Tickets for The Showcase at Cheltenham Racecourse on sale soon

The next major horse race meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse is The Showcase at the end of October. The two-day event is scheduled for Friday 25th and Saturday 26th October. As ever, The Jockey Club has dubbed it the “return of jumps racing” and the general curtain-raiser for the 2024/25 Cheltenham calendar. Tickets are set to go on sale imminently for adults, with all under-18s allowed free, ticketless entry to The Showcase.

The Showcase is also unique as it provides a peak behind the curtain into the world of racehorse ownership. There’s a host of experiences for racegoers, including Q&A sessions with some of the greats of National Hunt racing. All of which helps to whet the appetite for the 2024/25 jumps season.

National Hunt trainers dedicate their lives to preparing the finest hurdlers and steeplechasers for owners up and down the country. Being a racehorse owner is a hugely fulfilling pastime, especially when the hard work of training pays off on a race day. It’s easier than some may think to become a racehorse owner. It’s even possible to purchase shares in a racehorse gift voucher, which allows recipients to select the horse they are interested in. Whether it’s to celebrate a birthday or a landmark anniversary, there’s no barrier to entering the world of horseracing these days.

What to expect from The Showcase meeting

Both days of racing have already been pencilled in, according to The Jockey Club’s official website. Friday’s race card features seven compelling races, one of which is a Grade 2 feature race, the Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle. Last time out, the Novices’ Hurdle was landed by Lookaway, trained by Neil King. In addition, the Class 2 Novices’ Steeple Chase and Novices’ Hurdle Race were both landed by thoroughbreds trained by Gavin Cromwell, who enjoyed a stunning start to the 2023/24 jumps season.

On Saturday, the second and final day of The Showcase meeting, the EPIC Jumps Season at the William Hill Handicap Steeple Chase is the feature race. In 2023/24, this race was comfortably won by Henry De Bromhead’s Whacker Clan. Meanwhile two-time Cheltenham Festival winner, Flooring Porter, also made a triumphant return to the circuit to win the William Hill Lengthen Your Odds Novices’ Steeple Chase. There’ll likely be more seasoned festival runners entered into this year’s Showcase meeting.

If you want to be notified when tickets formally go on sale, it’s best to sign up for The Jockey Club newsletter, which alerts all subscribers to early-bird windows and potential ticket discounts in advance.

Any readers thinking of making use of The Showcase as an opportunity to celebrate a special occasion should note that hospitality packages will soon be made available for October. Private boxes are available for most race meetings at Cheltenham, catering for a minimum of ten guests per box. With a four-course meal, as well as an additional afternoon tea and private bar facility, not to mention your own official betting services, it’s as VIP as it gets for racehorse-goers at Cheltenham.