Cheltenham Festival announce major changes from 2025!

The Cheltenham Festival, known as the pinnacle of jump racing, is undergoing a series of dramatic changes, including adjustments to five of its 28 races and an easing of course-side drinking restrictions.

Six key changes are being made to the race programme for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, which takes place between March 11 and March 14 next year.

The Turners Novices’ Chase will be replaced by a Grade Two Limited Novice Handicap Chase over two-and-a-half miles, while the National Hunt Chase will also become a Novice Handicap Chase for horses rated 0-145, with amateur rider restrictions removed to allow professional jockeys to take part.

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is also reverting back to handicap status, having switched to a conditions race in 2016.

The penalty structure has been removed for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices Hurdle and the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle will now offer a guaranteed place to all winners of series qualifiers, provided they are within the weights bracket at declaration stage.

Finally, the number of qualifying runs for non-novice handicaps has been increased to four (from three) for chases and five (from four) for hurdles.
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