Owned and run by the Jockey Club since 1964, the racecourse is a huge presence in Cheltenham. The March Festival is arguably what the town is best known for and brings in over £270m to the local economy.*
We recently sat down with Andre Klein, Assistant General Manager, to talk about the Jockey Club, the Racecourse and its relationship with the town.
The latter hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but it is much improved and there is a huge amount that the town should be proud of about this iconic venue and its many legends.
Jockey Club Community Suport
The centenary Gold Cup has extensively toured over the past year both locally and internationally, raising funds for the Gold Cup Centenary Fund. This has provided over £100,000 for Cheltenham charities and will continue to do so as the fund is now managed by the Gloucestershire Community Foundation.
They work closely with local schools, giving children a chance to see behind the scenes and meet racing legends on both two and four legs. Three hundred local schoolchildren got to walk the course with jockey Daryl Jacobs in November.
It has a close association with fellow Chamber Member, Midlands Air Ambulance which is once again the chosen charity for the Hunter Chase Race Night in May.
In 2025, the course will host and sponsor one of the “Lions at Large” sculptures, part of a major initiative to raise funds for new cancer treatment facilities at Cheltenham General.
A lot of work has been done with the community to promote better behaviour among visiting racing fans; working with the police, local authority and community groups. In 2024, not one official complaint was received from the community during March.
Business Matters
The racecourse has long offered a fascinating setting for events, from concerts and business conferences to smaller team or client meetings and have recently launched the Garrison Savannah Business Club. Named after a local Gold Cup winner, this combines entertainment and business networking opportunities, including regular breakfasts attended by many local business people. There is a special rate for Chamber Members.
Racecourse hospitality offers packages including food up to fine dining standards, and Andre highlighted some of the changes planned to improve the racing experience and value for money in 2025. They are also diversifying and hoping to work with local businesses further. An example is “Room to Race,” a one-stop-shop website created in partnership with local agents Venatour.
It’s All About the Racing
Of course, this is the Jockey Club’s raison d’etre. Its mission is to act for the long term good of British racing. It has no shareholders, and all profits are reinvested in the sport.
The Festival and the Gold Cup remain among the biggest and most prestigious racing, indeed sporting events in the world, found on the bucket list of any true fan.
There has been a relatively recent development of Cross Country races using a wider range of obstacles than regular steeplechases. It uses the inner part of the course, bringing the action closer to spectators and heightening the level of excitement.
Cheltenham hosted the final race in the pan European Cross Country Crystal Cup in December.
With a new Chief Executive, Guy Lavender, former CEO of the MCC, replacing Ian Renter after 12 successful years, there will doubtless be further developments. We shall of course keep you up-to-date as Guy settles in to our Cheltenham community.
Want to know more? Click on the links below:
The history of Cheltenham Racecourse>>
The history of the Cheltenham Gold Cup>>
*Economic Impact Assessment 2022. An increase from £100 million in 2016, calculated by the University of Gloucestershire.
