Former MCC boss Guy Lavender to become new Cheltenham chief executive in 2025

Guy Lavender will swap the home of cricket for the home of jump racing as the former MCC chief executive has been appointed the new chief executive at Cheltenham.

The Jockey Club announced Lavender would succeed Ian Renton, who in October said he would leave the role after 11 years to take up a senior position within the Jockey Club, which owns Cheltenham.

Lavender, who has experience in racing having been on the committee at Exeter, will start in early 2025, initially alongside Renton to organise preparations for next year's Cheltenham Festival. It is expected Lavender will be solely in charge for the track's biggest four days in March, with Renton taking up an advisory role.

A former Lieutenant Colonel in the Army's parachute regiment for 18 years, Lavender was London 2012's director for the South-West region and continued his involvement within West Country sport as chief executive for Somerset County Cricket for six years. He left to join the MCC, which owns Lord's Cricket Ground.

The 57-year-old joins at a challenging time for Cheltenham, with the festival crowd in March down 52,000 from the total recorded across the four days in 2022. The competitiveness of races has also come scrutiny and Renton said there were "bound to be changes" to the programme when announcing a review in April.

Lavender said: "I'm absolutely delighted to have been appointed as the next CEO of Cheltenham and very much look forward to playing my part in the long-term success of the racecourse and the festival.

"There's an excellent platform to build upon and while there will be much to learn I have a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities in racing through my tenure on the committee at Exeter racecourse.

"Cheltenham is a great British sporting institution, and I'm determined to ensure it goes from strength to strength."

Cheltenham Festival: changes are expected to the programmeCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The announcement was welcomed by racecourse chairman Martin St Quinton, who highlighted Lavender as a "candidate who really stood out" due to his experience within high-level sport. The Jockey Club's departing chief executive Nevin Truesdale also said he was "thrilled" by the appointment.

Truesdale added: "Guy's deep and wide-ranging experience in sports events and administration will prove invaluable in his new role and should also ensure the continued advancement of the home of jump racing and the Cheltenham Festival.

"Ian Renton has overseen a period of huge change at Cheltenham following the 2014-15 redevelopment, which he led, and we look forward to his continued contribution as he and Guy manage a smooth leadership transition at the beginning of 2025."

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