A Punters Guide to Cheltenham Race Track - Left Hand,Right Hand, Galloping, Easy.Cheltenham Racecourse Facts.

A description of Cheltenham Racetrack - Gradients,Direction,Trivia, - Cheltenham Racecourse.

Cheltenham Racecourse is located in Gloucestershire in the west of England.

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The centre of National Hunt racing world wide - the pinnacle of any N.H. horse's career is to win a race at the Cheltenham Festival held in March every year.

Cheltenham,like most courses in U.K. is left handed.

The course is oval,and undulating in nature,with just National Hunt (jumping) racing fixtures hosted.

Cheltenham provides the sternest test to any horse - the fences are stiff,and the uphill finish requires stamina and battling qualities.

Hurdle races are also very tough for horses as there are just 2 hurdles in the last 700 yards,and that emphasizes the grueling uphill finish they have to overcome.

Racecourse is about 1.5 miles in circumference and has a run in of just under 250 yards.

Flat racing was once very popular in Cheltenham during the early 19th century,and crowds of 30,000 + attended meetings.

Racing locations in the Cheltenham area amalgamated and moved to the current home,Prestbury Park which opened in 1831.

Big course improvements in the 1960's,and also the bizarre course layout,when the runners went out of sight behind the grandstand,was rectified.

Cheltenham now also host the Cross Country series of races that are held within the main course circuit.

The Cheltenham Festival was extended from 3 to 4 days in 2005 - although many racegoers felt this devalued the kudos of winning a Cheltenham Festival race.

The racecourse is huge - and so is their convention centre on site.Here events,live performances and conferences can be booked,and up to 4,000 visitors accommodated.

Visitors worldwide make the pilgrimage to the Cheltenham Festival and it is a great boost to the local economy,with 5,000 employed on track and £50 million spent in Cheltenham and surrounding areas.

Almost 800,000 people attend race meetings at Cheltenham races every year (67,500 max per day).

Huge conference complex at Cheltenham Racecourse,and can cater for 2,000 at their Centaur Hall.Weddings,business conferences,parties big and small can be held here,and details can be provided from hospitality manager.

 

Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle races decide who are the best chasers and hurdlers of the year.

Racecourse nestles within a natural amphitheatre in the Cotswold's countryside and gives the racegoer perhaps the finest view of horse racing anywhere in the world.

Cheltenham host 16 days of racing throughout the National Hunt season - 8 fixtures in all.

Golden Miller is the most successful horse in Cheltenham's history,and won The Gold Cup 5 years on the trot between 1932 and 1936.

Golden Miller has another record,being the only horse ever to have won the Gold Cup and The Grand National in the same year (1934).

Biggest price winner of the Gold Cup was Nortons Coins in 1990 at 100/1,and was also the only horse trained in Wales to win this prestigious race.

Only one horse has won the Champion Hurdle (1984) and The Gold Cup (1986) and that was Dawn Run.

Arkle was head and shoulders above his rivals,and was the shortest priced winner ever of the Gold Cup(1966) at 1/10.

In 1983 trainer Michael Dickenson achieved something that will almost certainly never happen again - he trained the first 5 horses in that years Gold Cup.

You may like to sample the mineral springs water that first established Cheltenham Spa as a tourist attraction from as far back as 1716.

Sometimes access for disabled people is poor at many racecourses - not so at Cheltenham,facilities for disabled people are excellent.

Going racing in a family,friends or business group ? - if there are 10 plus visitors in your group you can ask for a special deal to get a discount on entry prices (details from events manager).

Make your day out extra special by booking a private box - choose the box and facilities on offer to suit your budget.

Unless your dog is a guide dog,don't take them to Cheltenham Racecourse as you won't get in!.

You can comfortably visit Cheltenham by train - nearest station Cheltenham Spa,with shuttle bus service to track.

Get track facts for other U.K. racecourses.