Timeform's guide to racing at Cheltenham, featuring the key facts and figures ahead of The Showcase Meeting which starts on Friday.
Timeform’s Cheltenham course guide
Left-handed, undulating. Stiff fences that place a premium on sound jumping. The last half mile is uphill, although the lead changes hands on the run-in less frequently than might be expected. Prominent racers often fare well on the chase course, especially in races up to 3m.
On the New Course, the hurdles track has just two flights in the last six furlongs, resulting in more emphasis on stamina; large-field races over two miles often go to hold-up horses, as there can be a tendency to go for home too soon. Jockeys often steer a wide course in the winter months searching for better ground and this can lead to trouble in running towards the stand rail in the straight.
Leading active trainers at Cheltenham
Sorted by strike rate since the start of 2019 (minimum 25 runners)
- Gavin Cromwell 23.7% (14 winners from 59 runners)
- Lucy Wadham 16.1% (5/31)
- John McConnell 16.1% (9/56)
- Kerry Lee 15.6% (5/32)
- Henry de Bromhead 15.5% (26/168)
Other points to consider
- The three Irish trainers among those with the best strike rates also show some of the best level-stakes profits. De Bromhead fares best of the trio on £57.02, ahead of Cromwell (£43.69) and McConnell (£26.87).
- Welshmen Tim Vaughan (£27.75) and Evan Williams (£25.00) have also been profitable to follow.
- The two trainers who stand out by number of wins at Cheltenham since the beginning of 2019 are Willie Mullins, with 47 winners from 400 runners (11.8% strike rate) and Nicky Henderson, with 45 winners from 311 runners (14.5% strike rate). It’s worth noting, however, that all bar five of Mullins’ winners in that period came at the Festival in March whereas the majority of Henderson’s winners were gained at the track’s other meetings.
Leading active jockeys at Cheltenham
Sorted by strike rate since the start of 2019 (minimum 25 rides)
- Paul Townend 24.4% (28/115)
- Keith Donoghue 19.6% (9/46)
- Rachael Blackmore 17.9% (20/112)
- Miss Gina Andrews 17.7% (6/34)
- Richard Patrick 17.4% (8/46)
Other points to consider
- Adam Wedge has the best level-stakes profit (£70.00) from his 80 rides and 7 winners during the period in question. Rachael Blackmore has been the most profitable jockey to follow among those with the very best strike rates, with a level-stakes profit of £25.89, though Nico de Boinville, with a very healthy strike rate of 16.6%, has returned a profit of £33.70
- The jockeys who have ridden the most winners at Cheltenham since the start of 2019 are Paul Townend, Nico de Boinville and Harry Skelton, all of whom have ridden 28 winners. All bar two of Townend’s winners have come at the Cheltenham Festival.
- Sam Twiston-Davies (22), Harry Cobden (21) and Rachael Blackmore (20) are next in the list by number of winners.
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