The oldest race at one of the most famous horse riding festivals in the world is being renamed in honour of the Princess Royal.
The National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival will now be known as The Princess Royal Hunt Chase.
It will be run on day one of this year’s event, March 11, also known as Champion Day.
The chase, which is the oldest staged contest at the world famous jump racing event, has been temporarily named in honour of others in the past but will get its new, permanent name from this year.
As the new name was announced, the CEO of Cheltenham Racecourse, Guy Lavender, said ”it is a tremendous privilege for us to announce that the National Hunt Chase will now honour HRH The Princess Royal in its title. As an outstanding all-round equestrian, it is appropriate that The Princess Royal will be associated with such an historic contest – one which goes right back to the establishment of organised jump racing.”
Princess Anne enjoyed a long career in equestrianism, winning individual gold at the European Eventing Championship in 1971 and taking part in the Montreal Olympics in 1976. She has also ridden as an amateur jockey. The Princess’s association with equestrian charities is well known as is her patronage of Riding for the Disabled.
The Princess Royal is a regular visitor to Cheltenham – and not just for its most famous festival. However, she usually attends most or all days of the famous March meeting and will be expected there when it gets under way. Her daughter, Zara Tindall, is also a well known supporter of the event.
The National Hunt Chase was first run at Cheltenham in 1904 but became a permanent part of its then brand new festival in 1911.
In 2012, the National Hunt Chase was temporarily renamed to honour the Diamond Jubilee of Princess Anne’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
in 1980, the Princess Royal’s grandmother, another keen horse racing fan, got a special present for her 80th birthday when a race at Cheltenham was permanently renamed the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
