The Festival: Record crowd numbers for Ladies Day at Cheltenham

A new record crowd of 58,932 for the second day of The Festival (since the meeting went to four days in 2005) attended Ladies Day at Cheltenham today.

This was 1,251 more racegoers than the previous record, 57,681, seen last year.
 
The 2016 attendance came to 57,093, up 1,734 on the 55,359-strong crowd in 2015.
 
Yesterday's crowd of 66,109 was the second highest-ever on the opening day of The Festival.
 
Ian Renton, Regional Director of The Jockey Club South West, commented: "Ladies Day has really developed over the last few years and it is very pleasing to have a new record attendance.
 
"The racing has been superb again, with the Irish dominating except in the in feature Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase in which Altior once again showed his tremendous class at The Festival.
 
"We look forward to the final two days of The Festival when the action switches to the New Course.
 
"Those who have not booked tickets for tomorrow can turn up on the day and purchase them at the gates, though Gold Cup Day on Friday is sold out and will be attended by 70,000 racegoers."