Cheltenham Racecourse, Horse racing venue in Prestbury, England
Cheltenham Racecourse is a horse racing venue in Prestbury, near Cheltenham, England. It has two main tracks, the Old Course and the New Course, plus a cross-country course inside them, and a large grandstand called the Princess Royal Stand.
Racing began at Cheltenham in 1815 with flat races on Nottingham Hill, and the event moved to the present course at Prestbury Park in 1902. The Cheltenham Gold Cup was first run in 1924, and the festival has grown since then.
The racecourse is the home of the Cheltenham Festival, held every March, which draws crowds from across the country. The atmosphere during the festival is lively, with spectators cheering on their favorite horses and jockeys.
The racecourse is set in a natural bowl below Cleeve Hill, so wear comfortable shoes for walking between the stands and the tracks. The site is large, so allow extra time to move between the different areas, especially on race days.
The racecourse is also home to The Centaur, a large auditorium that hosts conferences and concerts, and the Steeplechasing Hall of Fame. The site hosts a weekly market and car boot sale, which resumed in March 2026 after a 20-year break.
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