THE Cheltenham Festival is, quite simply, the biggest week of the racing calendar.
From Tuesday, March 15, to Friday, March 18, around 250,000 punters are expected to flood into Prestbury Park.
The world is in a very different place to 12 months ago, when the Festival took place behind closed doors.
There were no fans, no bookies stalls and no pints of Guinness being thrown in the air in celebration as the horses thundered home.
Thankfully, that looks – at the moment at least – a distant memory as racecourse bosses ready for the return of punters.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re looking to buy a ticket or attend on the day.
Do I need a vaccine passport to get into the Cheltenham Festival?
Festival bosses will follow whatever the official government guidance is at the time.
Currently, people across the UK now need to show their Covid status to get into nightclubs and many large venues.
As it stands, a venue with more than 10,000 people (such as Cheltenham racecourse) is legally required to check the Covid status of visitors over the age of 18.
Guidance at the moment says you can only enter the venue if you have…
- An NHS Covid Pass confirming you’ve been vaccinated with two doses of an approved vaccine (or one dose of Janssen vaccine).
- A negative PCR or rapid lateral flow test result, taken within the last 48 hours.
- Proof that you have a medical exemption or are taking part in a clinical trial.
- Proof of natural immunity – for instance, a positive PCR test taken in the past six months – is not accepted as an alternative to proof of vaccination or a recent test.
However, it should be noted that some large events are not included in the rules, including mass-participation sporting events, such as marathons.
This guidance could have changed by the time the Festival starts on Tuesday, March 15.
Can I buy tickets for Cheltenham Festival?
Tickets are currently still available for the Cheltenham Festival – but selling fast.
It’s worth noting that the prices do differ for certain days.
For example, a simple Best Mate Enclosure ticket (opposite the main grandstand) is £45 for Tuesday, but £40 for Wednesday and £70 for Friday.
The Guinness Grandstand is sold out for all four days.
There are tickets still available for the Club Enclosure, Tattersalls Enclosure and a host of hospitality options.
You can check out the various tickets still available with The Jockey Club.
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