Tony McCoy slams five-day Cheltenham idea as 'the worst thing that racing could ever do'

Horse racing legend AP McCoy has slammed Jockey Club proposals to extend the four-day Cheltenham Festival to a fifth day. The record-breaking former jockey said that the plans would make the legendary festival uncompetitive and unsafe.

In a no-holds barred interview with SkySports, McCoy called the four-day festival "diluted" and a five-day festival "the worst thing that racing could ever do". After complaining that some jockeys spend more on their victory parties than they receive in winnings, the 20-time Champion Jockey asked: "Cheltenham is meant to be the best prize money, the best horses, the most competitive, is it?"

Jockey Club management announced Friday, April 15, that they were beginning a formal consultation with owners and trainers over adding a fifth day to its March race meet, which this year saw larger crowds than ever flock to the Prestbury Racecourse.

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Though this would draw in more ticket sales for the Jockey Club, McCoy said that, with all the races already at the site, "if they're going to have five days, there isn't going to be enough horses."

Cheltenham Festival ,for most of its history as the pinnacle of the racing calendar, was a three-day event. In 2005, this was expanded to be over four days and speculation around a five-day festival has been floated ever since.

Five day events are rare in horse racing, with only Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood currently hosting such long events. A poll conducted by Racing Post during this year's Cheltenham Festival showed that 93 per cent of respondents disagreed with the idea.

"I used to love when it was three days, it was so hard to win. My first festival was '95, my first