Safety Limits for Cheltenham

Festival race times, TV coverage, max field sizes, declarations info
MAR 7
Posted by Steeplechasing
THE FESTIVAL 2012

NB Races in bold have 48 hours declaration stage – remainder, 24 hours.

Champion Day – Tuesday, March 13, 2012 (Old Course)

Distance Prize Money TV Max Decs
1.30 William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade One) 2m 110y £100,000 C4/RUK
24

24 hr
2.05 Racing Post Arkle Chase (Grade One) 2m £130,000 C4/RUK
20

24 hr
2.40 JLT Specialty Chase (Handicap) Grade Three) 3m 110y £75,000 C4/RUK
24

24 hr
3.20 Stan James Champion Hurdle (Grade One) 2m 110y £370,000 C4/RUK
28

48 hr
4.00 Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase (Handicap) 3m 7f £40,000 C4/RUK
16

24 hr
4.40 OLBG Mares’ Hurdle (for the David Nicholson Trophy) (Grade Two) 2m 4f £70,000 RUK
24

24 hr
5.15 Pulteney Land Investments Novices’ Handicap Chase (Listed) 2m 4f 110y
Total

£50,000
£835,000

RUK
20

24 hr
Ladies Day – Wednesday, March 14, 2012 (Old Course)

Distance Prize Money TV Max Decs
1.30 Diamond Jubilee National Hunt Chase (Amateurs) 4m £75,000 C4/RUK
20

24 hr
2.05 Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle (Grade One) 2m 5f £100,000 C4/RUK
24

24 hr
2.40 RSA Chase (Grade One) 3m 110y £130,000 C4/RUK
20

24 hr
3.20 sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade One) 2m £320,000 C4/RUK
24

48 hr
4.00 Coral Cup (Handicap Hurdle) (Grade Three) 2m 5f £70,000 C4/RUK
28

24 hr
4.40 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade Three) 2m 110y £60,000 RUK
24

24 hr
5.15 Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade One) 2m 110y
Total

£55,000
£810,000

RUK
24

24 hr
St Patrick’s Thursday – Thursday, March 15, 2012 (New Course)

Distance Prize Money TV Max Decs
1.30 Jewson Novices’ Chase (Grade Two) 2m 4f £90,000 C4/RUK
20

24 hr
2.05 Pertemps Final (Handicap Hurdle) (Listed) 3m £70,000 C4/RUK
24

24 hr
2.40 Ryanair Chase (Grade One) 2m 5f £260,000 C4/RUK
24

48 hr
3.20 Ladbrokes World Hurdle (Grade One) 3m £260,000 C4/RUK
24

48 hr
4.00 Byrne Group Plate (Handicap Chase) (Grade Three) 2m 5f £75,000 C4/RUK
24

24 hr
4.40 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Amateurs) 3m 1f 110y £50,000 RUK
24

24 hr
5.15 St Patrick’s Derby (Charity Race) 1m 5f
Total

-
£805,000

RUK
Gold Cup Day – Friday, March 16, 2012 (New Course)

Distance Prize Money TV Max Decs
1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade One) 2m 1f £100,000 C4/RUK
24

24 hr
2.05 Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle (Grade Three) 2m 1f £70,000 C4/RUK
28

24 hr
2.40 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade One) 3m £100,000 C4/RUK
20

24 hr
3.20 Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup (Chase) (Grade One) 3m 2f 110y £500,000 C4/RUK
24

48 hr
4.00 Christie’s Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup (Amateurs) 3m 2f 110y £35,000 C4/RUK
24

24 hr
4.40 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f 110y £45,000 RUK
24

24 hr
5.15 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase (Handicap) (Grade Three) 2m 110y
Total

£75,000
£925,000

RUK
24

24 hr
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY 2012 – £3,375,000 (average of £125,000 per race)

That's great. Thanks.

If more than 24 want to go in the bumper, how do they work out who gets in or is it just luck of the draw?

ELIMINATION PROCEDURE - SEE PART D OF SCHEDULE (F)8.

Part D

4.1 Part D of this Schedule applies to all pattern and Listed Races and Conditions Stakes races other than Handicaps.
4.2 Elimination will occur in the following sequence

4.2.1 Horses which, in the opinion of the Handicapper, have the lowest Handicap Rating or, if they do not qualify for an official rating under these Rules, have the lowest assessment made by the Authority's Handicapper based on races run up to and including the day before that on which entries closed or, in races which closed more than 6 days before running, up to and including the day before the time determined in accordance with Part 6 for confirming entries.
4.2.2 Random balloting will apply where horses have identical Handicap Ratings or assessments.

4.3 Horses which have not run will be eliminated first by random ballot.
4.4 In order for the Handicapper to take account of performances outside Great Britain and Ireland, Trainers of horses trained outside Great Britain and Ireland are advised to notify the Handicapper 10 days in advance of the entry of the intention to make such an entry. Failure to do so may result in such horses being eliminated first by random ballot. The Handicapper's decision to allot a rating or give an assessment when the above notification has not been fulfilled shall be final.