Spring is always an exciting time of year for horse racing fans, and there’s plenty to look forward to with a busy Horse Racing Calendar 2025.
Horse Racing Calendar 2025: Upcoming Huge Spring Festivals
Whether you’re a National Hunt or Flat racing fan, March, April and May are set to provide some exciting festival action for us to enjoy. Here we go through the calendar and highlight the British and Irish meetings that can’t be missed.
Horse Racing Calendar 2025: March
Cheltenham Festival (Tue 11th March – Fri 14th March)
We start off big, with National Hunt racing’s Olympics and it’s the main aim of the season for every top horse on both sides of the Irish Sea. The four-day meeting kicks off on Tuesday March 11th and there are four Grade 1 races on Day 1; Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Arkle Challenge Trophy, Mares’ Hurdle and the prestigious Champion Hurdle.
There are another four top-level events to look forward to on Day 2 and it kicks off with the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, which is swiftly followed by the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Champion Bumper. A relative lull on Day 3, there are just the two Grade 1s on the Thursday but they are two crackers in the form of the Ryanair Chase and the Stayers’ Hurdle. There is of course some thoroughly competitive handicap action in support too.
Friday marks the final day and the main event of the whole festival is the Cheltenham Gold Cup. A couple of Grade 1 novice races are on the supporting card and the Albert Bartlett and Triumph hurdles are quality races in their own right.
Horse Racing Calendar 2025: April
Aintree Grand National Festival (Thu 3rd April – Sat 5th April)
Probably the most iconic race in the sport of Horse racing, Aintree’s Grand National is set to take place on Saturday April 5th and the three-day festival is a highlight of the calendar. There’s plenty of Grade 1 action across the meeting, including the Melling Chase, the Aintree Bowl and some excellent novice races.
Fairyhouse Easter Festival (Sat 19th April – Mon 21st April)
The atmosphere is always lively at Fairyhouse for their Easter Festival and there’s some quality action to look forward to. Obviously the Irish Grand National over 3m5f is the main event, but the supporting races are well worth watching too.
Punchestown Festival (Tue 29th April – Sat 3rd May)
Probably not quite as competitive as it used to be, as a result of Willie Mullins’ dominance in recent years, but the Punchestown Festival remains the premier spring festival in Irish National Hunt racing and it provides a little something for everyone.
Horse Racing Calendar 2025: May
Guineas Festival (Sat 3rd May – Sun 4th May)
Late spring signals the rise of Flat racing, with the National Hunt season coming to a close in April. Newmarket hosts the first two Classics of the Flat campaign – the 2000 and 1000 Guineas on the Rowley Mile.
Irish Guineas Festival (Fri 23rd May – Sun 25th May)
We don’t have to wait too long for the Irish equivalents, which take place at the Curragh three weeks later. This provides an opportunity for the British Guineas winners to complete the double, or bounce back after a disappointing display, and the classic contenders that weren’t quite ready for Newmarket to prove their worth.
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