Timeform's Cheltenham course guide and key stats

By Timeform

Horse Racing

Wed November 15, 2023 · 1y ago

Timeform's guide to racing at Cheltenham, featuring the key facts and figures ahead of the November 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.

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Leading active trainers at Cheltenham

Sorted by strike rate since the start of the 2018/19 season (minimum 25 runners)

Gavin Cromwell 22.86% (8-35)
John McConnell 19.61% (10-51)
Emma Lavelle 15.91% (7-44)
Henry de Bromhead 15.71% (22-140)

Other points to consider

Nicky Henderson has saddled the most winners at Cheltenham during this period, sending out 39 from 284 runners at a strike rate of 13.73%. Willie Mullins is next on the list among the most prolific trainers at Cheltenham with 35 winners from 321 runners at a strike rate of 10.90%, though only two of those winners – Stormy Ireland in the 2022 Relkeel Hurdle and Dads Lad in a two-mile handicap chase at last year’s Showcase Meeting – have come away from the Festival in March.
Gavin Cromwell’s impressive strike rate received a notable boost when the season at Cheltenham kicked off with last month’s Showcase Meeting. Cromwell saddled only five runners at that fixture and three of them were successful, including Flooring Porter, who opened his account over fences at the first attempt in a three-mile novice chase. Flooring Porter is responsible for three of Cromwell’s eight wins at Cheltenham during this period having also won back-to-back editions of the Stayers’ Hurdle in 2021 and 2022.
Kerry Lee has the best strike rate of any trainer (minimum five runners) when focusing solely on the November Meeting since 2018. Lee has saddled three winners from seven runners at a strike rate of 42.86%, notably winning the feature race at the fixture – the Paddy Power Gold Cup – with the mare Happy Diva back in 2019.

Leading active jockeys at Cheltenham

Sorted by strike rate since the start of the 2018/19 season (minimum 25 rides)

Keith Donoghue 20.69% (6-29)
Paul Townend 20.41% (20-98)
Richard Patrick 18.18% (8-44)
Rachael Blackmore 17.71% (17-96)
Gina Andrews 17.24% (5-29)

Other points to consider

Nico de Boinville is the most prolific jockey at Cheltenham during this period with 24 winners from 151 rides at a strike rate of 15.89% which leaves him one spot behind Gina Andrews on the above list. Sam Twiston-Davies (23/217, 10.60%) and Harry Skelton (22/203, 10.84%) head the chasing pack, along with Paul Townend who has reached 20 – all at the Festival in March – from only 98 rides at a strike rate of 20.41%.
Keith Donoghue enjoyed a productive time of things at last month’s Showcase Meeting when partnering all three of Gavin Cromwell’s winners at the fixture. Donoghue is perhaps best remembered otherwise at Cheltenham as the rider of Tiger Roll when he won three editions of the Cross Country Chase at the Festival in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
As well as having a top five strike rate at Cheltenham during this period, Rachael Blackmore has equally been one of the most profitable jockeys to follow with a return of £25.38 to a £1 level stake. Similar comments apply to Richard Patrick with a profit of £16.75, whereas Adam Wedge – the most profitable jockey to follow with a return of £61.00 – has a poor strike rate by comparison with six winners from 79 rides at 7.59%.
Focusing solely on the November Meeting, Paddy Brennan is a jockey to look out for having enjoyed plenty of success at the fixture since 2018. Brennan has the best strike rate of any jockey (minimum five rides) with seven winners from 32 rides at 21.88%, plus he can boast a profit of £33.25 to a £1 level stake. Skelton is the only other jockey with a strike rate above 16% at the November Meeting having had seven winners from 34 rides at 20.59%.

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