The Cheltenham Festival won't be extended to a fifth day, the Jockey Club have confirmed.
Cheltenham Racecourse has been involved in a consultation period with various stakeholders including owners, trainers, jockeys, racing staff, racing fans, broadcasters, the local community and commercial partners, to gather views and ideas about the future of The Festival.
The potential impact of a fifth day on the racing surface and the uncertain economic environment were two key factors in the decision.
Ian Renton, who runs Cheltenham Racecourse as Managing Director of The Jockey Club’s West Region, explained: “At The Jockey Club we care deeply about the long-term future of our sport and its role in society. That’s a mission that enables us to think differently when making decisions.
“While we explored the financial benefits and an opportunity to reach new audiences, we also found a number of counterpoints to this. For example it is clear that it would be challenging from a turf management perspective, without further work on the track, and on balance we still feel 28 races over four days is the right format.
“This research allows us to do much more than simply answer the question of whether extending the Festival is the right thing to do. We will now evaluate all the insight with a view to improving our facilities, investing in new on-course activations and giving our fanbase, participants, owners and other stakeholders the best possible experience at Cheltenham Racecourse.
“We are extremely grateful to everyone who has taken part in this process and have welcomed the opportunity to listen to racehorse owners, participants, Jockey Club colleagues, the local community, our partners, loyal racing fans and many others with a passion for our sport and The Festival.”
The Jockey Club had previously determined that the 2023 Cheltenham Festival would be run over four days, with tickets for next year’s event already on sale.
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