Equestrian Events Jump racing
Rank 08
Cheltenham Festival
The championship meeting of jump racing, with big crowds and Irish dominance in 2026, but four horse deaths shadowed the week.
Why it is here
Attendance over the four days in 2026 was 226,223, up 3.7%. Willie Mullins was top trainer for the eighth straight year, and Ireland won the Prestbury Cup 15–13 (Racing Post, 2026-03-13). Gaelic Warrior won the Cheltenham Gold Cup by eight lengths (BBC Sport, 2026-03-13). Welfare context: four of the 475 runners died during or just after racing, including Envoi Allen, who collapsed after the Gold Cup. The League Against Cruel Sports puts the festival's total at 82 deaths since 2000 (BBC News, 2026-03-13), and the Guardian wrote that 'fatalities and fallouts' tainted the week (2026-03-16). Separately, after repeated false starts, the British Horseracing Authority announced a full review of race starts at the festival (BHA, 2026-03-12). Score drivers: prestige 9.4 and sporting level 9.3 from the championship races and the trainers' and nations' contests; social 9.2 from the crowd figures; experience 8.4, held back by the fatalities and the criticism of the week.
Who it is for
Jump-racing owners and fans who want the sport's championship week and its famous crowd.
Sources
- Crowds and British fortunes on the up at Cheltenham Festival but Willie Mullins and Paul Townend ensure some things remain the same226,223 over four days (+3.7% on 218,093), reversing a four-year decline; Mullins top trainer for the eighth year in a row; Ireland won the Prestbury Cup 15-13.
- Cheltenham Festival 2026: Gaelic Warrior wins Cheltenham Gold Cup with Jukebox Man eighthGaelic Warrior won the Gold Cup by eight lengths from Jango Baie.
- Cheltenham Festival ends with four horse death – two on last dayFour horses died, including Envoi Allen; the League Against Cruel Sports says the total at the festival is 82 since 2000.
- Cheltenham raised a cheer – but fatalities and fallouts tainted bounce-back festivalFour of 475 runners died during or just after racing; none from a fall in a steeplechase; RSPCA statement; starting trouble and jockey disputes.
- BHA statement regarding the starts of Cheltenham Festival racesFull review of race starts at the festival once it concluded.
- Cheltenham Festival 2027Tuesday 16 – Friday 19 March 2027.
