Sir Anthony McCoy: a five-day Cheltenham Festival would be an absolute disaster

Sir Anthony McCoy: 'I'm really against it and I'd be disappointed if it happens'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Sir Anthony McCoy has slammed the suggestion of a five-day Cheltenham Festival, saying it would be "an absolute disaster" and raising concern that a Saturday at the meeting would struggle to gain interest due to competition from other sports.

The Jockey Club are currently consulting with racing's participants about the extension of the meeting and McCoy made his feelings clear on Saturday's ITV Racing coverage.

He argued a fifth day, which is believed to require an additional two races to the overall festival programme, would further dilute competition between the top-class horses. The 2022 Cheltenham Festival had the lowest average runners per race, bar the pandemic year, at 14.5 per race and McCoy used this season's four-runner Turners Novices' Chase to highlight the issue.

Cheltenham consulting on five-day festival – and it could come as early as 2024

While Nicky Henderson has argued a Saturday at the Cheltenham Festival could entice a "new audience", McCoy is against the idea and suggested the biggest jumps fixture would struggle on a busy sporting day that usually includes Premier League football and the final matches in rugby union's Six Nations.

Speaking on ITV, the 31-time festival-winning jockey said: "There's too much racing and I think a fifth day at Cheltenham would be an absolute disaster.

"I always thought of Cheltenham as the best of the best, male or female, whoever it may be, and I look at it now and it's so diluted. The Turners had four runners this season, the National Hunt Chase had six. This is supposed to be the best of the best.

"Can Cheltenham compete on a Saturday with the Premier League and the final matches of the Six Nations? It's big, but not that big. They shouldn't let some number cruncher think that financially this is a great idea to take another race off each day and add another [day], then charge people more money. The sport can do better than that. I'm really against it and I'd be disappointed if it happens."

Ian Renton, managing director at Cheltenham, revealed to the Racing Post last week that the Jockey Club is consulting with racing's participants about a five-day festival.

He said officials would take a "rational view" but the change could come in as early as 2024. A final decision is expected to be made in the autumn.

More on this story:

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