Go Racing this March: it's not all about the Cheltenham Festival

March is not just about the Cheltenham Festival with many key meetings taking place before and after jump racing's biggest week of the year.

There are lots of other big jump fixtures to attend before the Flat turf season starts in Britain and Ireland towards the end of the month.

Wherever you're planning to go racing, we've got all the information you need – including special ticket offers – to make the most of your trip. 

March racing highlights in Britain and Ireland

England

North

GRIMTHORPE CHASE, DONCASTER: A major race in Doncaster's winter season, the 3m2f contest attracts the top staying handicap chasers and often serves as a Grand National trial. Saturday, March 1 (Tickets)

THE LINCOLN, DONCASTER: The start of the Flat turf season in Britain with the historic mile handicap, first run back in 1849, paving the way for the months ahead along with the Doncaster Mile and Cammidge Trophy. Saturday, March 29 (Tickets)

Midlands

MIDLANDS NATIONAL, UTTOXETER: The Cheltenham Festival might be over but the Midlands Grand National provides a thrilling encore with stamina a prerequisite for one of the longest races on the calendar. Saturday, March 15 (Tickets)

South

GREATWOOD GOLD CUP, NEWBURY: The premier handicap chase is the highlight of the second day of the two-day meeting at the Berkshire track. Saturday, March 1 (Tickets)

IMPERIAL CUP, SANDOWN: The last big meeting before the start of the Cheltenham Festival with the reintroduction of the £100,000 bonus for a horse who wins the Imperial Cup and any race at the festival the following week. Saturday, March 8 (Tickets)

FESTIVAL DAY ONE, CHELTENAM: The opening day of the four-day spectacular with the feature race of the Champion Hurdle, supported by the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Arkle Novices’ Chase and Mares’ Hurdle. Tuesday, March 11 (Tickets)

FESTIVAL DAY TWO, CHELTENAM: The festival's second day has the Champion Chase as the highlight, with the Turners Novices' Hurdle, Brown Advisory Novices' Chase and Champion Bumper the other Grade 1 races. Wednesday, March 12 (Tickets)

The 2025 Cheltenham Festival kicks off on March 12Credit: Michael Steele / Getty Images

FESTIVAL DAY THREE, CHELTENAM: The traditional celebration of St Patrick's Day marks the third day of the festival with the Stayers' Hurdle and Ryanair Chase the main events. Thursday, March 13 (Tickets)

FESTIVAL DAY FOUR, CHELTENAM: Not just the festival climax but the biggest day in the jump racing calendar with the Cheltenham Gold Cup taking centre stage and accompanied by the Triumph Hurdle and Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle. Friday, March 14 (Tickets)

SEASON FINALE, NEWBURY: The Berkshire course brings the curtain down on its jumps season with a card for stars of the future, featuring the Grade 2 EBF Mares' Novice Hurdle Final and the Goffs Hundred Grand Bumper. Saturday, March 22 (Tickets)

SPRING SATURDAY, KEMPTON: A Premier raceday on the all-weather with the Listed Snowdrop Fillies' Stakes and Rosebery Handicap topping the bill. Saturday, March 29 (Tickets)

Scotland

MOREBATTLE HURDLE, KELSO: Scotland's most valuable hurdle race is not only worth £120,000 but offers a £100,000 bonus if the winner can double up at Cheltenham later in the month, while the Grade 2 Premier Novices' Hurdle and Listed Premier Chase are other key races north of the border. Saturday, March 1 (Tickets)

GO NORTH FINALS, KELSO: The middle day of the three-day Go North Finals weekend with three series finals taking place alongside the £100,000 Herring Queen Mares' Novice Hurdle. Saturday, March 22 (Tickets)

Ireland

WEBSTER CUP, NAVAN: A day of high-quality racing with a pair of Graded contests in the shape of the Webster Cup and Flyingbolt Novice Chase. Saturday, March 1 (Tickets)

LEINSTER NATIONAL, NAAS: One of the track's richest jumps races, the €100,000 Leinster National is a great spectacle and also provides pointers for the Irish Grand National. Sunday, March 9 (Tickets)

IRISH LINCOLNSHIRE, CURRAGH: Flat racing moves into gear in Ireland with a stellar card featuring the Irish Lincolnshire and Group 3 Park Express Stakes. Sunday, March 16 (Tickets) 

CLASSIC TRIALS, LEOPARDSTOWN: Future stars will be out in force with trials for the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas, while the Ballysax Stakes is renowned for pointing the way to the Derby. Sunday, March 30 (Tickets)

March racing fixtures in Britain and Ireland

Bargain hunt: this month's best offers for racing tickets 

• A special £40 ticket is available for all three days of the Go North Finals Weekend at Musselburgh on March 21, Kelso on March 22 and Carlisle on March 23. The offer is available to purchase from any of the three racecourses.
  
  
• Doncaster is offering a special ticket for the two days of the Grimthorpe Chase weekend on March 1 & 2, costing £30. There's also a Clocktower Guinness package for the Saturday priced at £49, which includes general admission, four pints of Guinness, a hot meal and reserved area with outdoor seating.
  
  
• Taunton is staging a free raceday on March 10 with advance tickets available on the track's website.
  
  
• Market Rasen is continuing its £10 racedays through the month with the offer available at the three fixtures on March 4, 16 and 26.

Racecourses with special ticket offers and themed racedays in April can send details to goracing@racingpost.com

Out of the ordinary: five eyecatching events

COUNTRYSIDE LADIES' DAY: Catterick brings to a close its jumps season in style with a countryside ladies' day supporting the action on the track.

A range of prizes, including a £200 voucher, are up for grabs in the fashion competitions, so let's hope the unpredictable North Yorkshire weather plays its part on the day. Catterick, March 5 (Tickets)

FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL: Racegoers can sample a wide variety of food and drink at a meeting with a genuine party atmosphere.

