Help ‘Cheltenham’ charity single top the music charts
A host of racing names have come together to record a charity single to raise funds for the Bob Champion Cancer Trust, Racing Welfare, Riding for the Disabled and the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Ireland.
The brainchild of Richard Gurney, point-to-point trainer and joint-master of the Old Surrey Burstow and West Kent, the single, titled ‘Cheltenham’, is now available to download from iTunes. It is performed to the tune of Petula Clark’s 1964 hit Downtown.
“I left the Festival last year and thought I’d like to give the crowd something to sing about,” Richard told H&H. “Other sports have released songs, but never racing. It’s just a bit of fun to make people smile.”
Sixty famous faces including champion jockey AP McCoy, champion trainer Paul Nicholls and Kauto Star’s owner Clive Smith recorded the chorus, while singer Laura Critchley is the lead vocalist.
“It was great fun, I never imagined I would be involved in the release of a single,” said former jockey Mick Fitzgerald.
Richard, who had never written song lyrics before added:“I jotted down some words and called Tony Hatch, who said, unbelievably, it was actually quite good,” he said.
Tony Hatch, who wrote the orginal “Downtown” added: “I am very happy to support this venture, and having now heard the lead vocal I think it is excellent.”
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
The song’s video has been viewed more than 17,000 times on YouTube.
“We only need about 50,000 sales to get to number one, it’s frightening — we could really do it,” added Richard.
Download Cheltenham for 99P from iTunes. The CD single will be available from 15 March.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.