Cheltenham Festival Breaks Crowd Record

16 Mar 2015 | sigadmin

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Last week’s Cheltenham Festival welcomed a record 248,521 spectators across the four days after 68,918 people attended Gold Cup Day – up from 67,814 in 2014.

The previous record crowd was 237,369 in 2012, before Jockey Club Racecourses capped attendance capacity on Gold Cup Day.

The first three days saw 63,249 (Tues), 55,859 (Weds), 60,495 (Thurs) spectators attend the jump racing festival.

Ian Renton, who runs Cheltenham Racecourse as south west regional director for Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “We have had fantastic crowds – a record on each of the first three days and significantly up on previous years.

“Racegoers are really happy with the changes we are making here. As part of our £45 million redevelopment, we have tried to create more space behind the main grandstands and at the same time redevelop the tented village to provide a more spacious area.

“Even with a crowd of 63,000 on the first day of The Festival, Tuesday, and nearly 61,000 yesterday (Thursday), everyone felt comfortable. The bars have worked, the queues are less and people feel it is a much easier environment to enjoy their racing.”

Paul Fisher, group managing director of Jockey Club Racecourses, added: “Crowds at The Festival are often an indication of interest levels in our sport generally, so we’re absolutely delighted with the last four days on many levels.

“Ian and his team deserve huge credit; on his watch The Festival is reaching new heights in popularity and that bodes well for Jump racing as a whole. And as Cheltenham is part of The Jockey Club, every penny of profit made will get reinvested back into the sport. It’s been a fantastic four days.”