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Cheltenham Showcase Betting Offers: Free Bets for Friday 2026

Last Updated: Thu 22 Oct 2026

Jumps racing is back at Cheltenham. The William Hill Showcase opens the 2026/27 season on Friday 23 October, and the bookmakers have lined up their best Cheltenham Showcase betting offers for the first day at Prestbury Park since the Festival.

Seven races run from 1:15 to 4:45, headed by the Grade 2 Sharp Novices' Hurdle at 3:00, a race Altior won on his way to the top. The first five races are live on ITV Racing.

Below we've rounded up the best free bets for new customers, the top offers for existing customers, and a race-by-race guide to Friday's card.

Looking ahead to March? Our Cheltenham free bets page covers the best offers for the Festival.

Best Cheltenham Showcase Betting Offers for Friday

New customers can claim free bets from most major UK bookmakers ahead of the Showcase. These are the best sign-up offers available for Cheltenham on Friday.

Betfred Cheltenham Showcase Offer: Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets

£50 in free bets when you bet £10 with Betfred

New customers only. Register, deposit with a Debit Card, and place a first bet of £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports, to be settled within 7 days, to get £30 in Sports Free Bets and £20 in Bet Builder Free Bets within 24 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware

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BOYLE Sports Cheltenham Showcase Offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + Money Back as a Free Bet if 2nd to SP Fav with BOYLE Sports

18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&C's apply. 18+. IRE/NI & UK online only. Max Free Bet £/€10. Win or win part of e/w outright singles. 5+ runners. 1st bet on each race. Free/void/antepost bets don't qualify. In event of a dead heat, offer won’t apply. Applies to First Past the Post result. Unnamed 2nd Favs don’t qualify. Acc & Payment restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.

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Kwiff Cheltenham Showcase Offer: Bet £10, Get £40 in Free Bets

Bet £10 get £40 in free bets with Kwiff

New UK customers. Place a £10 real money bet at min. 2.0 odds within 5 days of deposit. Get 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 Single, 2 Accas & 1 Bet Builder (min. 3 selections each). Excludes cashout, E/W, Multis, Ineligible Markets & Odds Boosts. Credited after bet settlement. 7-day expiry. T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware

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Sky Bet Cheltenham Showcase Offer: Bet £10, Get £50 in Free Bets

Bet £10 Get £50 in accas/bet builders with Sky Bet

Bet £10 Get £50 in accas/bet builders with Sky Bet. 18+ GambleAware

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Paddy Power Cheltenham Showcase Offer: Bet £5, Get £30 in Free Bets

Get £30 in free bets when you bet £5 with Paddy Power

<View>Paddy Power: Get £30 in free bets when you bet £5 with Paddy Power</View>.

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Virgin Bet Cheltenham Showcase Offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets

Bet £10 get £30 in free bets with Virgin Bet

New members only. £10+ bet on sports (ex. virtuals) at 1.5 min odds, settled within 14 days. Free Bets: accepted in 7 days, valid 7 days; £20 use on sportsbook, £10 on Bet Builder. Stake not returned. T&Cs + deposit exclusions apply. Bet Responsibly. 18+ GambleAware

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Coral Cheltenham Showcase Offer: Bet £50, Get £50 in Free Bets

Get a £50 free bet when you bet £50 with Coral

New UK & ROI Customers only. Min deposit up to £/€50. Min first up to £/€50 bet at minimum odds 1/2 to qualify for up to 1x £/€50 free bet. Certain deposit methods and bet types excl. Free bet valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware

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Bally Bet Cheltenham Showcase Offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets

Bet £10 get £30 in Free Bets with BallyBet

New members only, must opt in. Deposit & bet min. £10 within 30 days at min. 1/2 odds, excl. odds & profit boost. Free Bets: 3 x £10 tokens (odds & bet leg restrictions apply), non-withdrawable, issued on settlement, valid 30 days, stake not returned. T&Cs: www.ballycasino.co.uk/terms. Play Responsibly. 18+ GambleAware

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William Hill Cheltenham Showcase Offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets

William Hill: Get £30 in free bets when you bet £10

Play Safe. New players using R30 code. Online only. Full T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware

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QuinnBet Cheltenham Showcase Offer: Get 50% back up to £50

QuinnBet: Get 50% back up to £50

New UK Customers Only. Bet £10+ on any sportsbook markets at odds of evens (2.00) or greater. Get 50% back of your first day’s losses as a Free Bet up to £50, valid for 7 days. 18+ GambleAware

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Bet365 Cheltenham Showcase Offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets

Bet £10 & Get £30 in free bets with bet365

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required 18+ GambleAware

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Showcase Friday Offers for Existing Customers

You don't need a new account to get value at Cheltenham. Look out for these Showcase offers from bookmakers you already use:

•

Best Odds Guaranteed

– if the starting price beats the odds you took, you're paid at the bigger price.

•

Extra places

– more each-way places on the bigger handicap fields, such as the 13-runner 1:15 and 2:25 hurdles.

•

Money back offers

– stake refunded as a free bet if your horse finishes second or third in selected races.

•

Price boosts

– enhanced odds on the Sharp Novices' Hurdle favourite and the ITV races.

•

Acca and placepot bonuses

– extra returns for building bets across the seven-race card.

