Excitement is building for The Cheltenham Festival taking place on March 12th – 15th, with many potential stars also racing on Festival Trials Day on Saturday 27th January 2024. This enthralling 8 race card is packed with highlights including the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle, the Clarence House Chase, with Jonbon heading the market, the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase, Unibet Hurdle and the McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle, with Cheltenham favourite Paisley Park.
The excitement isn’t restricted to the turf, with winning hospitality available throughout the day, plus off-track entertainment including live music and the chance to take a peek at the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup trophy in the activation zone under the crescent walkway above the parade ring. The Shopping Village also offers the chance to browse fashion, art and gifts, many from local family owned businesses.
Trials Day boasts a fantastic selection of dining options, with new restaurant The Mandarin a great bet. Opened for the first time at The Showcase meeting in October, this walk-in restaurant is named after the 1962 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner and is located near the parade ring with a perfect view of the racecourse. With cosy Cotswold pub vibes, The Mandarin’s impressive interior takes inspiration from traditional country stables, with exposed wooden beams, quirky racing artefacts and exquisite seasonal food and drink.
For a more relaxed walk-up experience, head to Quevega’s for delicious plant-based choices or beef burgers and hot dogs in the ultimate brioche bun from local favourite Hobbs House Bakery. Certified B Corp, Hobbs House Bakery produces organic flour, with community and sustainability at the heart of everything they do, in line with The Jockey Club’s vision as a leader in sustainability in horse racing.
No trip to Cheltenham, the home of jump racing, would be complete without a celebratory glass of English Sparkling Wine. Nyetimber Classic Cuvée Multi-Vintage, West Sussex and Hampshire, England is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and is perfect as an aperitif or with smoked salmon and shellfish. Available in selected bars and restaurants on course.
Top white wines on offer include Chenin Blanc MAN Free-run Steen, Western Cape, South Africa, rich with tropical fruits and melon, and QL Vinho Verde Quinta da Lixa, Vinho Verde, Portugal with floral and aromatic notes. For reds, try The Journey Collection Crianza Ramón Bilbao, Rioja, Spain, an excellent medium-bodied red, or Malbec Susana Balbo Crios, Mendoza, Argentina, perfect with meat dishes and burgers.
A full range of wines is available to complement your meal, and alongside beers you will also find organic cider from Dunkertons, a family run business with a state-of-the-art cidery in Cheltenham, and Fox’s Kiln, handcrafted small-batch vodka made by Gloucester Brewery. Round off your meal with coffee from family-run Ethical Addictions. Located just outside Cheltenham, this small company’s focus is on sustainable, ethical production, working directly with arabica farms to allow full insight and ensure both the quality of the product and farmers’ welfare.
Cheltenham Racecourse also has a huge range of non-alcoholic drinks available, including Guinness Zero, Wild Idol Alcohol Free Sparkling Rosé, Eins Zwei Zero Riesling and plenty of soft drinks.
Hospitality at the Cheltenham Festival
Looking ahead to the Cheltenham Festival in March, visitors will be spoilt for choice, with hospitality ranging from fine dining restaurants to casual venues, and culinary options for all tastes including plant-based dishes on offer across the festival.
Hospitality at the Cheltenham Festival
Restaurant Experiences
Private Boxes
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The fabulous Centenary Restaurant opened at the end of last year to celebrate the forthcoming running of the 100th Cheltenham Gold Cup at The Cheltenham Festival March 12th - 15th 2024. Centenary Restaurant takes you on a journey of Gold Cup winners, starting with Red Splash who won the inaugural Gold Cup in 1924 and moving on to other famous winners including Golden Miller, Arkle and Best Mate. The culinary team, led by chefs Warren O’Connor and Lawrie Jeffries, has carefully curated dishes with ingredients from local suppliers. The 4-bowl menu for The Festival celebrates 100 years of food trends. Located opposite the horse walk between the Paddock and the course, Centenary Restaurant offers the chance to be close to the racing action, and watch the horses take to the stage as they approach the course.
Another winning option is Alberta’s Run in the tented village, serving a four-course meal with starters including Goat’s Curd and Hereford Perry Pear, mains of Cotswold Lamb, and a Cheltenham Cheeseboard to finish. A new addition to Cheltenham’s vast array of hospitality venues, the restaurant is named after Albertas Run, a triple Cheltenham Festival winner who appeared at the Festival on five consecutive occasions, winning the Royal & Sun Alliance Chase and two Ryanair Chases.
