Cheltenham Racecourse welcomed a record crowd of more than 44,000 as its New Year's Day fixture sold out for the first time.

The track's seven-race card attracted a total attendance of 44,151, surpassing the previous best New Year's Day crowd of 38,374 set in 2023.

It is also higher than the 41,949 people the course attracted for the Wednesday of the Cheltenham Festival in 2025.

The Cheltenham Festival is the only meeting where the track can reach maximum capacity as temporary structures are built to increase its facilities.

The Relkeel Hurdle was the standout race on Thursday's card, with favourite Kabral Du Mathan, ridden by Harry Skelton, beating Jingko Blue by five-and-a-half lengths.

"New Year's Day is a meeting that has seen huge growth in recent years and, while capacity is significantly reduced compared to March due to the absence of the full-scale village, reaching that ceiling is a fantastic achievement," said Cheltenham's chief executive, Guy Lavender.

"It's wonderful to start the year on such a positive note with over 5,000 children on site alongside thousands of young people, members of the local community and our loyal racing fans.

"This meeting caps off a brilliant Christmas period for racing and we hope sets the tone for a positive 2026."