Cheltenham Course Guide
Undisputedly THE home of National Hunt racing, Cheltenham and its four-day Festival represent the pinnacle of the sport. Put simply, no horse can be considered a jumps ‘champion’ without proving itself on the biggest stage of all in the Cotswolds in March.
For most professionally-involved in the sport, leading in or riding a winner at the Festival is an achievement equal or greater than any other, be it in a blue riband event such as the Champion Hurdle or Gold Cup or in one of the clutch of competitive handicaps that are an equal hallmark of the meeting.
Cheltenham’s position at the top of the tree is further boosted by its racing calendar outside of the Festival, which is possible due to the course having two tracks – the ‘Old’ and ‘New’ courses - at its disposal. The opening October meeting is viewed by many as the unofficial start of the season, whilst the standard of the three-day Open meeting a month later is almost as high as the Festival itself. Valuable races are staged at the mid-December and New Year meetings whilst the late January fixture is rightly billed as ‘Trials Day’. After the Festival there is also a popular two-day meeting in April and the season ends with the Hunter Chase evening in early May.
Advance Going
Left handed, undulating. Stiff fences; the fourth last comes soon after a turn at the top of the hill and catches out plenty. The last half mile is uphill, although the lead changes hands on the run-in less frequently than expected. Horses who race prominently often fare well on the chase course, especially in races up to 2m 4f 100yds. The hurdles course has just two flights in the last six furlongs, resulting in more emphasis on stamina; large-field races over two miles often go to hold-up horses, as there can be a tendency to go for home too soon.
To the naked eye, or to the layman, Cheltenham looks very stiff, but the two courses are actually totally different and I rate the Old Course much the quicker. So, especially on that, you need a horse that can travel easily within itself. Without one of those, you invariably find yourself snookered, because you’re always trying to get into a position to improve. Ideally, therefore, you need a horse that can get into a gap as soon as one appears, because there’s so little time to manoeuvre. If you have to think about going for a gap, nine times out of ten it’s too late - someone else will have got into it before you. As for the uphill finish, it only rides really testing if you’re on one that’s tying up. Then, it feels like an eternity from the last to the line.
View from the saddle: Mick Fitzgerald
Upcoming races
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12:05 British EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)
(Class 2) (2m 179y) -
12:40 Santa - 'The Visit' 'Chasing Excellence' Novices' Chase (GBB Race)
(Class 2) (2m 4f 127y) -
13:15 Catesby Estates Handicap Hurdle
(Class 3) (2m 179y) -
13:50 Turners Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)
(Class 1) (3m 2f 70y) -
14:25 Unibet Middle Distance Veterans' Chase Series Handicap Chase
(Class 2) (2m 4f 127y) -
15:00 Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase (GBB Race)
(Class 2) (3m 5f 56y) -
15:35 Citipost Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)
(Class 2) (2m 7f 213y)
Results
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Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Dan Skelton 80 13 £836K 16.25% £5.74 G P Cromwell 59 12 £683K 20.34% -£1.52 W P Mullins 73 11 £1,755K 15.07% -£27.37 P F Nicholls 65 10 £480K 15.38% -£12.85 H De Bromhead 58 9 £706K 15.52% £35.20 N J Henderson 45 9 £370K 20% £14.83 Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies 60 5 £125K 8.33% -£36.28 Miss V Williams 76 4 £181K 5.26% -£61.95 J Tizzard 43 4 £129K 9.3% -£1.17 O Greenall & J Guerriero 11 4 £138K 36.36% £6.50 Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L N J Henderson 96 15 £691K 15.63% -£21.89 W P Mullins 149 14 £1,210K 9.4% £14.30 Dan Skelton 85 13 £416K 15.29% £27.75 G Elliott 102 9 £622K 8.82% £17.75 P F Nicholls 53 6 £239K 11.32% £6.50 H De Bromhead 49 6 £453K 12.24% -£0.75 O Murphy 40 5 £69K 12.5% -£21.25 Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies 62 5 £104K 8.06% -£53.30 James Owen 31 5 £208K 16.13% £13.05 F O'Brien 61 5 £98K 8.2% -£25.67 Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L W P Mullins 26 3 £105K 11.54% -£12.00 T Cooper 4 2 £30K 50% £12.25 Dan Skelton 13 1 £13K 7.69% -£10.50 B Pauling 11 1 £14K 9.09% -£2.50 F O'Brien 10 1 £10K 10% -£9.50 P A Kirby 4 1 £8K 25% £63.00 O Signy 3 1 £8K 33.33% £12.00 B Brookhouse 3 1 £14K 33.33% £0.25 Mrs J Williams 3 1 £14K 33.33% £1.50 Miss H C Knight 3 1 £14K 33.33% £14.00 -
Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L H Cobden 66 12 £448K 18.18% £14.65 Harry Skelton 58 11 £791K 18.97% £9.74 Keith Donoghue 31 9 £266K 29.03% -£1.05 N de Boinville 33 8 £330K 24.24% -£2.17 S Bowen 54 7 £181K 12.96% -£9.67 Sam Twiston-Davies 58 6 £252K 10.34% -£21.03 Paul Townend 18 6 £1,196K 33.33% -£1.89 Charlie Deutsch 57 5 £207K 8.77% -£37.75 Darragh O'Keeffe 28 5 £210K 17.86% £33.20 Miss Gina Andrews 27 5 £38K 18.52% -£11.29 Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Harry Skelton 59 11 £349K 18.64% £15.25 N de Boinville 52 11 £560K 21.15% -£8.51 Paul Townend 31 11 £988K 35.48% £8.30 H Cobden 73 10 £393K 13.7% £4.85 Sam Twiston-Davies 61 9 £228K 14.75% -£9.50 S Bowen 69 6 £74K 8.7% -£29.25 James Bowen 24 5 £97K 20.83% -£2.13 Rachael Blackmore 26 5 £430K 19.23% £10.25 Danny Gilligan 19 4 £103K 21.05% £7.50 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. 34 3 £143K 8.82% £71.13 Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L J J Burke 11 2 £18K 18.18% -£4.25 Harry Skelton 13 1 £13K 7.69% -£9.50 H Cobden 13 1 £15K 7.69% £0.00 S Bowen 10 1 £15K 10% -£7.75 G Sheehan 7 1 £8K 14.29% £8.00 B S Hughes 6 1 £8K 16.67% £15.00 J M Quinlan 5 1 £14K 20% -£1.75 Mr P W Mullins 4 1 £46K 25% £1.50 Joe Williamson 3 1 £8K 33.33% £64.00 Brian Hayes 3 1 £14K 33.33% £1.50
Future Fixtures
Address & Contact
Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL50 4SH
01242 513014
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