paddy power sits in the spotlight as Cheltenham Festival 2026 is set for a four-day programme at Cheltenham from Tuesday 10 to Friday 13 March. Harry Redknapp’s Jukebox Man, fresh from a King George VI Chase win on Boxing Day, will attempt to become the first British-trained Gold Cup winner since 2018. Broad radio commentary and live-text coverage will carry every race; all times below are listed in Eastern Time (ET).
Paddy Power and festival betting offers
Bookmaker promotions tied to the Festival include a new-customer welcome offer that credits £30 in free bets when a first qualifying stake of £10 is placed at minimum odds of 1. 5, and a daily money-back mechanic that refunds losing bets on a selected race as free bets up to a £10 stake for existing customers. Free bets are subject to usage windows and staking exclusions; stake amounts are not returned in free-bet returns and terms apply.
Live coverage, schedule and key timings (ET)
The meeting runs Tuesday 10 to Friday 13 March with seven races per day, 28 in total. The first race each day goes off at 8: 20 ET; the feature Cheltenham Gold Cup is scheduled as the fifth race on Friday at 11: 00 ET. The final race each day is set for 12: 20 ET. A dedicated radio service will provide commentary of all 28 races across the meeting, with additional radio slots for feature races and Gold Cup day, and live-text racecards and results available each day.
Presenting and analysis teams named for the coverage include Gina Bryce on Tuesday to Thursday and Mark Chapman on Friday. Former Gold Cup-winning jockeys Andrew Thornton and Paddy Brennan, joined by Welsh Grand National winner Charlie Poste, will offer race analysis and insight, while John Hunt will lead live commentary duties.
What to watch next
Focus in the immediate build-up will centre on Jukebox Man’s Gold Cup bid and daily race-by-race form as racecards are confirmed. Expect full racecards and live-text updates from 8: 20 ET each day, culminating in the Gold Cup at 11: 00 ET on Friday; punters using paddy power and other operators will be monitoring the market shifts as final declarations are published. Key developments to watch for are final confirmations of runners and any late changes announced in the hours before each race.
