Cheltenham Festival will remain a four-day event beyond 2023
- Published
Rachael Blackmore, on A Plus Tard, won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on day four of the 2022 Festival in front of 73,875 people
The Cheltenham Festival will remain a four-day event "beyond 2023" after "extensive consultation" which "included the potential to extend it".
The Jockey Club said it had been a "finely balanced decision" not to add in a fifth day but cited "challenges from a turf-management perspective" and "the uncertain economic environment".
Regional director Ian Renton said its 28-race, four-day format was "right".
Cheltenham Festival is now Britain's third largest sporting event.
And Renton said research gathered about its future would allow the Jockey Club to "evaluate all the insight with a view to improving facilities and investing in new on-course activations".
"We care deeply about the long-term future of our sport and its role in society," he said. "That's a mission that enables us to think differently when making decisions."
The Cheltenham Festival announced in August that it would cap ticket sales for next year's event at 68,500 per day, to "enhance" the experience for racegoers.
In March 2022, it attracted a record total attendance of 280,627 across the four days.