Shock call: Many within racing felt the expansion of the Cheltenham Festival was an inevitability
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)The Cheltenham Festival will remain a four-day event after organisers decided against its expansion following a lengthy consultation phase.
Many felt extending jumps racing’s biggest meeting to a fifth day was a commercial inevitability, despite fears over a dilution in quality and decline in race day experience, and the idea had been backed publicly by several leading trainers.
However, after a six-month consultation involving “thousands of stakeholders” across the industry, from owners and jockeys, to broadcasters, sponsors and fans, the Jockey Club announced on Monday that it had settled on a “finely balanced decision not to extend”.
A move to five days from 2024 would have seen racing continue into Saturday, with supporters of the plan suggesting it would allow the sport to attract a different audience to that which currently attends the meeting during the working week.
Expansion would, however, have necessitated an increase in the number of races from the current 28 (seven per day) to 30 (six per day) at a time when there is already widespread concern over the competitiveness and depth of British racing, with this year’s Festival marred by a number of small fields in Grade 1 events.
Ian Renton, managing director of the Jockey Club’s West Region, also suggested managing the racetrack itself would become an issue across five days, with racing currently shared across two days on each of Cheltenham’s Old and New courses.
The "uncertain economic environment" was also cited as a factor and there is no guarantee that the Festival - which only grew from three days in 2005 - will not be expanded in future but the unexpected decision to stick with the current format for now will be seen as a major win for the quality of the sport over commercial ambition.
“While we explored the financial benefits and an opportunity to reach new audiences, we also found a number of counterpoints to this,” Renton said. “On balance we still feel 28 races over four days is the right format.”
