THE FESTIVAL 2017 MEDIA GUIDE

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1974 Sun Alliance & London was the first company outside racing to embrace commercial sponsorship at The Festival, backing what is now the RSA Novices’ Chase for the first time. The company previously supported the Foxhunter Chase between 1971 and 1973. The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle came into being – the race was known previously as the Gloucestershire Hurdle and had been subject of division. 1975 The first day of The Festival was lost due to the weather and the last three races on the third day were called off because of a waterlogged course. However, all the major races were run. Piper Champagne was the first sponsor of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. 1978 The third day of The Festival could not happen in March because of snow and the Cheltenham Gold Cup was run in April. 1979 The main grandstand overlooking the winning post was completed. Since then there has been ongoing development and upgrading of facilities for public and professionals alike. The 1980s saw the grandstand further extended twice, with private boxes on the top two floors; in 1982 the winner’s enclosure, parade ring, weighing room and Hurdlers Hall were built behind the stands with terraced viewing for 4,000; in 1987 Hunters Lodge, a 124-bed hotel for stable staff, was opened and three years after that a new stabling complex next to it. The pre-parade Ring was used for the first time in 1992 and the Hall of Fame Entrance officially opened in 1993. In 1997 the old sixties Tattersalls stand was replaced with tiered terraces and a betting hall and the Panoramic Restaurant added to the main stand. In the 2000s projects included an upgrade of facilities, including a new grandstand, in the infield opposite the main stands, now the Best Mate Enclosure. The Centaur multi-purpose conference and events centre, the result of a £17-million investment, is the largest of its kind in the south-west with an accommodation of 4,000. 1980 The Tote took over sponsorship of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the great race was sponsored by Betfred, which bought the Tote in 2011, until 2016 when Timico became the backer. The Queen Mother’s name was added to the title of the Two-Mile Champion Chase this year, her 80th birthday. 1981 The oldest Champion Hurdle winners have been Sea Pigeon and Hattons Grace (1951), both 11-year-olds. 1982 Cheltenham was voted Racecourse of the Year for the first time by members of the Racegoers Club, an award started in 1972. Since then, Cheltenham has won the accolade another 20 times (up to and including 2015) and every year since 2004. 1983 Michael Dickinson saddled the first five horses home in the 11-runnner Cheltenham Gold Cup – Bregawn (Graham Bradley – 100/30F), Captain John (David Goulding – 11/1), Wayward Lad (Jonjo O’Neill – 6/1), Silver Buck (Robert Earnshaw – 5/1) and Ashley House (Mr Dermot Browne – 12/1). He was responsible for the first two the year before as well - with Silver Buck beating Bregawn. Amateur rider Caroline Beasley became the first female rider to partner a winner at The Festival on Eliogarty in the Foxhunter. Mercy Rimell sent out Gaye Brief to win the Champion Hurdle and made history by becoming the first female trainer to succeed in that championship race. 1984 Jenny Pitman was the first woman to train a winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Burrough Hill Lad. 1985 Badsworth Boy achieved the feat of being the first and so far only threetime winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase. 1986 Dawn Run was the first and only horse to win both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Champion Hurdle, having taken the hurdling crown two years earlier. She was the fourth mare to enjoy success in the Gold Cup – following on from Ballinode (1925), Kerstin (1958) and Glencaraig Lady (1972). 1987 A snowstorm delayed the running of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, with an inch of snow falling within an hour. The 12 Gold Cup contenders reached the start but were recalled to the paddock because of the poor conditions. There was plenty of debate about what to do and many expected racing to be abandoned but it was forecast that conditions would improve. Indeed, the snow stopped and started to melt, with the Gold Cup going off 81 minutes late at 4.51pm. The Thinker, trained by W A (Arthur) Stephenson in County Durham and ridden by Ridley Lamb, prevailed by a length and a half. 1989 The only grey Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was Desert Orchid, a real crowd favourite who was trained by David Elsworth, owned by Richard Burridge and ridden by Simon Sherwood. 1990 Norton’s Coin was the longest-priced winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup when triumphant at 100/1 for Welsh farmer Sirrell Griffiths. 