THE TRADITIONAL curtain raiser to the Cheltenham Festival at Warwick Racecourse will for the second year running support the work of the Air Ambulance Service.
Air Ambulance Countryside Day is themed around all things outdoors, and takes place just 48-hours before tapes rise on day one of the much-hyped Cheltenham Festival – national hunt racing’s biggest event worldwide.
Taking place on Sunday, March 12, the Air Ambulance Service is hosting its popular Cheltenham Preview in the Paddock Pavilion with former Grand National winning jockey Jason Maguire and trainer Dan Skelton on the panel.
They will be joined by Tom Earl from 188Bet and broadcasters Lee McKenzie and Paul Jacobs who are hosting the panel.
Along with the six races on the programme, the themed day will also include entertainment ranging from pony rides, stilts walkers, falcons, ferret racing and the chance to meet shire horses in the paddock.
Andre Klein, general manager at Warwick Racecourse, said: “Warwick’s reputation as a strong proving ground for The Festival is well known across the industry and the Air Ambulance Countryside Day serves as a great warm-up to Cheltenham.
“We’re delighted to be supporting the Air Ambulance Service with this raceday for the second year and the charity has organised a fantastic Cheltenham Preview which is proving to be hugely popular.
“We’ve developed a strong relationship with the charity and Izzy Cowper from our team will be running the London Marathon to raise funds for the organisation in April.
“We hope the raceday will serve as a good opportunity to spread awareness of the fantastic work the Air Ambulance Service does and also be a great day’s racing.”
Tracy Grunwell, fundraising manager for the Air Ambulance, said: “We’re thrilled to be hosting our second Cheltenham Preview with Warwick Racecourse and we’ve already had a fantastic take up for the event.
“Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance have attended more than 500 incidents involving horses over the last four years, so is a hugely important service for the equestrian world.
“We’ve had some very generous donations for an auction we’ll be holding on the day, so it promises to be a great occasion.”
Tickets to the Cheltenham Preview cost £75 per person – and includes prime racing viewing, drinks reception, a two-course lunch and a tipster session.
Email [email protected] or call 07825 634103 to book your ticket.
Gates for the raceday open at 12.20pm with the first race starting at 2.20pm and the last at 5.30pm.
