The Jockey Club has appealed to a younger generation of fans ahead of the Cheltenham Festival after debuting a remixed anthem for its flagship event.
Club artist and producer DJ Cuddles has helped to create the dance track, reimagining the famous Cheltenham Roar in the form of an 'electronic melody'. And organisers are hoping the new-age sound will help 'inspire a new generation of racegoers' ahead of this year's Festival, which gets underway on Tuesday (March 14).
'Roar-Remix' also features other sounds from race day, including the crowds and cheers of what is routinely one of the biggest crowds in horse racing. Commentary from well-known Cheltenham races can also be heard peppered throughout the tune, which is accompanied by a video of DJ Cuddles working on the track to visuals of famous results.
Fans of the track will have their chance to see it performed live on Day 2 of the Festival (Wednesday, March 15). DJ Cuddles will make an appearance at the Best Mate Pavilion between 3.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m., giving spectators an opportunity to take in some of the day's biggest races to the backdrop of the beat.
“We’ve really enjoyed teaming up with DJ Cuddles to create the ‘Roar-Remix’," said Ian Renton, managing director for the The Jockey Club’s west region. "A dance anthem like no other, which takes the famous Cheltenham Roar from race track to club track.
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“The Roar is widely celebrated among racing fans and now, we want to bring this iconic tradition to the masses. We hope it will encourage new audiences to engage with horseracing, while celebrating our existing fanbase and the institution that Cheltenham Festival has become.”
Cheltenham averages around 65,000 racegoers per day over the course of its titular event, with the maximum capacity capped at 68,500 from this year on. The decision was made to ease pressure on the 'stretched' facilities after Gold Cup Friday attracted just short of 74,000 attendees last year.
Both fans young and old will be eager to take in this year's Gold Cup, where Blackmore is expected to target more success aboard defending champion A Plus Tard. A second successive victory in the race would make Henry De Bromhead's steed just the eighth horse to win the Gold Cup in back-to-back years.
DJ Cuddles' track is already drawing enough interest that bookmaker William Hill has Roar Remix at 3/1 odds of cracking the UK chart's top 10—of 33/1 to make it all the way to No. 1. “We’re not sure the Roar Remix is going to knock Miley Cyrus off top spot, but it’s something fun and fresh and, if the racing fraternity get fully behind it, then it might sneak a Top 10 spot, which we’ve priced at 3/1," said spokesperson Lee Phelps.
Though Cheltenham has no troubles when it comes to attracting widespread attention year-on-year, the song will debut as a symbol of the sport's efforts to keep with the times. And the anthem could just be the key to ensuring the 2023 edition of the 'Roar' is the loudest on record.
