Ahead of the highly anticipated 2024 Cheltenham Festival, many will be wondering – what is the difference between the Old and New Course at Cheltenham Races?
Which Course Will The 2024 Cheltenham Festival Be Ran On?
The Cheltenham Festival 2024 will be ran on both the Old Course & the New Course, with races on Tuesday 12th March (1st day) and Wednesday 13th March (2nd day) ran on the Old. Whilst the new course will come into action for the final two days of the meeting (Thursday 14th March/Friday 15th March).
Read on to see what the difference is between the New and Old Course.
What Is The Cheltenham New Course And When Is It Used?
The Cheltenham New Course as the name suggests came after the Old and is ran in a wider arch into the countryside before turning for home towards the grandstands.
It is slightly wider racetrack due to the additional bend, giving horses more of a gradual charge towards the home straight. Being such a stamina-testing course, trainers often field their best stayers who will be able to last in the testing conditions.
The New Course has less emphasis on speed and more favours horses that can stay well and those that like to gallop enjoy it more than the Old.
It is typically used for the December, International, New Year’s Day and Festival Trials Day meetings as well as the final two days of the Cheltenham Festival and the April and May meetings.
What Is The Cheltenham Old Course And When Is It Used?
The Cheltenham Old Course is a much tighter, shorter course than the New. With a much smaller final straight, this benefits those speedier horses who can use their turn of foot to get home first.
With more turns, there is less time in the race where horses are running in a straight line so the ability to handle tighter corners is greatly desired.
It favours those front running horses who travel strongly and take a prominent position in the field, with it being a much harder track to run on than the New.
The Old Course is used for the first two days of the Cheltenham Festival in addition to the Showcase in October and November meetings earlier on in the season. You can see all of the action at each meeting with the best horse racing live streaming sites courtesy of SportsLens.
Cheltenham Racecourse Map
See below the full Cheltenham Racecourse map, where you will be able to see the difference between the New and Old Course. Pictures courtesy of Racing Post.
Hurdle Course New & Old
Chase Course New & Old
Which Races Will Be Ran On The Old Course At The 2024 Cheltenham Festival?
The first two days of the Festival will see the action ran on the Old Course (Tuesday & Wednesday. See below every race that will be ran on the Old Course.
Tuesday 12th March 2024 (1st day)
- 1:30 – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (2m)
- 2:10 – Arkle Novices’ Chase (2m)
- 2:50 – Ultima Handicap Chase (3m 1f)
- 3:30 – Champion Hurdle (2m)
- 4:10 – Mares’ Hurdle (2m 3f)
- 4:50 – Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (2m)
- 5:30 – National Hunt Chase (3m 5f)
Wednesday 13th March 2024 (2nd day)
Note – The Glendarclas Cross Country Chase (4:10) will not be run on the Old or New, instead ran on the Cross Country course in the middle of Prestbury Park.
- 1:30 – Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle (Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle) (2m 5f)
- 2:10 – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (3m)
- 2:50 – Coral Cup (Handicap Hurdle) (2m 5f)
- 3:30 – Queen Mother Champion Chase (2m)
- 4:50 – Grand Annual Handicap Chase (2m)
- 5:30 – Champion Bumper (2m)
Which Races Will Be Ran On The New Course At The 2024 Cheltenham Festival?
The action will switch to the new course on Thursday for the final two days of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival
Thursday 14th March 2024 (3rd day)
- 1:30 – Turners Novices’ Chase (2m 3f)
- 2:10 – Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle (3m)
- 2:50 – Ryanair Chase (2m 4f)
- 3:30 – Stayers’ Hurdle (3m)
- 4:10 – TrustATrader Plate (Handicap Chase) (2m 4f)
- 4:50 – Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (2m)
- 5:30 – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup (Handicap Chase) (3m 2f)
Friday 15th March 2024 (4th day)
- 1:30 – Triumph Hurdle (2m)
- 2:10 – County Hurdle (Handicap) (2m)
- 2:50 – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (3m)
- 3:30 – Cheltenham Gold Cup (3m 2f)
- 4:10 – St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Hunters’ Chase (3m 2f)
- 4:50 – Mares’ Chase (2m 4f)
- 5:30 – Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle (2m 4f)
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