Mcb777 CasinoRacing Podcast Special: Reaction following confirmed changes to Cheltenham Festival
- first live on Wednesday - in which the team look ahead to the upcoming action at Newmarket among other hot topics.

You can listen to the Cheltenham Festival reaction special or using the links below.

Six key Cheltenham Festival changes

  • The 2m 4f Turners (Golden Miller) Novices’ Chase will be replaced by a Grade 2 Limited Novice Handicap Chase over the same distance.
  • The National Hunt Chase will become a Class 2 Novice Handicap Chase (0-145), with amateur rider restrictions for jockeys removed to allow professionals to take part.
  • The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase will be changed from a conditions race to a Limited Handicap.
  • The race conditions for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices Hurdle will be changed to remove the penalty structure, resulting in a level weights contest.
  • From 2023 any horse finishing in the first four of a qualifying race for the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle has been eligible for the race at The Festival. From 2025 the race conditions will be altered to provide a guaranteed run in the Pertemps Final for all winners of series qualifiers (provided they are within the weights at declaration stage).
  • Currently horses must have run at least three times (chases) or four times (hurdles) to be eligible to run in non-novice handicaps at The Festival. From 2025, this will be increased to four chase and five hurdle runs.

WATCH: Reaction to Cheltenham Festival changes

WATCH: Big Weekend at HQ

More from Sporting Life

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at and .