Champion Hurdle Racecourse Guide

Phillip Carberry and Sublimity jump the last hurdle before winning the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle Challenge

The Champion Hurdle racecourse, the Cheltenham Racecourse, is located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. The racecourse, with a maximum capacity of 67 500 spectators, is home to many of the United Kingdom’s top horse racing festivals and events, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Queen Mother Champion Chase, World Hurdle and many others including the renowned Champion Hurdle – the UK’s most prestigious hurdle race.

Home of National Hunt Racing

The Cheltenham Racecourse is widely accepted as the home of National Hunt racing, mostly because it hosts the Cheltenham Festival in March of each year, during which the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup is contested.

Horse racing punters, fans and competitors alike are all fortunate witnesses throughout the year to the picturesque setting of the Cheltenham Racecourse. It is located in a natural amphitheatre which is positioned just below the escarpment of Cotswold Hills, making it one of the most appealing horse racing venues in the

UK. There is an on-site railway station through which the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway passes.

How to get to the Champion Hurdle Racecourse

Cheltenham Racecourse is easy to access by the following means:

  • Train – From the Cheltenham Spa Station you can catch a bus link two hours before racing for major events
  • Bus - Stagecoach services D runs regularly every day of the week, while Service 527 also runs regularly from Cheltenham Centre to Bishops Cleeve and Gotherington via the Racecourse Roundabout.
  • Bicycle – There are bicycle parking facilities on site near The Centaur
  • Car – this option is discouraged by the Racecourse, and there is a Travel Plan available which outlines initiatives which are being implemented to reduce the need for using a car to get to and from the venue.

Set up of Cheltenham Racecourse

Cheltenham Racecourse is comprised of Old Course and New Course, the latter featuring a challenging downhill section as well as a longer steeplechase run-in in relation to the Old Course. In addition to these two main courses, there is a cross-country course which is used for steeplechases.

There is a 2000-seater auditorium - The Centaur - on site which is used as a multi-purpose venue for conferences and concerts. As a result, Cheltenham Racecourse is home not only to quality horse racing but also to the annual Greenbelt Festival and Wynchwood Music Festival.

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