Cheltenham announce Conditionals' feature
Promising young jump jockeys have been handed a great opportunity to display their talents on totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup day.
A new race, the Conditionals’ Hurdle, a handicap over an extended two and a half miles, will be added to the blue-riband card for the first time in March.
Cheltenham’s director of racing Simon Claisse said: “We have long held the view that a race for the potential champion jockeys of the future would be a great addition to the Festival and a handicap for conditional jockeys was one of the races that was under close consideration when we first extended the meeting to four days.
“This will also be an opportunity for some of the large number of horses which are eliminated from the Coral Cup each year to have a run at the Festival.”
Other changes to the 2009 Festival, being staged from March 10 to 13, include a first-race time of 1.30pm each day and the feature on all four days being the fourth race with a 3.20pm start.
