One of the biggest events in the UK horse racing calendar gets up and running today, as the Cheltenham Gold Cup headlines the fourth day of 2024’s festival at Prestbury Park.
100 years since the first running of the Gold Cup over fences in 1924, this year’s race will see 13 riders go head-to-head on Friday, March 15, bringing the 2024 festival to a close with one of the most lucrative races around.
With today’s race fast approaching and thousands watching on from the Cheltenham Festival, we’ve got all the information you’ll need to catch all the action this afternoon.
MORE: How to watch today’s Gold Cup Steeple Chase at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival
What time is Cheltenham Gold Cup 2024 race?
The 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup is set to get underway at 3:30 p.m. GMT on Friday, March 15. It’s the fifth race and the headline event of the day, before the Mares’ Steeple Chase and Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at 4:50 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. respectively.
Last year’s winner Galopin Des Champs returns alongside trainer Willie Mullins, looking for successive Gold Cup victories and the favourite to regain the title won on St. Patrick’s Day in 2023.
The remaining 12 runners will certainly be keen to stake their Gold Cup claims though, with Fastorslow, Corach Rambler and Bravemansgame tipped to be Galopin Des Champs and jockey Paul Townend’s closest challengers.
Cheltenham Gold Cup 2024 race TV channel, live stream
As one of the biggest events in the UK’s horse racing calendar, anticipation is high ahead of the Cheltenham Gold Cup as fans flock to Prestbury Park from all corners of the country and beyond.
For fans not attending the festival itself but are still keen to follow all the action on TV, ITV is the home of the Cheltenham Festival and are providing wall-to-wall coverage of all the races across each of the four days.
ITV1’s flagship racing programme is the place for viewers to watch on terrestrial TV, while fans can also stream the action for free using ITVX. Racing.tv are also providing coverage for their subscribers
| Race Day | TV | Live Stream | Coverage Start Time |
| Friday, March 15 | ITV1 | ITVX, Racing.tv | 1:00 p.m. GMT |
Cheltenham Gold Cup 2024 prize money
As it was last year, the total prize fund for 2024’s Cheltenham Gold Cup is a huge £625,000, which will be split between the top five finishers as the winner pockets over half of that sizeable total.
Here’s how much is in the prize pot for the top five in this year’s race, and with figures like this on offer, there’s little wonder as to why this race is one of the biggest on the calendar!
| Position | Prize money |
| 1st | £351,688 |
| 2nd | £132,500 |
| 3rd | £66,312 |
| 4th | £33,125 |
| 5th | £16,625 |