3rd March 2026 – the Club held its 10th Pre-Cheltenham Festival dinner.  A full house of 95 attended the OXO Tower Restaurant for a sumptuous meal accompanied by delicious wines.

President Terry McCaughey welcomed everyone to our 7th time at the OXO Tower restaurant.  Former President Peter Jensen proposed a toast to former member Sir Johnny Weatherby who passed away on the 19th December last year.  This was followed by a second toast this time by former Hong Kong President and now London member Mike Tibbatts to Guy Watkins, with whom Mike had worked in Hong Kong for over 10 years. But as members pass, new members join and so it was that new member Mark Tracey was presented with his CCL tie.  Welcome Mark and we look forward to seeing you at our future events.

Nick Luck our perennial MC for this event held a conversation with our guest of honour Henry de Bromhead, a leading Irish jumps trainer and 25 times winner at the Cheltenham Festival including the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Gold Cup in the same year.  A quietly spoken, modest man, Henry spoke with veracity and humility about his racing origins and its growth over that last two decades.  Henry spoke of his family’s tragic death of their only son Jack in a riding accident at the age of 13 in 2022. A most compelling and compassionate man who is held in high esteem by the racing community.  We were privileged to have Henry with us.  As a token of our appreciation the club will making a donation of €5,000 to the Jack de Bromhead Equine Therapy Centre at Child Vision.

Then it was the turn of of the infamous five tipping panel comprising George Baker, Richard Hoiles, Nick Luck, Jim McGrath (in absentia but not forgotten) and Richard Phillips to wheel out their thoughts on the outcome of the major race on each of the first four days of the Festival.  Chaos ruled with lots of animated discussion, booing and jeering at either too many favourites or unlikely outsiders.  But all in good jest of course.

Then finally to end the evening and premiering top UK racing commentator and CCL member Richard Hoiles took over the mantle from Jim “the Croc” McGrath to provide a live phantom call of the Cheltenham Gold Cup to be run on Friday 13th March.  Lucky some we hope.

Then it was time for quiet road-ale and coaches home.