The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest meetings in horse racing, so it isn’t much of a surprise that a lot of people want to go to Prestbury Park to catch the action live. The result of that is that the Jockey Club looks to offer numerous different ticket types, meaning that you will almost certainly be able to afford one depending on your budget. When it comes to attending horse racing events, though, not all things are created equal and the access that your ticket will grant you will depend on which one it is that you’ve bought.
From the cheapest tickets in the Best Mate Enclosure through to the most expensive ones in the hospitality areas, you’ll be able to do different things based on how much it is that you’ve paid to attend. It is fair to say that this guide isn’t definitive, simply because the prices change every year. Rather than focussing on the specific amount that you’ll pay, therefore, we’re looking instead at what you can expect to experience if you head to the Cheltenham Festival at some point in the future, based on the different tickets that are available for purchase.
Day Tickets
We’ll look at the tickets that you can get in order to enjoy specific days, rather than tickets for the entire week. The reality for most working people is that they can’t afford to take the best part of a full week off work in order to go to Cheltenham Racecourse for the week, but most will be able to spare a day in order to enjoy what Prestbury Park has to offer. In order to offer a guide price, we’ve looked a the tickets offered by the Jockey Club directly because you then know you’ll at least be paying face value and not being ripped off.
One thing to bear in mind is that the price will differ depending on the day that you want to go. As you might imagine, Gold Cup Day is the most popular that Cheltenham Racecourse has to offer, so the price for a ticket then is more expensive than on the opening day of the Festival. Again, this amount will change year-on-year, but we’d be amazed if there ever came a point at which the Jockey Club charged the same figure for one of the earlier days as they look to charge visitors on Gold Cup Day, so the rule will almost certainly always apply.
Best Mate Enclosure – From £37 (£53 Gold Cup Day)
In terms of the cheapest ticket on offer at Prestbury Park, there is no beating the Best Mate Enclosure. We should point out that just because it is the cheapest ticket that you can get, that doesn’t mean that you’ll endure a poor experience on the racecourse. The Best Mate Enclosure is located directly opposite the Main Grandstand and adjacent to the finish line, so you’re going to have a brilliant view of the horses heading home. There are loads of bars, food choices and betting areas for you to enjoy too, so it should maybe be referred as best value rather than cheapest.
Tattersalls Enclosure – From £55 (£70 Gold Cup Day)
If you choose to buy a ticket for the Tattersalls Enclosure then you’re offering yourself the chance to have a look at the horses and jockeys as they move through the parade ring, before being able to head over to the Grandstand’s viewing steps for the race proper. You can also get to the area past the Winning Post. You’ll be able to see the final fence with a side-on view and also head to both the Winners Enclosure, the Tented Village and the Guinness Village, which is only open during the Festival and the November Meeting.
Club Enclosure – From £86 (£102 Gold Cup Day)
The racecourse’s most premier enclosure, the Club Enclosure promises you access not only to the Main Grandstand but also the Lawn and the Winning Post. On top of that, you’ll be able to access all of the public areas in the Princess Royal Stand, plus the Shopping Village. The Parade Ring steps allow you to get close to the horses before the race, whilst the covered grandstand offers a side v view of the final fence before a head-on view of the finish line. You can also get into the Guinness Village and the Orchard. Club Enclosure tickets allow you into both Tattersalls and the Best Mate Enclosure.
Club & Lounge Bar – From £171 (£212 Gold Cup Day)
Effectively Club plus you get access to a lounge that has a retail bar, free tea and coffee, betting facilities, a free race card, food outlets and more. These tickets are purchased in addition to other ticket types, but give you the chance to head somewhere away from the hustle and bustle of race days.
The Guinness Grandstand – From £103/£134 (£128/£160 Gold Cup Day)
The Guinness Village goes the length of the Tattersalls Enclosure and offers extra viewing steps as well as all of the usual bars and eating areas you’d expect. A ticket to the Grandstand allows you to take up residence in an area opposite the last fence, meaning you’ll get brilliant views across the rest of the racecourse. These tickets are added extras that go on top of the Club or Tattersalls Enclosure tickets (hence the two prices above, the lowest price is Tattersalls, higher is for Club), giving you access to even more areas of the racecourse.
Hospitality Packages
There are a number of different hospitality packages on offer during the Cheltenham Festival. What you’ll get depends entirely on which package it is that you opt for. Whichever one it is, you’ll be able to watch world-class jump racing, often pairing it with access to award-winning restaurants that will offer you superb service. Here is a look at what you can expect from some of the hospitality packages offered by the Jockey Club:
Moscow Flyer Restaurant – From £395 (£525 Gold Cup Day)
If you choose to buy a package in the Moscow Flyer Restaurant then you get a club admission ticket as well as the ability to head to the Moscow Flyer Restaurant for the day. In terms of what you’ll get to eat, you’ll have a two-course hot buffet that is made up of local produce and designed by an executive chef. On top of that you’ll be able to have a light afternoon tea, in addition to watching the racing on TV if you don’t want to head onto the racecourse, plus being able to place your bets.
Festival Restaurant Package – From £515 (£665 Gold Cup Day)
Using your club admission tickets to get onto the racecourse, you’ll then be able to head to the Festival Restaurant in order to enjoy morning coffee and biscuits. Later in the day you’ll enjoy a four-course à la carte lunch from an executive chef. Later still, an afternoon tea will be on offer, so it is fair to say that you won’t be short of a bite to eat if you opt for a package here. You can also get complimentary car parking if you want to drive, with TV coverage and betting services also included in the package.
Gold Cup Restaurant – From £635 in 2023 (£755 Gold Cup Day)
Most of the packages offer very similar things, so you’ll get your free parking, your club admission ticket, TV coverage and a betting service almost irrespective of the package that you opt for. When it comes to the Gold Cup Restaurant, you will have a Grand Marquee Champagne reception alongside morning coffee and biscuits. You will then be able to head to the Innovative Chef table buffet, later getting afternoon tea. The restaurant is non-course facing and the drinks, including wines, beers and soft drinks, are free.
Horseshoe Pavilion Restaurant – From £600 (£795 Gold Cup Day)
Morning coffee and biscuits becomes standard as the packages get more expensive, so you might be more interested in the champagne reception and four-course à la carte lunch that you’ll get. The bar is complimentary and a hospitality team will be on hand to ensure that your needs and requirements are met. Afternoon tea is also on offer so that you can be confident that you’ll have plenty to eat and drink as the day goes on.
Cleeve Suite – From £795 (£1,095 Gold Cup Day)
There isn’t much you’ll get as part of the Cleeve Suite package that you can’t get from other venues, but the quality is likely to be higher. The Cleeve Suite is also located in a position that promises excellent access to the course as a whole.
Final Fence Restaurant – From £820 (£1,115 Gold Cup Day)
A four-course grand buffet comes after a champagne reception and morning coffee and biscuits. You will have access to the Tote betting service as well as complimentary drinks and, you’ll be unsurprised to read at this point, afternoon tea. As the name suggests, this restaurant is close to the final fence on the racecourse, so you won’t be better placed to enjoy everything that Prestbury Park has to offer.
Horse & Groom Package – From £825 (£1085 Gold Cup Day)
A three-course à la carte pub lunch is on offer here, which comes after coffee and breakfast bits when you arrive. The afternoon tea comes under the ‘Best of British’ theme, whilst your drinks are included in the price of the package.
Four Eighty Restaurant – From £810 (£1,075 Gold Cup Day)
The arrival here is upgraded to a cocktail reception, whilst the three-course choice menu promises some excellent options. The afternoon tea that we’ve come to expect sits alongside a cheese board and the drinks are included in the package.
Chez Rouge Restaurant – From £945 (£1,455 Gold Cup Day)
The champagne reception that you’ll receive at the Chez Rouge restaurant is Moët, so that will give you a sense of the quality on offer. You’ll also get some canapés, an exquisite four-course menu when it is time to eat, whilst the wines and beers that included in the price of the package will be recommended to you by the team that work hard for you during the day.
Core On Course Restaurant – From £1,485
After a champagne reception you will then embark on a 3 Michelin star experience. You will be able to have a six course taster menu with paired wines before getting access to afternoon snacks & treats premium beers, wines and soft drinks. You can park for free in the preferred parking area, which isn’t a small thing during Festival week, as well as being able to place your bets in the restaurant. Oh and there is an in person appearance from Clare Smyth and if you don’t know who that is she is the chef with the 3 Michelin stars. The experience doesn’t seem to be available for Gold Cup Day, perhaps only bigwigs get to go to on that day.
Private Boxes
The final thing to tell you about at Prestbury Park are the private boxes that are available. They can accommodate between 30 and 50 people, with all packages including a private bar and a dedicated hospitality team. The boxes are located in different locations, such as the parade ring area, the final fence, the Cleeve view and the Chez Rouge. As you might imagine, each of the boxes offers something different, not just the view. Whether you get afternoon tea, a meal or a specific type of level of drink will be dictated by where you go.
It perhaps goes without saying, but the more you pay for your package at the Cheltenham Festival, the more you’ll get in exchange for your money. Though someone in the Tattersalls won’t be able to enter a private box, someone that has shelled out for a private box will be able to go into the Tattersalls. That being said, if you’re spending all that money then the chances that you’ll want to head to the cheap seats are slim. You can do so, though, which is what paying the big bucks gets you.
You can only get prices on request but we believe the cost is around £500 per person on the first three days and around £750 on Gold Cup Day.