Cheltenham Racecourse will open its gates on Friday for the first card of the 2026-27 campaign. This follows extensive work on the track's drainage system after a significant hole was found in the racing surface on Trials day in late January.
The Jockey Club, which owns the course, cancelled the mid-April meeting and the hunter-chase card in May to allow sufficient time for remedial work. More than a kilometre of drainage has since been replaced or upgraded, and ground-penetrating radar showed no additional concerns on the Old and New courses.
Jon Pullin, Cheltenham’s clerk of the course, stated on Monday that the track has responded well to the drainage works completed over the summer. He added that the decision to cancel the last three race days of last season was the correct one to maximise work time and ground recovery.
However, Cheltenham has already had to abandon the cross-country race at the November meeting due to firm ground. Clerk of the course Jon Pullin confirmed that watering has stopped due to an unsettled forecast, with 8mm of rain received overnight Sunday into Monday and more expected.