The Cheltenham Festival is just around the corner, meaning jockeys and horses are preparing for another record-breaking event.
For winning a race in one of the most iconic festivals in the sport, prize money is handed out in sums that live up to the occasion.
Last year’s races set records for their prizes and organisers have now taken it one step further by increasing the amount again.
Here’s the staggering amount available in 2025…
Cheltenham Festival: Prize money
There will be a total prize pot of £4.93million at Cheltenham this year.
That is an increase of £115,000 from the 2024 meeting, setting a new record at the event.
It also means there will be over £1million on offer for each day of the four-day festival.
The highest reward for a race comes again in the Gold Cup, with the winner of that race taking home the biggest share of £625,000.
Last year, the winning cut of the cash was over £350,000.
The Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase and the Stayers’ Hurdle are also going to have some huge prizes.
In the Champion Hurdle, the total prize pot will stand at £450,000, while the Champion Chase has a whopping £400,000 on the line.
The Ryanair Chase has a prize pot of £375,000, with the Stayers’ offering £325,000.
Cheltenham Festival prize money per race
Tuesday, March 11
- Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – £150,000
- Arkle Novices’ Chase – £200,000
- Ultima Handicap Chase – £150,000
- Mares’ Hurdle – £120,000
- Champion Hurdle – £450,000
- Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – £80,000
- National Hunt Chase – £200,000
Wednesday, March 12
- Turners Novices’ Hurdle – £150,000
- Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – £200,000
- Coral Cup Hurdle – £100,000
- Cross Country Steeple Chase – £75,000
- Queen Mother Steeple Chase – £400,000
- Grand Annual Steeple Chase Challenge Cup – £150,000
- Champion Bumper – £80,000
Thursday, March 13
- Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – £105,000
- Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – £125,000
- Pertemps Network Final – £100,000
- Ryanair Steeple Chase – £375,000
- Stayers’ Hurdle – £325,000
- TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase – £150,000
- Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup – £75,000
Friday, March 14
- Triumph Hurdle – £150,000
- County Handicap Hurdle – £98,370
- Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Steeple Chase – £120,000
- Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – £150,000
- Cheltenham Gold Cup – £625,000
- Festival Hunters Chase – £50,000
- Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle – £75,000
How much do the jockeys win?
Each winning prize is split between the horse’s connections.
That includes the owner, trainer, jockey and stable staff.
Jockeys typically take home 8-9 per cent of the total winnings.
If a horse places in a race at Cheltenham, jockeys take 3.5 per cent of the placed prize money, which is what is left from the pot after the winner takes their cut.
Even if a jockey doesn’t win or place in a race at all, they will still get paid a guaranteed fee.
At last year’s festival, riding fees for jump races were set at £164.74 and that will likely be similar this time around.
