Horse Racing

More Cheltenham Festival Race Changes As National Hunt Chase To Be Run As A Novice Handicap For Pro Jockeys

Andy Newton Sports Editor

Published11 hours ago on September 26, 2024

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There are more Cheltenham Festival changes afoot, ahead of the 2025 meeting next March, as the Jockey Club has announced the National Hunt Chase will now be run as a Novice Handicap Chase and also open to professional jockeys.

Cheltenham Changes See Oldest Festival Race Revised For 2025

Hot on the heels of scrapping the Turners’ Novice Chase and replacing it with a Grade 2 limited novice handicap chase, plus also making the Cross Country Chase into a limited handicap – there are more Cheltenham Festival changes for 2025.

The Jockey Club have now also revealed more amendments to the 2025 Cheltenham Festival races – with the main change being around the oldest horse racing contest at the meeting, the National Hunt Chase.

First run back in 1860, the National Hunt Chase has a huge history at the Cheltenham Festival, but relax – the race isn’t going anywhere, it’s just being tinkered with.

It was announced on Thursday 26th September that the National Hunt Chase will now be run as a novice handicap and also no longer just for amateur jockeys – meaning the more well-known pro riders can also get the leg-up in the 3m 6f race.

National Hunt Chase Will Now Be Open To Pro Jockeys

Having been confined to amateur riders only, the National Hunt Chase had a habit of going to horses that were ridden by the more experienced amateurs – with jockeyship being a big plus to any horse here.

This was backed up with the likes of Derek O’Connor, Patrick Mullins and Jamie Codd all having multiple wins in the National Hunt Chase since 2015.

12 months ago, the race was won by the classy Corbetts Cross, by an easy 17 lengths (watch below) – but with many horse racing fans feeling this JP McManus horse was good enough to contest the Gold Cup, this latest race change will probably force owners arms regarding similar horses in the future.

It’s not known if the National Hunt Chase will keep its regular Tuesday slot at the Festival, with rumours of the normal race schedule also to be tampered with.

Cheltenham Festival Changes 2025 In Summary

Turners Novices’ Chase – Replaced with a Grade 2 Limited Novice Handicap
Cross Country Chase – Will now become a limited handicap
National Hunt Chase – Will now be a novice handicap chase and open to pro jockeys
Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – Will now be held without penalties
Non Novice Handicaps – Race experience will now be 4 chase runs and 5 hurdles runs
Pertemps Final Hurdle – Winners of any Pertemps series qualifier will guarantee a start in the race

Cheltenham Ticket Price Freeze 2025

There was a further boost for punters ahead of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival with the track also announcing there will be a price freeze on all tickets at next years meeting. Meaning all 2025 ticket prices will be the same as 2024 at worst.

With the meeting coming under the mircoscope surrounding costs, this is another clear indication the course officials are taking notice.

Why Are These Cheltenham Festival Changes Happening?

After the 2024 Cheltenham Festival there was a lot written about the competitiveness of some of the races and many also linking this to the drop in numbers over the meeting.

Yes, Cheltenham Festival prices regarding tickets, food and drink, plus local accommodation are also factors in dropping numbers at the meeting – but the Jockey Club are clearly wanting to address the races themselves first.

These changes are, of course, not going to be welcomed by all – but many leading industry figures, including Ruby Walsh and Paul Nicholls, have already got behind the amendments.

Ruby Walsh told the Racing Post

“All the changes are geared towards making the races more competitive. The aim is to attract as many of the best horses as possible to run at the Cheltenham Festival and for them to run in the right races.

“Cheltenham is the pinnacle of jump racing and these changes help to maintain that. Of course, there will be some people who think these changes go too far and some who think they don’t go far enough. The important thing to remember is those making these changes have done so in the best interests of jump racing and the festival.”

Paul Nicholls told the Racing Post

“On the whole these changes sound very sensible. Everybody has different opinions and you cannot please everybody at the same time, but I think we have to try to make the racing as competitive as possible as that is what the Cheltenham Festival is all about.”

The main aim for these latest tweaks is to make some races a lot more competitive.

For example, by getting rid of the Turners Novices’ Chase, this will remove the option for owners and trainers to run here and, instead, opt for either the Arkle Novices’ Chase or the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – making each contest more contested.

While making the Cross Country Chase a limited handicap will also give horses towards the foot of the ratings a more level playing field with star names like two-time winner of the race Delta Work.

Plus, this is how the Cross Country Chase races are run at the November and December meeting.

Sometimes they say “if it’s not broke, then don’t fix it” – however, despite the Cheltenham Festival far from being broken – there have been signs in recent years it’s creaking, so now looks as good a time as ever to fill in the cracks – with these race changes a good place to start.