Cheltenham announces prize money increases for coming meetings

Cheltenham has announced significant prize money increases for their meetings for the next three months, including the Festival in March.

As recently announced, race values at Jockey Club Racecourses will have an £8 million injection during 2018 and this includes the home of National Hunt racing.

The increases begin straight away, with prize money on New Year's Day up by 23 per cent to £260,000.

The Festival Trials Day fixture on January 27 has been boosted by £24,000 to reach a total of £354,000, while there is a seven per cent increase in prize money across the four days of the Festival, with every day offering over £1million for the first time as part of a record total of £4,590,000.

Simon Claisse, regional head of racing, Jockey Club Racecourses South West and clerk of the course at Cheltenham, said: "We are delighted to be able to offer increased prize money at Cheltenham over the next three months, with bigger prize funds on all racedays and at all levels of competition.

"We will announce in due course the details of higher prize money for our racedays in April and May and the first part of the 2018/2019 season."

All the Grade One championship contests at the Festival have benefited from the increase.

Prize money for both the Unibet Champion Hurdle and the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase has risen £50,000 to £450,000 and £400,000 respectively.

The Sun Bet Stayers' Hurdle is up to £325,000 from £300,000, while the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup is now worth £625,000 - up from £575,000 - consolidating its position as the richest Grade One chase in Britain.