Cheltenham Racecourse announces today that this year's National
Hunt Chase will be run in honour of the late Terry Biddlecombe. The four-mile
contest takes place on Champion Day at The Festival, Tuesday, March 11.
Terry
Biddlecombe died on January 5 this year at the age of 72. Gloucester-born
Biddlecombe had a huge impact on Jump racing both as a leading jockey in the
1960s and 1970s and latterly working in partnership with his wife, the trainer
Henrietta Knight. His memorial takes place today at Cheltenham Racecourse.
As a
jockey Biddlecombe enjoyed nine winners at The Festival, headed by the Fred
Rimell-trained Woodland Venture in the 1967 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was also
champion Jump jockey on three occasions - 1964/65, 1965/66 and 1968/69 (jointly
with Bob Davies).
He
recorded his first winner at Wincanton on Burnella in March, 1958 and enjoyed
his final victory at the same course on Finmoss in March, 1974. In total, he
rode 908 winners over 17 seasons between 1958 and 1974, with the bulk of his
big-race successes coming on horses trained by Fred Rimell. His final day in
the saddle came at Cheltenham in 1974.
Following
his retirement as a jockey, Biddlecombe worked as a broadcaster and spent time
in Australia before returning to Britain. He met Henrietta Knight at Malvern
Sales in 1992 and the couple subsequently married in 1995. Together, they
formed a formidable partnership and went on to make West Lockinge Farm in
Oxfordshire one of the leading Jump yards in the country.
The
pair enjoyed phenomenal success at The Festival, with their seven winners
headed by Best Mate, who became the first horse since Arkle to win the
Cheltenham Gold Cup three times when successful in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Another
highlight was the thrilling victory of Edredon Bleu in the 2000 Queen Mother
Champion Chase, when a new course record time was set.
Henrietta
Knight commented: "It is a great honour that Cheltenham is naming the
National Hunt Chase after Terry this year.
"He
would have been very touched. Cheltenham always was his favourite racecourse.
"I
would just like to thank everyone involved for making this possible."
Ian
Renton, Regional Director of the South West region of The Jockey Club, added:
"Terry always loved Cheltenham and I'm sure had many happy memories from
the course, both during his riding career and the years when he and Henrietta
were training.
"We
all remember the mighty Best Mate but some of the older racing fraternity will
also remember his Gold Cup win on Woodland Venture in the 60s. It is only
fitting therefore, that he is remembered at this year's Festival."
The
four-mile National Hunt Chase is the longest race run at The Festival. The
distance was reduced in distance by a furlong in 2008 and reverted back to the
Old Course. The 2008 renewal was run as the Peter O'Sullevan National Hunt
Chase to celebrate the legendary commentator's 90th birthday and in 2012
honoured the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Last year's race remembered
the late Lord John Oaksey, the leading amateur rider, journalist, broadcaster
and founder of the Injured Jockeys' Fund. Terry Biddlecombe's name will also be
carried for one year.
First
staged in 1860, the National Hunt Chase has been run more times - 143 - than
any other race at The Festival. Until the 1930s, only the Grand National was
more important than the National Hunt Chase in the Jump calendar. The race had
been run at a number of venues until it became a part of the new two-day
National Hunt Festival at Cheltenham in 1911. It had also been run at
Cheltenham in 1904 and 1905.
Terry
Biddlecombe - winners at The Festival as a jockey (9)
Sky Bet
Supreme Novices' Hurdle
1971
Persian Majesty
1969
Normandy
1963
Honour Bound
Racing
Post Arkle Chase
1969
Chatham
Festival
Handicap Chase
1964
Prudent Barney
JCB
Triumph Hurdle
1969
Coral Diver
Betfred
Cheltenham Gold Cup
1967
Woodland Venture
George
Duller Handicap Hurdle
1965
Coral Cluster
Spa
Hurdle
1966
Trelawny
Henrietta
Knight - winners at The Festival as a trainer (7)
Ladbrokes
World Hurdle
1997
Karshi
Johnny
Henderson Grand Annual
1998
Edredon Bleu
BetVictor
Queen Mother Champion Chase
2000
Edredon Bleu
RSA
Chase
2000
Lord Noelie
Betfred
Cheltenham Gold Cup
2002
Best Mate
2003
Best Mate
2004
Best Mate
About
The Festival
The
Festival runs from Tuesday, March 11 to Friday, March 14 inclusive and is the
embodiment of everything that is great about Cheltenham. It is four days of
atmosphere, anticipation and action, played out on a beautiful sporting arena
that has no equal. The Festival features the best and the bravest horses and
jockeys, nervous and excited trainers and owners, and a wide cast of human
characters who come together every year determined to have the time of their
lives. For racing's practitioners, Festival glory provides lifelong memories
that will never fade and defines careers. Witness the sheer elation of winning
connections as they return to the cheers of the crowd and you are seeing dreams
fulfilled and years of planning and effort coming to fruition. The Festival is
one of those rare events that engages everyone who comes into contact with it,
never failing to produce award-winning drama, enjoyment, camaraderie and
sporting excellence in a cocktail for which no hangover cure is required. It
truly is a life affirming four days.
About
Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham
Racecourse is situated in Prestbury on the outskirts of the historic spa town
of Cheltenham. The Home of Jump Racing, Cheltenham Racecourse is the venue for
the world's pre-eminent Jump Racing meeting, The Festival, which takes place in
March every year. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cotswolds,
Cheltenham Racecourse is a stunning natural amphitheatre and offers the
highest-quality action throughout the Jump season. Cheltenham has been voted
Britain's Racecourse of the Year for the last 10 years by members of the
Racegoers Club. Please find more details at www.cheltenham.co.uk and through Twitter
(@CheltenhamRaces) and Facebook www.facebook.com/thehomeofjumpracing
Cheltenham
Racecourse is part of The Jockey Club, which has been at the heart of British
racing for more than 260 years. Today the largest commercial group in the
sport, The Jockey Club runs the largest racecourse group in the UK by turnover
(2012: £142.1m), courses (15) including those at Aintree, Cheltenham, Epsom
Downs and Newmarket, attendances (2012: 1.8m), total prize money (2012:
£35.3m), contribution to prize money (2012: £16.5m) and quality racing (Group
and Graded races); more than 3,000 acres of world-class training grounds in
Newmarket and Lambourn; The National Stud breeding enterprise and education
provider; and the charity for racing's people in need, Racing Welfare. Governed
by Royal Charter, every penny The Jockey Club makes it puts back into British
racing. More information is available at www.thejockeyclub.co.uk
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