Students Experience Horse Racing at Cheltenham

Three hundred school children received an introduction to the sport of horse racing, guided by two prominent figures in the field. Cheltenham Racecourse welcomed these pupils in advance of the November Meeting, a significant event in the racing calendar scheduled from Friday to Sunday. The pupils traversed the track, escorted by active and retired jockeys, notably Grand National winner Daryl Jacob and Gold Cup winner Mick Fitzgerald. Rosie, a student from Saint John’s Primary School in Cheltenham, expressed that she would “come back to the racecourse everyday” if possible, further describing the experience as “just so magical.” The children were afforded the opportunity to view the renowned Gold Cup closely and offered carrots to a retired racehorse. Jockey Daryl Jacobs, who recently marked 1,000 career victories, with 50 of those occurring at Cheltenham Racecourse, recounted tales to the children, stating, “there is no feeling in the world like winning at Cheltenham”. Mr Jacobs noted his pleasure in observing the children’s “engagement and enthusiasm”. Year 5 students from local institutions participated, including Oakwood, Dunalley, Saint John’s, Swindon Village, Woodmancote, Gloucester, and Hester Way primary schools. Frank, also from Saint John’s, commented: “The best thing was learning about how many bones they [the jockeys] have broken, they don’t care about their bones, they just care about having fun.” Andre Klein, the Assistant general manager at Cheltenham Racecourse, characterized the event as primarily focused on “all about engaging younger fans in racing” and fostering an “appreciation of the sport”. Mr Klein expressed a personal wish for having had comparable opportunities during his own school years, remarking, “If anyone had turned around to me and said ‘you can come and walk around a race track on a Monday morning’, I would have jumped at it and that is exactly what the kids have done.” He further emphasized, “It’s absolutely about engaging fans but, even if they don’t become fans, having an appreciation for the sport, is just as important.” For further updates, BBC Gloucestershire can be followed on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas are welcomed via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not assume responsibility for the content of external websites. Details on its approach to external linking are available.