Man convicted of assault after attacking Cheltenham official on Gold Cup day

A man has been convicted of assault after attacking a senior member of Cheltenham’s management team in an exclusive bar shortly after the Gold Cup at this year’s festival.

Matthew Foxton-Duffy, Cheltenham’s head of marketing, was punched in the face at around 3.50pm on March 16 in the Gin and Jazz Bar, a pop-up marquee bar where racegoers paid an extra £95 to listen to music from Ronnie Scott's Jazz Band.

After being hit, Foxton-Duffy fell, hitting his head on a door frame. He was treated at the scene before being taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital for further assessment. He has since returned to work.

Andrew Bentley, 28, from Walsall was arrested and charged by police. He appeared in Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on April 10 and pleaded guilty to assault. He was given a community order and told to pay £300 compensation to Foxton-Duffy.

A spokeswoman for Cheltenham said: “It’s our policy not to comment on matters involving staff due to privacy issues.”

Behaviour at racecourses has been under intense scrutiny in the past few weeks following mass brawls at Goodwood and Ascot, plus reported minor incidents at York and Salisbury over the weekend.

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