If you have been checking the Antepost markets for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival at bet365 Sport, then you will know that many horses have been priced up for several different races.

Well, over January, February, and towards the start date of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival on the 11th of March, those entries into each race will slowly start to become much clearer. As Trainers and Owners make their decisions about which race to target.

Outlined below are some of the key dates for race entries in the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.

Key Dates for Entries Into Races at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival

Tuesday 7th January 2025 – Entries for the three Champion Chase races – 

• The Cheltenham Gold Cup (Day 4 – 4 pm) – 19 Entries Confirmed
• The Queen Mother Champion Chase (Day 2 – 4 pm) – 26 Entries Confirmed
• Ryanair Chase (Day 3 – 3.20 pm) – 34 Entries Confirmed

Tuesday 14th January 2025 – Entries for the three feature Hurdle races – 

• Champion Hurdle (Day 1 – 4 pm) – 16 Entries Confirmed
• Mares Hurdle (Day 1 – 3.20 pm) – 36 Entries Confirmed
• Stayers Hurdle (Day 3 – 4 pm) – 24 Entries Confirmed

Tuesday 21st January 2025 – Entries for the following six races.

• Arkle Challenge Trophy (Day 1 – 2 pm)
• Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Day 2 – 2 pm)
• Supreme Novices Hurdle (Day 1 – 1.20 pm)
• Turners Novices Hurdle (Day 2 – 1.20 pm)
• Triumph Hurdle (Day 4 – 1.20 pm)
• Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle (Day 4 – 3.20 pm)

Tuesday 11th February 2025 – Entries for the following two races.

• Mares Chase (Day 4 – 2.40 pm)
• Mares Novices’ Hurdle (Day 3 – 1.20 pm)

Tuesday 18th February 2025 – Entries for the following 12 races.

• Ultima Handicap Chase (Day 1 – 2.40 pm)
• Coral Cup (Day 2 – 2.40 pm)
• Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle (Day 4 – 4 pm)
• Pertemps Final (Day 3 – 2.40 pm)
• TrustATrade Plate (Day 3 – 4.40 pm)
• Kim Muir Challenge Cup (Day 3 – 5.20 pm)
• County Hurdle (Day 4 – 2 pm)
• Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Hurdle (Day 4 – 5.20 pm)
• Grand Annual Chase (Day 2 – 4.40 pm)
• Cross Country Chase (Day 2 – 3.20 pm)
• Novices Handicap Chase (Day 3 – 2 pm)
• National Hunt Chase (Day 1 – 5.20 pm)

Tuesday 25th February 2025 – Entries for the following two races.

• Champion Bumper (Day 2 – 5.20 pm)
• Hunters Chase (Day 4 – 4.40 pm)

Novices Tip! 

The dates shown are the deadlines for confirming an entry into a race for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. Many trainers and owners will enter a horse into several races at this stage of the process. 

For example, Grey Dawning has been entered into both the Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase. Similarly, Energumene has been entered into the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase, while Banbridge has been entered into the Gold Cup and the Queen Mother Champion Chase AND the Ryanair Chase.

It is only when the Final Declarations are made 48-hours before the race that the final field for each race will be known.

This is what makes traditional Antepost betting a gamble for punters. They may back a horse to win a race, say Grey Dawning to win the Gold Cup, and the horse may instead run in the Ryanair Chase.

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Final Declarations for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival

All Final Declarations for each race at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival are made 48-hours before the race. Meaning that the final declarations for each day of racing will be as follows:

• Sunday 9th March – Final Declarations for Day 1 (Champions Day) – Tuesday 11th March
• Monday 10th March – Final Declarations for Day 2 (Style Wednesday) – Wednesday 12th March
• Tuesday 11th March – Final Declarations for Day 3 (St Patrick’s Thursday) – Thursday 13th March
• Wednesday 12th March – Final Declarations for Day 4 (Gold Cup Day) – Friday 14th March

The Full 2025 Cheltenham Festival Race Schedule

The full schedule for the four days of racing at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival is as follows:

