Cheltenham has cancelled its remaining fixtures this season to enable crucial drainage works on the home straight. This comes after the track’s Trials Day meeting in January was delayed by a hole appearing on the straight. The hole was later determined to be a result of a broken drain.
The Jockey Club announced this morning that a consultation – of grounds staff, drainage contractors and agronomists – all agreed the course would benefit from the work being carried out while there was still moisture in the ground.
As per the Jockey Club, Clerk of the Course Jon Pulin said regarding the decision: ‘Our priority is always to provide the best possible racing surface for top-class Jump racing.
“Throughout the very wet winter, we have experienced a number of issues on the track. Working with drainage experts, we have identified an area that would benefit from being upgraded.
“This will allow us to address the issues that we believe contributed to the hole appearing on Festival Trials Day. And subsequently created challenges in other areas of the track. As a result of this we moved rail and hurdle positions to ensure we were providing the best surface for both the Old and New courses.
“While some sections of drains across the track are newer than others and drainage improvements like this are typically carried out at the end of each season, given the scale of this project and the last two particularly dry summers we have decided to bring this work forward. This will mean that there is still sufficient moisture in the ground. Allowing more time for the course to recover ahead of next season.”
Rescheduled events to take place
The April meeting will not be staged elsewhere, but there will be rescheduled events. The 2m4 1/2f mares novices’ handicap has switched to Market Rasen on April 14. Meanwhile, the 3m1 1/2f mares’ series chase final and the 2m4f1/2 hurdle final switch to Warwick on April 23. The 2m1f fillies juvenile handicap hurdle will take place at Sandown’s jump season finale.
Pullin added: “We did look at contingency plans that might allow us to prioritise this work. While also staging our April and May fixtures. But unfortunately it’s not feasible to continue racing. However, we are grateful to the BHA for their support in helping us move Race Night to Warwick . And to stage four races from The April Meeting elsewhere.
“It’s disappointing not to stage our final three racedays of the season. We’re confident this is the right decision to give the course the opportunity to be in optimal condition for the start of the 2026-27 season in October.”