Farewell Cheltenham Festival ... means hello Goodwood!

The Chelltenham Festival is over - and that means the flat racing season is round the corner. And Goodwood racecourse bosses say they can’t wait to begin their first full and proper season in front of crowds since 2019.
By Steve Bone
Published 19th Mar 2022, 09:00 BST
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The Covid pandemic and its various lockdowns and restrictions forced them to run their whole 2020 season behind closed doors and start 2021 in the same way.

Only days before last year’s Glorious week were they able to confirm they could have full houses for festival week. But in 2022, unless anything untoward happens, all 19 fixtures can be held without any restrictions on crowd sizes – including a July festival week they say should be a classic.

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Goodwood’s season of flat racing begins six weeks tomorrow, on Friday, April 29, with racing also being staged the next day.

A 'normal' year at Goodwood is hotly anticipated / Picture: Malcolm WellsA 'normal' year at Goodwood is hotly anticipated / Picture: Malcolm Wells
A 'normal' year at Goodwood is hotly anticipated / Picture: Malcolm Wells

Two May meetings follow, then it’s the Three Friday nights of racing and DJ sets (one of which, on June 3, falls on the Queen’s platinum jubilee extra bank holiday), a Sunday family day – then everything points to Glorious, running from July 26 to 30.

Get your tickets early for Goodwood.

After that there’s a three-day August holiday weekend festival and three autumn fixtures. Goodwood’s managing director of events, Adam Waterworth, said: “It will be our first full, normal year for three years and we can’t wait for it to start.

“In 2020 we didn’t have any crowds, then last year we started behind closed doors and the uncertainty over what would be allowed continued for much of the season.

Magnolia Cup nets stunning amount for charity.

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“Many people were still nervous about large events last summer, too, but we really hope this year will see Goodwood in all its glory, with some big, sold-out days and other large crowds in prospect.”

Waterworth said the site was looking in good condition, and the racetrack nice and green now spring was here.

He said ticket sales had been encouraging. “They’ve been really strong – it seems people are keen to get back to racing,” he added.

As ever, Glorious week is the centrepiece – and the return of Goodwood Cup hero Stradivarius may well be the story of the year. The four-time winner of the big race was withdrawn because of soft ground but is pencilled in for a return this year in what could even be his final race.

“It will be wonderful to see Stradivarius here if he comes,” said Waterworth. “And can you imagine the roar if he gets his fifth win!?”

Related topics:GoodwoodQueen