Cheltenham announces new race for festival

Officials at Cheltenham have announced the introduction of the new Jewson Novices’ Chase at next year’s Cheltenham Festival.

The two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two will be run as the first race on day three of the meeting and gives leading novice chasers an additional middle-distance opportunity between the two-mile Arkle Trophy and the extended three-mile RSA Chase.

Jewson previously sponsored a novices’ handicap chase that was run in the same Thursday slot, but that will now be moved to the opening day on Tuesday and be run as the Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Cheltenham director of racing, Simon Claisse, commented: “We have always maintained that we would extend the number of races at the Festival if the right contest could be identified which would not diminish the overall quality of the meeting, and would get the support of trainers, owners and breeders.

“A weight-for-age novices’ chase over two and a half miles has been at the top of the list for some time and we have agreed with the British Horseracing Authority that it will be introduced in 2011.

“An additional race at the Festival is good news for the industry.

“It gives another winning opportunity for jockeys, trainers, owners and stable staff; it gives our customers at Cheltenham better value and it is bound to produce more betting turnover, which means more Levy.”