The Cheltenham Festival will see more than a quarter-of-a-million horse racing fans flock to Prestbury Park for the biggest week in the sport.
'The Olympics of Racing', 'The Greatest Show on Turf', or whatever else you want to call it, over the course of the four-day meeting, 28 winners will be crowned, none more prestigious than in Friday's Gold Cup.
The defending champion Al Boum Photo is back to defend his crown, but is likely to face stiff competition, including from some news rivals in the form of second-season chasers Santini, Delta Work and Lostintranslation.
Willie Mullins will be looking to secure yet another top trainer's title, while the top jockey prizze looks wide open in the first Festival since Ruby Walsh's retirement, last year's winner Nico De Boinville among a host of contenders.
Scroll down for Standard Sport's comprehensive preview of the festival...
Date, time and venue
The Cheltenham Festival gets underway on Tuesday, March 10 and runs for four days until Friday, March 13.
Cheltenham Racecourse, Prestbury Park is the venue, the track being within walking distance of the town itself.
There will be seven races per day, with the first going off at 1:30pm and the last at 5:30pm. The feature race is staged at 3:30pm each day. For individual race times, check the full schedule below.
Tips
Weather
A winter of relentless rainfall had led to concerns that the Festival would start on heavy ground but a relatively dry spell over the weekend coupled with the course's excellent drainage means we're likely to be looking at soft ground which may even improve further as the week goes on.
Meanwhile, the current Met Office forecast is for a largely dry week, with the possibility of showers on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
Schedule and results
All times GMT. Feature race at 3:30pm each day.
Tuesday
| 1:30pm | Supreme Novices' Hurdle |
| 2:10pm | Arkle Challenge Trophy |
| 2:50pm | Ultima Handicap Chase |
| 3:30pm | Champion Hurdle |
| 4:10pm | David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle |
| 4:50pm | Northern Trust Company Novice Handicap Chase |
| 5:30pm | National Hunt Chase |
Wednesday
| 1:30pm | Ballymore Novices' Hurdle |
| 2:10pm | RSA Novices' Chase |
| 2:50pm | Coral Cup |
| 3:30pm | Queen Mother Champion Chase |
| 4:10pm | Cross Country Chase |
| 4:50pm | Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle |
| 5:30pm | Champion Bumper |
Thursday
| 1:30pm | Marsh Novices' Chase |
| 2:10pm | Pertemps Network Final |
| 2:50pm | Ryanair Chase |
| 3:30pm | Stayers' Hurdle |
| 4:10pm | Brown Advisory and Merriebelle Stable Plate |
| 4:50pm | Mares' Novice Hurdle |
| 5:30pm | Kim Muir Handicap Chase |
Friday
| 1:30pm | Triumph Hurdle |
| 2:10pm | County Hurdle |
| 2:50pm | Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle |
| 3:30pm | Cheltenham Gold Cup |
| 4:10pm | Foxhunters' Chase |
| 4:50pm | Grand Annual |
| 5:30pm | Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle |
Cheltenham Gold Cup odds (via Betfair)
Odds subject to change, correct as of 25/02/20
- Al Boum Photo 7/2
- Santini 7/2
- Delta Work 5/1
- Lostintranslation 13/2
- Clan Des Obeaux 7/1
- Kemboy 7/1
- Presenting Percy 10/1
- Chris's Dream 14/1
- Monalee 20/1
- Real Steel 20/1
- Bristol De Mai 25/1
- Elegant Escape 33/1
