Cheltenham Racecourse: The World Capital of Jumping

Cheltenham Racecourse is unquestionably the home of National Hunt horse racing in Britain. Cheltenham Racecourse is located on the northern outskirts of the English town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (in the suburban village of Prestbury).

Cheltenham Racecourse exact address is:

Cheltenham Racecourse
Prestbury Park
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL50 4SH

Cheltenham Racecourse hosts an average of about 16 fixtures each year. Among the most notable races held at Cheltenham Racecourse are the following:

• Cheltenham Gold Cup
• Champion Hurdle
• Queen Mother Champion Chase
• World Hurdle
• Triumph Hurdle
• Royal & SunAlliance Chase
• Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle

National Hunt Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse

Cheltenham Racecourse is famous for the National Hunt Festival held in March of each year. The most famous of the races held during this Festival is the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race in the UK for five-year-old and above horses run over a distance of 3 miles 2½ furlongs (5,331 metres). A total of twenty-two fences are to be jumped in the race.

Cheltenham Racecourse hosts an estimated 50,000 people when they gather to watch the best horses and jockeys from all over the world vie for what is considered the Olympic Games of jumping.

It was first run in 1924, and is the most prestigious chase in the UK. The very first running of the Cheltenham Gold Cup was won by Red Splash ridden by Dick Rees and the first prize money was only £685.

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Location

Cheltenham Racecourse is situated in a natural amphitheatre just below the escarpment of the Cotswold Hills, at Cleeve Hill, with a maximum capacity of 67,500 spectators. As such, Cheltenham Racecourse fans and visitors are treated to great scenery. Cheltenham Racecourse has its own railway station, which is the southern terminus of the preserved Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

The Centaur, one of the largest auditoria in the South West of England, is located at Cheltenham Racecourse. The Centaur is a multi-purpose facility, has a 2,000 person seating capacity, and about 4,000 standing capacity. Cheltenham Racecourse's Centaur is the host of the Greenbelt festival, which is the largest Christian arts and music festival in the world. It is normally held during the last bank holiday weekend in August.

Cheltenham Racecourse History

• In 1815, the first organised Flat racing was held on Nottingham Hill.

• A course on Cleeve Hill was established in August 1818 and this marked the start of horse racing at Cheltenham.

• In 1831, the races were moved down to Prestbury Park where at that time, mixed meetings of both flat and jump racing took place.

• In 1840 the Prestbury Steeplechases were brought to Andoversford (about six miles south east of the centre of Cheltenham ).

• In the 1860s race meetings were held at Southam which is a village a mile or so north of Prestbury and in 1867 they were held at Kyte Park, a farm to the north of Prestbury.

• Steeplechasing moved to Prestbury Park in 1898 but it was not until 1902 that a permanent course was laid out on the current site of Cheltenham Racecourse.

• Between the 1930s and 1950s, the National Hunt Steeplechase course was behind the back of the stands.

• In the 1960s, the original Tattersalls Grandstand was opened at Cheltenham Racecourse.

• In the 1970s, the centre of Cheltenham Racecourse was developed and became a popular enclosure on race day.

• In the 1980s, the Main Grandstand of Cheltenham Racecourse was extended twice. The Parade Ring, Weighing Room and Hurdlers Hall were all built behind the stands during this decade.

• The 1990s was a period of great change for Cheltenham Racecourse. The new stables complex was opened in 1990, the Pre-Parade Ring was used for the first time in 1992 and the Hall of Fame Entrance opened in 1993. In 1995, the Cross Country Course was opened while in 1997, the old Tattersalls Grandstand was replaced with tiered viewing.

• The 2000s is a time of great development in the facilities or Cheltenham Racecourse. The Best Mate Enclosure at the centre of the racecourse was significantly developed. Meanwhile, The Centaur was given additional raceday facilities.

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