'Very risky' - bookmakers warn Saturday switch at Cheltenham could hit festival betting turnover

The attendance at Cheltenham was significant down for the first three days of the 2023 festival

Cheltenham Festival: Saturday switch is a proposed conceptCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Gambling giants Entain and Flutter warned that moving the Cheltenham Festival to a Saturday could be "very risky" amid concerns competition from other major sports would damage turnover and weaken the enormous appeal of the biggest betting week of the year.

The Jockey Club is exploring shifting the four-day fixture from Tuesday to Friday to Wednesday to Saturday to boost attendances following a recent slump, but the idea has been met with concern from bookmakers as Saturday's card is unlikely to attract ITV1 coverage due to a clash with the final weekend of the Six Nations.

Competition from the Premier League could also lead to a diminished focus on jump racing's most significant week, which currently enjoys a midweek monopoly in the sporting calendar.

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James StevensWest Country correspondent

Published on 21 October 2025inBritain

Last updated 18:18, 21 October 2025

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