Frederick Cathcart (1859–1934) was a British

impresario An impresario (from the Italian ''impresa'', "an enterprise or undertaking") is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays, or operas, performing a role in stage arts that is similar to that of a film or television producer. His ...

, who was the

Clerk of the Course A clerk of the course is an official in various types of racing. Horse racing In horse racing, the clerk of the course is the person responsible for track management and raceday preparation at a racecourse. Important tasks of the role include: ...

and Chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse from 1908 to 1934. He was responsible for the development of Cheltenham as the world headquarters of

National Hunt In horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Republic of Ireland, National Hunt racing requires horses to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is informally known as "jumps" and is divided into two major distinct branches: ...

racing, establishing the

Cheltenham Festival The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National. The four-day festival takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Ra ...

as the leading National Hunt event in the racing calendar, and for instigating two of its major races – the

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs (3 ...

and the Champion Hurdle. In 1999, industry paper the Racing Post named him at number 11 in the list of ''100 Makers of 20th Century Racing''. He was born in 1859, the son of a professional comedian. He joined

racecourse A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also use ...

management firm Pratt & Co in 1895 and progressed to be senior partner. In 1911 he gave the National Hunt Meeting (the precursor to the Cheltenham Festival) a permanent home at Cheltenham and set about expanding it. Under his leadership, the inaugural runnings of the

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs (3 ...

(1924) and Champion Hurdle (1927) were held. On his death, one obituary read, "He was indefatigable in his efforts to increase the popularity and public appeal of the race meetings with which he was associated . . . Much of the success of the 'chasing at Cheltenham was due to Mr Cathcart's energy and enterprise." The

Cathcart Challenge Cup The Cathcart Challenge Cup was a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which was open to horses aged five years or older. It was run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs (4,225 metres), and duri ...

(later replaced by the

Ryanair Chase The Ryanair Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 4½ furlongs ...

) at the Cheltenham Festival meeting was named in his honour.

References

1859 births 1934 deaths Place of birth missing British businesspeople {{UK-horseracing-bio-stub