Cheltenham Gold Cup to be run at new time as bosses confirm changes to order of races at Festival
THE Cheltenham Gold Cup will be run at a new time of 4pm this year – as bosses confirmed the feature race each day will be run later than usual.
While it was also confirmed ITV will show an extra race on all four days of next March’s blockbuster Festival.
PAThe Gold Cup, won last year by Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs, will be run at a new time of 4pm next March[/caption]
Ian Renton, The Jockey Club’s Managing Director of Cheltenham Racecourse, said: “It is fantastic news that ITV Racing will be now covering six of the seven races on each day of The Festival.
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“We are hugely grateful for ITV’s ongoing and increased support, which enables us to showcase the very best in Jump racing to as wide an audience as possible.
“The publication of the Order of Running today follows on from the changes announced last month and sees the feature race now taking place later in the card each day, allowing the sense of excitement and anticipation to build through the afternoon.
“We are also pleased to be able to increase prize money for the two Grade One novices’ chases and all handicap chases, which will help to maintain and build on their competitiveness.”
The changes to the running order mean the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Stayers’ Hurdle, the feature races on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday respectively, will be run 30 minutes later at 4pm.
The latest changes come after a raft of alterations to racing’s most famous meeting were confirmed last month.
That included the Grade 1 Turners’ Novices’ Chase over 2m4f being changed to a handicap.
With the Cross Country Chase being downgraded to a handicap too in order to make it a fairer playing field and more attractive betting proposition.
Meanwhile, additional ITV coverage means there will be more than four hours of racing shown each day.
Richard Willoughby, ITV Racing Editor, commented today: “Terrestrial viewers will be delighted that ITV Racing are able to show an additional race each day of The Festival in 2025.
“This means we will be showing 24 live races across the week and be on air for over four hours every day, as well as broadcasting our extended 90-minute Opening Show each morning.”
While there has also been a big boost to prize money.
The two Grade One novices’ chases – the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and the My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase – are now worth £200,000 each (up from £175,000).
In addition, all handicap chases have been increased in value to £150,000 (up from £125,000).
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