Alongside the refreshments and fare, there will be live music from the McDonald Brothers and the chance to win a holiday getaway. Ayr, March 8 (Tickets)

HEREFORDSHIRE RACEDAY: A celebration of the local area with a nod to the region's racing heroes and their achievements in the sport.

Local food and drink, such as Westons Cider, will be available alongside exhibitions from local businesses as well as bouncy castles and other activities for the whole family. Hereford, March 8 (Tickets)

WEAR A HAT DAY: Dig out your finest flat cap or trilby all for a good cause as Wetherby raises awareness of Yorkshire's Brain Tumour Charity.

Racegoers are encouraged to don the biggest, brightest and most unusual hats they can find, with prizes handed out for the most striking. Volunteers from the charity will be on hand to provide help and information and there will be a raffle and exit collection. Wetherby, March 28 (Tickets)

SAUSAGE AND CIDER FESTIVAL: Pork and apples are a match made in heaven, so enjoy the flavours while watching the racing with family and friends. 

From Currywurst to Bratwurst, an extensive selection of bangers will be on the swinging grills and those hungry for success can enter the footlong eating competition, which was won last year by Charlotte in just 59 seconds. Uttoxeter, March 29 (Tickets)

Making a day of it: Kempton

With fixtures every month of the year, there is ample opportunity to visit Kempton Park and, with its close proximity to central London, combining a trip to the races with other attractions is a doddle.

A good bet is getting out of the bustling city and heading three miles east of Kempton to the banks of the River Thames, where you'll find Hampton Court Palace.

One of the capital's top tourist destinations - and easily accessible by train from London Waterloo station - the home of Henry VIII is worth a visit any time, but early spring is ideal before the better weather brings out more day-trippers.

Key attractions include Henry VIII's apartments and the Tudor kitchens in the main palace, the baroque addition, which was first occupied by William III, and the spectacular gardens spread out over 60 acres and home to the world's oldest maze.

Kempton: racing takes place every month of the year at the Sunbury venueCredit: Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Tickets for the palace, maze and gardens start from £28 for adults (£14 for children). There is so much to see, it's probably best to spend the day there before heading on to Kempton for an evening meeting, of which there are two in March (5 & 26) with adult tickets starting from £15.50.

The track also stages two Saturday fixtures (tickets from £21.50) in the month - the post-Cheltenham jumps card on March 15 and the Listed Snowdrop Fillies' Stakes and Rosebery Handicap on the all-weather on March 29 when there will be a post-racing 80s-themed DJ set. 

With its own station and a journey time from London Waterloo of 40 minutes, getting to Kempton by train could not be easier. Those travelling by car should head for the A308, which is one mile from junction 1 of the M3 via junction 12 of the M25.

Other attractions near the course include the Kempton Steam Museum, home of the world's largest working triple-expansion steam engine, while those who can't get enough sport can visit England's rugby union headquarters at Twickenham for a stadium tour and a look round the World Rugby Museum. 

For food and drink, Sunbury-on-Thames, which is one train stop on from Kempton, offers a range of restaurants and pubs for all tastes and budgets, with The Magpie a popular spot on the river.

Pack the passport: going racing in Jersey 

Much like the island it is situated on, Les Landes racecourse in Jersey is quaint, charming and picturesque, writes Andrew Dietz.

For nine race meetings between April and August, the course at the north-west tip of the island is transformed into a place of noise, thrills, spills and colour as the action takes place against the stunning panorama of the Channel.

Looking out to sea, you can spot Guernsey and Sark away in the distance and on a clear day even France.

The locals would have you believe Les Landes is the most beautiful racecourse in the world and when the weather plays ball they might just be right.

With the Jersey Race Club dating back to 1832, racing has taken place on the largest of the Channel Islands for nearly two centuries and at the present course at Les Landes since 1961.

Normally the cards consist of five races, starting with a hurdle race and then four Flat races, with tickets priced at £15.

A unique aspect about racing in Jersey is that it has its own triple crown incorporating a jumps race. The three legs are the Jersey Derby, a conditions race over a mile and a half, the Clarendon Handicap over the same trip and the Channel Islands Champion Hurdle, a weight-for-age conditions race over two miles and one furlong.

The Derby is the big race of the year, taking place this year on July 27, with the season spanning from April 21 to August 25.

Racing by the sea at Les Landes, JerseyCredit: RACINGFOTOS.COM

There is always plenty of British interest with the likes of trainer Neil Mulholland among the regular visitors.

Racecourse commentator Mark Johnson, a long-standing supporter of racing on the island and former president of Jersey Race Club, believes a trip to Jersey is a must for any racing fan.

"Firstly, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a more dramatic backdrop for racing than the views from Grosnez Point," he said. 

"Secondly, the feeling of Jersey overall is like going 20 to 30 years back in time and the racing is the same - it's not big bucks but it's racing for fun, which is important."

The 1983 Grand National winner Corbiere was named after the lighthouse on Jersey, so a visit there should be high on any to-do list - just don't buy an ice-cream from one of the vendors on the walkway out because the seagulls will have it.

Beach lovers are spoilt for choice, the zoo is a real crowd-pleaser and the Jersey War Tunnels, an exhibition housed in an underground hospital built by the Germans, offer a fascinating insight into life during World War II. 

The island has an extensive selection of places to stay, ranging from budget-friendly accommodation to luxury retreats, with its only town, St Helier, most convenient for transport links, restaurants, bars and night life.

There are more than 20 departure points from the UK and Ireland, with a return flight from London generally costing between £25-£50, while there's the option to take your car on the ferry from Portsmouth.

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