'Four is what it has been and four is where it should stay' - racegoers react

A Monday fixture at Plumpton is rather different to jump racing's biggest four days in March but racegoers at the East Sussex track overwhelmingly approved of the decision by the Jockey Club to keep the Cheltenham Festival at four days.

Preference for quality over quantity was the tone struck by racegoer Danny Herriot, who said: "For the sport as a whole it's the best decision. The good races should stay as they are and it's good they aren't adding in races that probably shouldn't be there anyway. Four is what it has been and four is where it should stay."

Andy Cann, who lives not far from Plumpton in Lewes, pointed to the possibility of races being further diluted and Britain's changeable climate as reasons he was pleased the festival would remain at four days.

Cann said: "I think it's probably the right thing to do. Even if they went to five days, we could have some freakish weather and it may not even go ahead.

"As far as diluting goes, it's probably a better product if it's kept to four days anyway."

Trevor Bevan, who also lives locally and has been attending meetings for over 40 years, echoed the feelings of the other racegoers and added he had stopped frequenting the Punchestown festival after it was extended to five days.

Bevan said: "It's a good decision that they've kept it to four [days]. They should absolutely not move it to five.

"I used to go to Punchestown every year. Then it moved to three days and then to four and then it became a festival. On the first race of the last day they had a maiden hunter chase – all the big horses stopped coming. It was just an Irish race meeting, nothing more.

"They dilute it and as a result they break the horses up rather than having the best take each other on. I don't like it at all."

Read these next:

Cheltenham Festival to remain at four days after Jockey Club listens to concerns

Cheltenham giants Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott back four-day festival call (£)

Chris Cook: a victory for people power – but just how bad must the feedback have been?! (£)

What next for Cheltenham? No fifth day – but still issues to address

'Thank Christ for that, I can't afford five' – your Cheltenham Festival views

The jumps season is coming! Pick up your copy of The Big Jump Off, packed with everything you need to get you excited for the 2022-23 National Hunt season. Free in the Racing Post on Monday, October 17, it's got 72 pages of unbeatable content including ante-post tips, guest columnists, divisional analysis and much more. You can order your copy from the Racing Post shop here.