Timeform's Cheltenham course guide and stats
Timeform's guide to racing at Cheltenham, featuring the key facts and figures ahead of the three-day November meeting which begins on Friday.
Timeform's Cheltenham course guide
Left handed, undulating. Stiff fences that place a premium on sound jumping. The last half mile is uphill, although the lead changes hands on the run-in less frequently than might be expected. Prominent-racers often fare well on the chase course, especially in races up to 3m. Jockeys often steer a wide course in the winter months searching for better ground and this can lead to trouble in-running towards the stand rail in the straight.
Leading active trainers at Cheltenham
Sorted by strike rate since the start of the 2017/18 season (minimum 30 runners)
- John McConnell 22.22% (8-36)
- Michael Scudamore 17.14% (6-35)
- Kerry Lee 16.67% (6-36)
- Henry de Bromhead 15.57% (19-122)
- Nicky Henderson 14.61% (45-308)
Other points to consider
- Nicky Henderson has sent out the most winners at Cheltenham in the period under question with 45. Willie Mullins, who has had 36 winners from 302 runners, is next on the list if sorting based on winners. All bar two of Mullins' winners (Stormy Ireland in the 2022 Relkeel Hurdle and Dads Lad in a two-mile handicap chase at the latest October meeting) came at the Festival in March.
- The trainers who have had at least 30 runners here since the start of the 2017/18 season and have posted a double-figure level-stake profit are: Michael Scudamore (£36.25), John McConnell (£27.87), Henry de Bromhead (£25.02), Gordon Elliott (£18.10) and Tim Vaughan (£14.75).
- Kerry Lee has an excellent record at the November meeting in the period under question and has had three winners from six runners at a strike rate of 50% and a level-stake profit of £19.33. Those victories include a success for Happy Diva in the 2019 Paddy Power Gold Cup.
- Henry de Bromhead also has a notable record at this meeting in recent years, sending out three winners from ten runners at a strike rate of 30% and for a level-stake profit of £2.50. Among those winners was Put The Kettle On who won the Arkle Trial and followed up at the Festival.
- Colin Tizzard - whose son Joe has taken over the licence and now trains out of the yard - and Paul Nicholls have had the most winners at the November meeting since the start of the 2017/18 season. They both had eight winners, with Nicholls' winners coming from 55 runners (14.55% strike rate) and Tizzard's from 38 runners (21.05%).
Leading active jockeys at Cheltenham
Sorted by strike rate since the start of the 2017/18 season (minimum 30 rides)
- Richard Patrick 18.6% (8-43)
- Paul Townend 18.09% (17-94)
- Rachael Blackmore 17.72% (14-79)
- Bryony Frost 17.65% (9-51)
- Jack Kennedy 15.62% (10-64)
Other points to consider
- Kielan Woods heads the list when sorting based on profit and loss as his three winners from 35 rides has resulted in a profit of £64.50 to £1 level stakes. Croco Bay, a 66/1 winner of the Grand Annual in 2019, is largely to thank for that, however.
- Among active jockeys, Harry Skelton (23) has had the most winners at Cheltenham in the period in question, two more than Nico de Boinville.
- De Boinville (£25.87) is among some high-profile riders who post a level-stake profit at the course since the start of the 2017/18 season. Others include Jack Kennedy (£22.55), Mark Walsh (£20.75) and Rachael Blackmore (£16.64).
- Paddy Brennan has an especially good record at the November meeting. He has had eight winners from 34 rides, at an impressive strike rate of 23.53% and for a level-stake profit of £41.75, in the period under question.
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