Kim Bailey: it was very noticeable crowds were down - Cheltenham has to seriously look at where it's going

Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Kim Bailey has become the latest to question the quality of the customer experience at the meeting, where attendance fell by more than 10,000 this year.

Fewer people attended the first three days than in 2023, with the 46,771 present on Wednesday a notable drop on 50,387 from 12 months previously and 64,431 in 2022.

"I felt the crowds were very down," said Bailey, who won the Ultima Handicap Chase with Chianti Classico on Tuesday. "It was very noticeable looking down from the stands on Wednesday, it looked like the Open or New Year's Day. Cheltenham have to look very seriously at where they're going to go with it."

Bailey, who did the Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double with Alderbrook and Master Oats in 1995, echoed concerns over prices and muddy car parks which were raised by racegoers in the Racing Post on Saturday.

He said: "When my assistant Mat Nicholls left on Friday night he stopped by a burger van and paid £20 or £21 for two burgers," said the trainer. "If you were a general punter, you wouldn't go back.

Kim Bailey (fourth from left) and connections of Chianti Classico after the UltimaCredit: GROSSICK RACING

"I had an owner of mine who got his car stuck. Having paid £20, he was then charged £30 to be pulled out, which is an absolute disgrace. When he asked to go and park on hardcore the following day, they said, 'I suggest you upgrade next year.' That attitude was not great.

"The more negative reports that come out, the more people are going to turn round and say they'll stay at home or watch it in the pub."

Chianti Classico was Britain's only winner at Cheltenham on Tuesday, but his trainer believes that reports of Irish dominance at the meeting have been overplayed.

The home team ended up with nine festival victories and Bailey said: "If Nicky Henderson had run his decent horses it would have been a completely different ball game.

"It showed how much we miss him and his horses. Not to have Constitution Hill was a real blow to the Champion Hurdle and the whole week, and horses like Shishkin, Jonbon and Sir Gino not turning up was an absolute disaster. He could have had three or four winners and then everyone would be saying, 'Where's the dominance gone?'"

Chianti Classico was hailed by jockey David Bass as a Grand National contender of the future after last week's success.

"He's a National type of horse," said Bailey. "He's such a good jumper and it was a proper performance. We've no plans as of yet, I want to see how he comes out of the race."

Stablemate Trelawne fell at the second fence and his trainer said: "That was a bit of a fright but I think he'll be okay. He's got some stitches in his front joint, where he cut it, and it's been flushed out.

"He won't run again this season but he's a very nice horse and his form was franked all the way through the week."

Read these next . . . 

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'We're not being complacent' insists Jockey Club chief after total Cheltenham Festival attendance drops by 11,000 

'He's on springs' - Chianti Classico gets Britain on the board and inspires Grand National hopes 

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