Cheltenham Racecourse launches new 'Favourite' Membership ahead of the National Hunt season

​There is something wonderfully optimistic about this time of year. The summer still has a quite a lot of warmth left in it according to the forecasts, yet the mind has already wandered to crisp October mornings and the first sight of horses cantering to post in the shadows of Cleeve Hill and that unmistakable sense that another National Hunt season is stirring into life.

The Showcase Meeting has always been the curtain-raiser, the first chapter of a story that stretches through winter, reaching its crescendo in March and leaving us counting the days until the next year's Festival to begin again. For those who want to be there every step of the way, Cheltenham Racecourse has unveiled a new way of belonging with the launch of its Favourite Membership.

Designed for racegoers who measure the passing of the winter months not by calendars but by fixtures at Prestbury Park, the new membership offers admission to every one of Cheltenham's 16 racedays, placing members at the heart of the action from the opening roar of The Showcase to the final flagfall of the spring.

It is a package that balances tradition with thoughtful modern touches. Every member receives a classic metal badge and membership card, the sort of keepsake that still carries a quiet sense of pride , alongside access to the Members Marquee and the ever-popular Istabraq Bar, giving familiar places to gather between races and debate fortunes won and lost over a Guinnes or two.

The benefits continue away from the track too. Members receive reciprocal racedays at racecourses across the country, free admission to the ever-popular Official Festival Preview, digital editions of the Season Ahead and Festival Preview magazines, discounts in the racecourse gift shop, reduced prices on selected admission tickets for friends and family, complimentary parking at most fixtures and savings on Festival and November Saturday parking. Outside the Festival and November Saturday, Favourite Members can also enjoy exclusive access to the Central Grandstand seating, offering one of the finest vantage points from which to watch the action unfold.

There is also a calendar of exclusive events included and created to bring members together throughout the year, from a Royal Ascot Parade Ring Picnic beneath the big screen, to a Christmas Racing Film Night celebrating some of the sport's most cherished stories, an invitation to the Official Festival Preview, and a supporters' day trip to Aintree's outstanding Thursday card during Grand National week. 

This new membership provides incredible value for money, securing you access in the heart of the action within the Club Enclosure. And as the countdown to The Showcase gathers pace and another National Hunt campaign edges ever closer, the membership feels aptly named. For those whose favourite place is beside the running rail, whose favourite sound is the Cheltenham Roar before the tapes go up in March and whose favourite season is almost upon us, it could prove to be exactly that.

Enjoy access to all 16 racedays and save OVER 50% compared to booking individually.
Adult: £379
Concession: £245

www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/membership-and-offers/annual/the-favourite-membership

In partnership with Cheltenham Racecourse and The Jockey Club
www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham