibility and care. 

When the last race has been run, don’t rush away. Head to the Centaur and enjoy an hour with Freeman, whose live performance of feel-good classics and crowd favourites provides the perfect coda to a day of Cheltenham magic, letting the fun linger just a little longer.

​For us, Festival Trials Day is one of the very best days of racing at Cheltenham. Though it serves as the final curtain call before the festival, it refuses to be merely a rehearsal.

Gates Open: 10:30am
Raceday Preview: 11:50am
First Race: 12:05pm
Last Race: 4:10pm

Under 18s go free.

For all infor and tickets, please visit www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/festival-trials-day 

In partnership with Cheltenham Racecourse and The Jockey Club
www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham