The Cheltenham Festival 2008 will take place betwen Tuesday 11th  and Friday 14th March 2008. The Cheltenham Festival is four of the best Jump racing in the World. Over the course of the Festival c. 230,000 people travel to Cheltenham to watch the races and across the UK over £500 million will be bet on the outcome of the 25 races.

The feature race on Tuesday is The Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, which is the most sought after prize anywhere for 2 mile hurdlers. The Irish have won seven of the last nine runnings of this historic contest, so the home side will be hoping to redress the balance a little in 2008.

Wednesday sees the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase take centre stage, as the best 2 mile Chasers produce a fast and furious contest over the famous Cheltenham fences. For many, this is the most exciting race of the season.

On Thursday the long distance hurdlers provide the most important race, The Ladbrokes World Hurdle. Only the brave and the strong prevail in this hurdle race over 3 miles. Inglis Drever will be trying to win the race for the third time in 2008. Thursday is also Ladies Day, when fashion provides a different slant to a day at The Festival before the racing reclaims centre stage in the afternoon.

The highlight of the entire Jump racing season is Friday's totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, over a testing 3 and a quarter miles, which is the race that every owner, trainer and jockey dreams of winning. It takes a special horse to win this contest more than once and this season defending champion Kauto Star will be looking to add his name to those of horses like Golden Miller, Arkle and Best Mate as multiple winners of Jumping's Blue Riband event.

Click here to see the full 2008 Cheltenham Schedule