1993 Montelado holds a unique position, being the only horse to land two consecutive Festival races. He took the last race at the 1992 Festival, the Champion Bumper, and the first of 1993, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. 1994 The Fellow, owned by Marquesa de Moratalla, trained by Francois Doumen and partnered by Adam Kondrat, became the only French-trained winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. 1995 Britain’s only cross-country course was used for the first time. The track largely follows a series of loops on the infield and comprises a series of natural obstacles, like banks and ditches, before finishing over a hurdle on the main track. It is used three times each season - at The Open, The International and The Festival. Terrestrial television coverage at Cheltenham switched from the BBC to Channel 4. Alderbrook and Master Oats enabled Norman Williamson and Kim Bailey to join a very select group of jockey and trainer partnerships who have won both the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup in the same year. The other successful partnerships were Tommy Cullinan and Jack Anthony in 1930, Ted Leader and Basil Briscoe in 1932, Bill Stott and Basil Briscoe in 1933, and Aubrey Brabazon and Vincent O’Brien in both 1949 and 1950. 18
Cheltenham Media Guide <strong>2017</strong> 1997 A P McCoy’s Champion Hurdle/ Cheltenham Gold Cup double on Make A Stand and Mr Mulligan respectively was the 11th time that the big-race double has been landed by one rider in the same year. The other jockeys to have achieved the feat were Dick Rees (1929), Tom Cullinan (1930), Ted Leader (1932), Bill Stott (1933), Gerry Wilson (1935), Aubrey Brabazon (1949 and 1950), Tim Molony (1953), Fred Winter (1961) and Norman Williamson (1995). 1999 The second of two greys to succeed in the Queen Mother Champion Chase was Call Equiname, following on from One Man the year before. 2000 The fastest time for the Queen Mother Champion Chase is 3m 44.70s, set by Edredon Bleu. 2001 The Festival was abandoned because of Britain’s foot-and-mouth epidemic, with sheep having grazed near the racecourse. 2003 The racecourse station, which had been closed in 1976, reopened. Formerly operated by the Great Western Railway, it is now the southern terminus of the 12-mile long heritage Gloucester Warwickshire Railway, a volunteer organisation and operates steam engines. Four greys have won the Champion Hurdle, the most recent being Rooster Booster, with the others were Kribensis in 1990, Our Hope in 1938 and Victor Norman in 1936. 2004 Best Mate became the most recent three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, for owner Jim Lewis, trainer Henrietta Knight and jockey Jim Culloty. 2005 The Festival was extended to four from three days, with one senior championship among each day’s races: the Champion Hurdle (Tuesday), the Champion Chase (Wednesday), the Stayers’ Hurdle (Thursday) and the Gold Cup (Friday). The Ryanair Chase (Thursday), one of the expanded programme’s new races which replaced the Cathcart Chase, earned Grade One status in 2008. Another is what is now the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle; run over three miles. Initially sponsored by Desert Orchid. Cheltenham Gold Cup, 1991 Sea Pigeon winner of the 1981 Cheltenham Waterford Crystal Champion Hurdle race gets a welcome pat from a happy racegoer in the crowd Trainer Jenny Pitman with Burrough Hill Lad 19
Page 1 and 2: THE FESTIVAL 2017 MEDIA GUIDE
Page 3 and 4: WELCOME The build-up to this year
Page 5 and 6: A general view of the Vestey Bar at
Page 7 and 8: BRITISH RACING HAS A DUTY OF CARE T
Page 9 and 10: BETBRIGHT PRESTBURY CUP BRITAIN VER
Page 11 and 12: THE MCCOYS RECOGNISING JUMP RACING
Page 13 and 14: Cheltenham Media Guide 2017 mile co
Page 15 and 16: JON RICHARDSON THE OLD MAN 7th OCTO
Page 17: ARKLE FACTS Form figures; 341104-11
Page 21 and 22: INCREDIBLE UNMISSABLE £10 FREE NO
Page 23 and 24: laying plans for the 12 months ahea
Page 25 and 26: THE FESTIVAL IN FIGURES Cheltenham
Page 27 and 28: Cheltenham Media Guide 2017 and tur
Page 29 and 30: CALL US FOR CHELTENHAM BETTING NEWS
Page 31 and 32: Cheltenham Media Guide 2017 TIMICO
Page 33 and 34: Queen’s Prize at Kempton Park and
Page 35 and 36: Eborneezer (1961) and trained Bula
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Page 39 and 40: THE FIRST RACE AT THE CHELTENHAM FE
Page 41 and 42: The only horse since to have won th
Page 43 and 44: CHELTENHAM & SOUTH WEST SYNDICATE S
Page 45 and 46: ecognised start of the race that is
Page 47 and 48: WE ’ RE NOT HORSING AROUND PROUD
Page 49 and 50: short history, with three wins apie
Page 51 and 52: LEADING JOCKEYS AT THE FESTIVAL Rub
Page 53 and 54: William Alexander Baring Bingham, w
Page 55 and 56: at Cheltenham for 26 years altogeth
Page 57 and 58: of supporting races. The first Coun
Page 59 and 60: Bookmakers in front of the See You

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