Cheltenham’s November Meeting runs from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 November 2026. It’s the first big three-day meeting of the jumps season at Cheltenham, with the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday and the Greatwood Hurdle on Sunday. This guide covers the key races each day, the horses already being talked about, last year’s winners, and how to get the most out of your betting app over the weekend.
At a glance: Friday’s big race is the Shloer Chase, Saturday’s is the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Sunday’s is the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle. The Cross Country Chase won’t run this year. Bet on race day after 8am to get Best Odds Guaranteed with most apps.
Cheltenham November Meeting 2026: day by day
| Day | Feature races |
|---|---|
| Fri 13 Nov (Countryside Day) | Shloer Chase (Grade 2, about 2m), Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2), Paddy Power Novices’ Chase (Listed) |
| Sat 14 Nov | Paddy Power Gold Cup (Premier Handicap, about 2m4f), Arkle Trial Novices’ Chase (Grade 2), JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (Grade 2) |
| Sun 15 Nov (Carnival Sunday) | Unibet Greatwood Hurdle (Premier Handicap, about 2m½f), Oddschecker Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap, about 3m3½f) |
Race times are published by the racecourse but are subject to change, so check the final racecards in your app on the day.
Friday: Shloer Chase and no Cross Country
Friday’s feature is the Shloer Chase over about two miles, which often brings together the best two-mile chasers having their first run of the season. The card also includes the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle over about 2m5f and a Listed novices’ chase over 3m1f.
The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase won’t run this year. At The Races reported on 16 October that the summer drought had left the cross-country course unraceable, so the race moves to Festival Trials Day on 30 January 2027. Cheltenham said any replacement race would be confirmed by 30 October.
Saturday: the Paddy Power Gold Cup
The Paddy Power Gold Cup is the race of the weekend: a valuable handicap chase over about two and a half miles, usually with a big field. That makes it a classic each-way race. Saturday also has two Grade 2 trials for next March’s Festival: the Arkle Trial for novice chasers and the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial for juvenile hurdlers.
Sunday: the Greatwood Hurdle
Sunday’s highlight is the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle, a competitive two-mile handicap hurdle, followed by the Oddschecker Handicap Chase over a marathon 3m3½f.
Horses in the news
Entries for the big races usually come out in late October and early November, but a few targets have already been named in the press:
- Meetmebythesea (Ben Pauling): Sporting Life reported on 21 October that the JP McManus-owned six-year-old, who won the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase at the Festival in March, is on course for the Paddy Power Gold Cup and is favourite with the sponsors. Pauling called him one of the most exciting young horses in training.
- Quebecois (Paul Nicholls): Nicholls has named the Paddy Power Gold Cup as Quebecois’s target, saying in his Betfair column that the horse ran well last time and was only raised 1lb by the handicapper. He may also be entered for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury later in the month.
- Lisbane Park (Joe Tizzard): the Racing Post noted that Tizzard usually aims Lisbane Park at the November Meeting.
Plans change quickly at this time of year, so check the final declarations before you bet.
Last year’s winners (2025)
| Race | 2025 winner |
|---|---|
| Paddy Power Gold Cup | Panic Attack (Dan Skelton / Harry Skelton), 6/1 |
| Unibet Greatwood Hurdle | Alexei (Joe Tizzard / Brendan Powell), 100/30 favourite |
| Shloer Chase | L’Eau Du Sud (Dan Skelton / Harry Skelton), 100/30 |
The Skeltons won two of the three big races last year. L’Eau Du Sud beat Jonbon by 15 lengths in the Shloer, ending Jonbon’s bid for a hat-trick in the race.
Betting on the November Meeting with an app
- Bet after 8am on race day for Best Odds Guaranteed. With bookmakers such as William Hill (opt in on the racecards first) and 888sport, if you take a price and the starting price is bigger, you’re paid the bigger price. Bets placed the night before don’t qualify.
- Go each-way in the big handicaps. The Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Greatwood usually have big fields. Standard terms for a handicap of 16 or more runners pay four places at 1/4 the odds, and some bookmakers pay extra places on big races, so compare the terms in your apps before you bet. Our each-way guide explains how it works.
- Try a Lucky 15 across the weekend. Four horses in different races, with William Hill paying double the odds if only one wins.
- Play the placepot. Saturday’s placepot covers the first six races on the card. See how to do a placepot.
- Watch the cash out rules. William Hill doesn’t offer cash out on each-way bets or while a race is running. See cash out explained.
William Hill new customer offer
William Hill’s current welcome offer is Bet £10, Get £30 in free bets, with minimum odds of 1/2. Free bets expire after 7 days, and PayPal and Apple Pay deposits are excluded. 18+. New customers only. T&Cs apply. Checked 21 October 2026, so always check the latest terms on William Hill’s site.
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More Cheltenham guides
- Cheltenham racecourse guide
- Cheltenham Festival 2027 betting guide
- Betting at the racecourse with an app
- Compare horse racing betting apps
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Sources: The Jockey Club November Meeting racecards; At The Races, 16 Oct 2026; Sporting Life on Meetmebythesea and Quebecois; Racing Post, 23 Oct 2026; 2025 results from The Irish Field and ITV Racing. Checked 24 October 2026.