How to Claim Your Showcase Friday Free Bets

Pick an offer from the list above and tap the claim link.

Deposit using an eligible payment method (usually a debit card).

Place your qualifying bet at or above the minimum odds.

Receive your free bets once the bet settles and use them on Friday's races at Cheltenham.

See all our latest free bets and betting offers

Cheltenham Showcase Friday Race Times and Betting Guide

Racing starts at 1:15 and runs through to the amateur riders' chase at 4:45. The going was Good after watering, with rain in the forecast, so check for changes on the morning. Here's every race on Friday's card.

1:15 – William Hill Epic Boosts Handicap Hurdle (Class 3, 2m4f)

Thirteen runners open the new season on ITV. Claiming jockeys have ridden four of the last seven winners, so watch for a useful allowance.

1:50 – Catesby Estates "Chasing Excellence" Novices' Chase (Class 2, 2m)

A small field of five chasing debutants and early-season novices. Favourites have finished first or second in every running of the last 12 years, so this is one for doubles and trebles rather than each-way bets.

2:25 – Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (Class 3, 2m½f)

Thirteen go to post. Fergal O'Brien has trained three of the last seven winners, and the last eight winners were all five or six years old.

3:00 – Sharp Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2, 2m½f)

Friday's feature, run as the Oddschecker Novices' Hurdle, has a list of past winners including Cue Card and Altior. Nicky Henderson's Planters Punch heads the betting for Nico de Boinville after an unbeaten run in juvenile hurdles last season. Dan Skelton's Cooltobecareless, an easy debut winner at Chepstow, looks the main danger, and Skelton has won the last two runnings. Scott's Legacy and Irish raider Bells Grove are also last-time-out winners.

3:35 – squareintheair.com Handicap Chase (Class 2, 2m)

The richest race of the day, worth over £50,000 to the winner, with nine runners. Calico won it in 2024 and 2025 for the Skeltons [check whether he runs for a hat-trick].

4:10 – McCoy Contractors Novices' Hurdle (Class 2, 2m4f)

Seven novices over the longer trip, shown on Racing TV.

4:45 – Chapel Down Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase (Class 3, 3m1f)

Eleven runners close the card. Favourites have a poor record here, with nine of the last 12 unplaced, so it's a race where each-way and extra-place offers earn their keep.

Bet Responsibly

All offers are for new and existing customers aged 18+ in the UK only. Terms and conditions apply to every promotion, so check minimum odds, payment methods and free bet expiry before you bet. Set deposit limits and only bet what you can afford to lose. For free, confidential support visit BeGambleAware.org or self-exclude with GAMSTOP.

Cheltenham Showcase Friday Betting Offers FAQs

When is the Cheltenham Showcase 2026?

The William Hill Showcase runs over two days, Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October 2026. It is the first meeting of the new jumps season at Cheltenham.

What time is the first race at Cheltenham on Friday?

The first race is due off at 1:15 and the last at 4:45. The Sharp Novices' Hurdle is the feature at 3:00.

What is the feature race on Showcase Friday?

The Grade 2 Sharp Novices' Hurdle over two miles and half a furlong, run this year as the Oddschecker Novices' Hurdle. Cue Card and Altior are among its past winners

Is Cheltenham on ITV on Friday?

Yes. ITV Racing shows the first five races, from 1:15 to 3:35. The last two races are on Racing TV.

What is the best Cheltenham betting offer for Friday?

The best offer depends on how you bet. A larger free bet suits one or two bets on the feature, while extra places and Best Odds Guaranteed add more value if you bet each-way in the handicaps.

Can existing customers get Cheltenham Showcase offers?

Yes. Most bookmakers run Best Odds Guaranteed, extra places, price boosts and money back specials on the Showcase, especially on the ITV races.

Dave Nevison's Thursday tips: "He could be very well treated"

Peter Naughton's 2026-27 Jumps Horses to Follow

Dave Nevison's Wednesday tips at Kempton: "he looks very well in"

The Data Detective: tips for Cheltenham on Friday

Dan Skelton column: inside track on Friday's runners at Cheltenham

Featured offers

Bet £10 get £30 in Free Bets with talkSPORT BET

T&Cs Apply

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New Customers. Opt in, deposit and bet £10+ on any horse racing markets within 7 days of sign up. Get 3 x £10 Free Bets for set horse racing markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. 18+ GambleAware

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + Money Back as a Free Bet if 2nd to SP Fav with BOYLE Sports

T&Cs Apply

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Get 50% back up to £50 with QuinnBet

T&Cs Apply

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New UK Customers Only. Bet £10+ on any sportsbook markets at odds of evens (2.00) or greater. Get 50% back of your first day’s losses as a Free Bet up to £50, valid for 7 days. 18+ GambleAware.

Bet £10 get £40 in free bets with Kwiff

T&Cs Apply

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Bet £20 and Get £40 in Free Bets with Unibet

T&Cs Apply

Claim Now

18+. GambleAware.org. New GB customers only. Min £20 debit card or instant banking transfer deposit. Place a £20+ bet on Horse Racing at min odds 2/5 (1.4) each leg for 4x £10 Free Bets (can be used on Racing Bet Builder). Claim within 30 days. Valid for Horse Racing only. Geographical restrictions and Further T&C’s apply

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