Tuesday 11th March – Champion Day

• 1.20 pm – Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (2m 87y)
• 2.00 pm – My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (1m 7f 199y)
• 2.40 pm – Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (3m 1f)
• 3.20 pm – Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (2m 3f 200y)
• 4.00 pm – Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) (2m 87y)
• 4.40 pm – Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (2m 87y)
• 5.20 pm – National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateurs’ Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (3m 5f, 201y)

Wednesday 12th March – Style Wednesday

• 1.20 pm – Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (2m 5f)
• 2.00 pm – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (3m 110y)
• 2.40 pm – Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (2m 5f)
• 3.20 pm – Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (3m 5f, 201y)
• 4.00 pm – Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) (1m 7f 199y)
• 4.40 pm – Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (1m 7f 199y)
• 5.20 pm – Weatherby’s Champion Bumper (Grade 1) (2m 87y)

Thursday 13th March – St Patrick’s Thursday

• 1.20 pm – Ryanair Mares’ Novices Hurdle (Grade 2) (2m 179y)
• 2.00 pm – Jack Richards Novice Handicap Chase (Grade 1) (2m 3f 168y)
• 2.40 pm – Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (2m 7f 213y)
• 3.20 pm – Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) (2m 4f 127y)
• 4.00 pm – Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (2m 7f 213y)
• 4.40 pm – TrustATrader Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (2m 4f)
• 5.20 pm – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateurs’ Handicap Chase (3m 2f)

Friday 14th March – Gold Cup Day

• 1.20 pm – JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) (2m 179y)
• 2.00 pm – William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (2m)
• 2.40 pm – Mrs Paddy Power Mare’s Chase (Grade 2) (2m 4f)
• 3.20 pm – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (2m 7f 213y)
• 4.00 pm – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) (3m 2f 70y)
• 4.40 pm – St. James’s Palace Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters Chase (3m 2f 70y)
• 5.20 pm – Martin Pipe Conditional  Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (2m 4f 56y)

(Race Distance Key: m – miles, f – furlongs, y – yards)

Race Alterations for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival

Following consultations with owners, trainers, jockeys and punters as well as others with an interest in the Festival, there have been six changes made specifically for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival and moving forward. These changes include:

• The Grade 1 Golden Miller Novice Chase has been replace by the Grade 2 TrustATrader Handicap Chase (4.40 pm – Day 3)
• The National Hunt Chase is now the Jack Richards Novice Handicap Chase and is no longer an amateur jockey-only race. (2.00 pm – Day 3)
• The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is now a limited handicap race, and a 20lb weight range has been implemented (3.20 pm – Day 2)
• The Grade 2 Ryanair Dawn Run Mares Novice Hurdle now has no penalties (Day 3 – 1.20 pm)
• Jockeys need to have race experience of four chase and five hurdle runs (up from three chase and four hurdle runs) for any Class 1 or 2 Non-Novice handicap race at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival (All Days).
• Runners who qualified for the Pertemps Network Final Handicap will be protected if they are within the stated weights at the declaration stage (Tuesday, 11th March). 

Of course, for punters, the key dates remain the 11th March to the 14th March 2025, which is when the 2025 Cheltenham Festival will take place. But these other dates for entries and declarations can be hugely important for those seeking to gain additional benefits from antepost or early bird prices!

FAQs

Q. When is the 2025 Cheltenham Festival?

A. The 2025 Cheltenham Festival runs from Tuesday 11th March to Friday 14th March. Racing starts at 1.20 pm.

Q. When are the final declarations for the races at the Cheltenham Festival 2025?

A. The final declarations for each race are made 48 hours before the race takes place. This means final declarations for each day will be made on the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th of March. 

Q. What happens if a back a horse in a race and it does not run in that race?

A. That depends on what bet you placed. If you placed a traditional Antepost bet, then your bet will be a loser. Alternatively, if you placed a bet on a Non Runner No Bet market, then your stake will be returned. If your horse is a non-runner on the day of the race, then your stake will be returned.

Always remember to gamble responsibly.

Check out bet365’s Safer Gambling page for more details.

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