Ticket sales for the 2026 festival meeting in Cheltenham are up on levels 12 months ago and there is growing confidence at the circuit that attendances at next month’s showpiece meeting will rise, after sharp declines over the past three seasons.
This year’s festival, which starts on March 10, will be the second since Guy Lavender took over as CEO of Cheltenham in early 2025, but the first where it should be possible to assess the impact of a range of initiatives to improve the customer experience introduced over the past fifteen months.
“Overall, we’re very positive about where we are for festival sales,” Lavender said Friday, “and there is growth over last year. It’s too early to give final numbers and there are still a few days to go, but overall we’re moving in the right direction.”
Recent changes at the meeting include the reintroduction of a Ladies’ Day on Wednesday, the worst attended day in recent seasons, and a relaxation of rules in areas where alcohol can be consumed.
“I think growth is very important,” Lavender said. “I said last year [when attendance again declined] that I didn’t think it was necessarily about the numbers. We have introduced a number of changes and I think they are making a positive difference to visitor numbers.”
Another area seen as a major deterrent to potential racegoers was the high cost of overnight accommodation within easy reach of the circuit, and a partnership with a local travel agency to address this issue has led to significant growth.
“We launched Room To Race ahead of last year’s festival and we’ve seen tremendous growth this year,” said Lavender. “We’re definitely seeing a shift in the accommodation providers wanting to work with us. It’s not perfect and there are still operators charging ridiculous prices, but over time we’re seeing a rebalancing.”
Cheltenham may still be “next month” until Sunday at least, but the bonus racing season is in full swing and the winner of the Morebattle Hurdle Hurdle at Kelso on Saturday could earn another £100,000 for connections to a sequel to the festival.
Eight of the seventeen runners have at least one entry with a festival handicap – and Spectacularsunrise by Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies has no fewer than three – but a clear exception is Cracking rhapsody (2.55), the Morebattle winner of the past two seasons.
The two-mile obstacle course at Kelso is Cracking Rhapsody’s happy place, and Ewan Whillans’ gelding has form figures of 2-1-1-1-1 over course and distance.
Saturday’s race has clearly been his target for the past twelve months, and while Cracking Rhapsody’s three starts so far this season have been disappointing, the return to Kelso, at a level just £4 higher than 2025, should see a significant improvement on that form.
Short manualGreg Wood’s tips for Saturday
Show
Kelso 1.10 Doyen Du Bar 1.40 Protektorat 2.15 Lord Byron 2.55 Cracking Rhapsody (nb) 3.30 Bold Light (nap) 4.00 Keyboard 4.35 A Path To Ronda 5.10 Al Kalila.
Doncaster 1.25 Coolanna 1.55 Mighty Bandit 2.30 Jasmin De Grugy 3.05 Dropematthestation 3.40 Chevington 4.15 Porter In The Park 4.50 Ivor Bear.
Newbury 1.35 Eddie My Eagle 2.10 Brentford Hope 2.40 Rodney 3.15 Eldorado Allen 3.45 Twinjets 4.23 Kilwaughter 4.58 Malina Road.
Southwell 4.21 Goldmoyne 4.55 Lord Capulet 5.30 Shafi 6.00 No No Data 6.30 Chantelle 7.00 Saytarr 7.30 Pursuit Of Love 8.00 Seraphic 8.30 Contorno.
Kelso 1.10: Doyen Du Bar best traveled a long way further last time and this setback in travel could be a winning move.
Doncaster 1.25: All eight go to the post with a chance, but have raced twice Coolanna may have the most room for progress and this step up certainly seems appropriate.
Kelso 1.40: The stylish one protectorate will start with very slim odds of beating three inferior rivals.
Doncaster 1.55: Powerful bandits his career has taken a positive turn and he looks ready to continue his recent track and trip wins.
Kelso 2.15: Lord Byron, the only boy, almost takes a stone from his rivals and his form behind leading Triumph Hurdle contender Maestro Conti puts him right in the mix last time out.
Doncaster 2.30: Jasmine De Grugy has been given time to get over a big fall and still has room from this point after just six starts over fences.
Newbury 3.15: by Joe Tizzard El Dorado Allen has a string of good performances in similar matches under his belt and is the percentage call against some younger rivals with questions to answer.
Kelso 3.30: Lucinda Russell’s garden has endured a difficult winter, but recent signs are more promising Daring light returns to hurdles at a level 3 pounds lower than when he was successful in this race last year.
Newbury 3.45: The return to the scene of his convincing success in November could be ideal for this Twin jets after a fall last time at Cheltenham.
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