With the four-day racing spectacular now underway at the iconic Cheltenham Racecourse, thousands of fans will be keeping an eye out not only for the runners and riders but also for the famous faces in the stands.
It could be football legends or pop stars, through to royalty and Hollywood actors, the list of Cheltenham Festival celebrities continues to grow every year.
Many famous faces come for the atmosphere; however, some have a lot more riding on the results, owning or part-owning horses competing during the week.
The team at Racing TV has collated some of the biggest celebrity owners and regular VIP attendees expected to draw attention during this year’s Festival.
Football legends with horses in the running
Former England striker Michael Owen is one of the best-known sporting figures involved in racing. After retiring from football, Owen founded the Michael Owen Racing Club in 2007, running a training establishment from converted stables at his home in Cheshire.
Another familiar football figure hoping for success at Prestbury Park is former manager Harry Redknapp.
Redknapp owns eight-year-old bay gelding The Jukebox Man, which he believes has a “serious chance” in the Festival’s most prestigious race, the Gold Cup, which takes place on Friday.
The horse heads to Cheltenham in strong form after storming to victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse on Boxing Day 2025.
Speaking ahead of the Festival, Redknapp said: “It’s a dream to have a horse to run in the Gold Cup and go there with a chance. I’m not saying we’re going to win it, but we’ve got a serious horse. It’s an open race, and I think we’ve got as good a chance as anything.”
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Festival contenders
Another football heavyweight with runners at Cheltenham is Alex Ferguson, the legendary former Manchester United boss.
Ferguson is a passionate racehorse owner with more than 30 horses in training.
One of his leading hopes for 2026, Live Conti, was ruled out after suffering a tendon injury last month. However, he still has strong chances elsewhere during the Festival, with Caldwell Potter entered in the Novices’ Handicap Chase and Protektorat among the contenders for the Ryanair Chase.
Spice Girl hoping for better luck
Pop royalty will also be represented at Cheltenham this year.
Former Geri Halliwell, also known as Ginger Spice, and her husband Christian Horner are the owners of Lift Me Up, a 10-year-old bay gelding.
For the second year running, the horse is set to run in the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase on the Friday of race week.
Last year, the horse finished 13th out of 24 runners when ridden by jockey Jack Andrews, and connections will be hoping for a stronger showing this time around.
Celebrity racing syndicates and famous faces at Cheltenham
For those who don’t want the full cost of owning a racehorse outright, syndicates offer a popular alternative.
One of the best-known is Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, which has attracted famous members, including Elizabeth Hurley, who once sold her horse, Memory, to Queen Elizabeth II for breeding. Other celebrity members have included Hugh Bonneville and chef Heston Blumenthal.
But not every star at Cheltenham owns a runner. The Festival regularly attracts A-list spectators, including Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall, while Anne, Princess Royal and Camilla, Queen Consort have also attended in previous years.
Celebrities from fashion, film, and TV are often spotted around the racecourse too, including designer Jade Holland Cooper and Julian Dunkerton, as well as actors Idris Elba, Jamie Dornan, and Emilia Fox. Singers such as Lily Allen and stars including Luke Evans have also been seen enjoying the action.
TV favourites like Nick Knowles and Kirsty Gallacher are regulars too, while sporting stars including Amy Williams, Sam Quek and Victoria Pendleton have all joined the crowd in recent years.
With tennis legend Andy Murray and England cricketer Jonny Bairstow also among previous attendees, racegoers will be keeping an eye on the VIP boxes as well as the finishing line during one of Britain’s biggest sporting events.