Today's races are:

Cheltenham Festival 2026 Day 2 - Ladies Day (Wednesday 11 March)

The gloves are off. Day 1 is the warm up roar. Ladies Day is where the Festival turns feral — big crowds, big bets, bigger opinions, and that feeling in the air that anything odds on can still get turned over. Expect the bookies to be busy, the exchanges to be twitchy, and the markets to move fast once the early money lands.

Gates open 10:30, first race 13:20, last race 17:20 — and between those bookends it is seven chances to get the day right ( or wrong ) in public. The smart play is simple: track the latest betting odds, watch for late market support, and keep stakes steady when the hype hits peak volume.

Ladies Day race times - the quick hit list

  • 13:20 - Turners Novices’ Hurdle ( Grade 1 )
  • 14:00 - Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase ( Grade 1 )
  • 14:40 - BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle ( Premier Handicap )
  • 15:20 - Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase
  • 16:00 - BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase ( Grade 1 )
  • 16:40 - Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase ( Premier Handicap )
  • 17:20 - Weatherbys Champion Bumper ( Grade 1 )

This is the official Day 2 schedule and it is subject to change, so keep an eye on final confirmations and non runner news.

The big story - BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase at 16:00

This is the speed test. Two miles. Twelve fences. No time to blink. The Queen Mother Champion Chase is the moment Ladies Day goes from sparkle to savage — and it is why search traffic explodes for Champion Chase betting odds, Cheltenham tips, and “best bet” picks. One mistake at Championship pace and the entire market flips in seconds.

For a deeper explainer on the race itself ( history, roll of honour, and the Festival place it holds ), the official race page is the clean reference point.

Where punters make their money - and lose their heads

Turners ( 13:20 ) and Brown Advisory ( 14:00 ) bring the loudest opinions because novice hype travels faster than form. Expect strong early steams, plenty of “banker” talk, and prices that can look very different by lunchtime once the inside money has had its say.

Then come the handicaps. The BetMGM Cup ( 14:40 ) and Grand Annual ( 16:40 ) are where each way punters go to war — extra place chatter, price boosts, late plunges, and that classic Cheltenham chaos where the “right” horse can still get trapped behind a faller or miss the break. It is also where value hunters spend the most time shopping for the best price.

And do not sleep on the closer. The Weatherbys Champion Bumper ( 17:20 ) is a Grade 1 ending to a day that will have already tested every punter’s discipline. Win only swings. Each way savers. One last roll of the dice before the notebooks come out for Thursday.

Off track - the “Ladies Day” bit is not window dressing

The official Ladies Day programme leans hard into the occasion: fashion, atmosphere, and the Best Dressed competition, with prizes listed as over £10,000.

There is also a Centaur takeover with a pre racing panel listed for 11:20 ( hosted by Rosie Turner, featuring Rachael Blackmore, Alice Plunkett, and Natasha Hunt ), plus live music and on screen racing coverage in the venue.

Watch - Ladies Day previews ( ready to embed )

  • Let’s Talk Racing - Day Two Preview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCH9fPoSGSQ

  • Racing TV - The Coral Cheltenham Formbook ( Day Two )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYnaISTeRk4

  • Which Bookie - Queen Mother Champion Chase preview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjdNn3Y0cdI