Entertainment
Biggest horse racing events remaining in 2024

As the year progresses, the horse racing calendar remains packed with significant events both in the UK and internationally. The sport has already delivered thrilling moments, and several prestigious races are still to come before the year ends. This article highlights the most important races remaining in 2024 and reflects on the key moments from events that have already taken place.
Highlights of 2024 so far
The year so far has already seen some of the biggest names in the sport make their mark, making waves in the world of horse racing betting.
Notably, State Man claimed victory in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, a race that saw him rise to prominence after Constitution Hill ruled out to compete this year. This victory solidified State Man’s status as one of the leading hurdlers of the season.
The Grand National at Aintree followed in April, where I Am Maximus claimed victory in a race that once again proved to be a gruelling test for both horse and rider.
Royal Ascot, held in June, lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s premier racing festivals. Kyprios delivered a stunning performance in the Gold Cup, while Bedtime Story’s victory in the Chesham Stakes highlighted her potential as a rising star.
Upcoming major UK horse racing events
1) St. Leger Festival (12-15 September 2024)
Held at Doncaster Racecourse, the St. Leger Festival is home to the St. Leger Stakes, the oldest of the five British Classics. This event is a key highlight of the Flat racing season and often serves as a platform for three-year-old colts and fillies to prove their stamina over a testing distance of one mile and six furlongs.
2) QIPCO British Champions Day (19 October 2024)
This day is the grand finale of the British Flat racing season, taking place at Ascot. It features some of the season’s most prestigious races, including the Champion Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. The event brings together the best horses, jockeys, and trainers from across the globe, vying for significant prize money and glory.
3) The November meeting (15-17 November 2024)
As the National Hunt season gains momentum, Cheltenham’s November Meeting is a significant event in the jump racing calendar. Featuring races like the Paddy Power Gold Cup, this meeting is often seen as a precursor to the famous Cheltenham Festival in March.
4) Betfair Tingle Creek Festival (6-7 December 2024)
Sandown Park will host this two-day festival, which is a highlight of the early winter National Hunt season. The Tingle Creek Chase is the main attraction, often featuring the top two-mile chasers in the country.
Key international horse racing events
1) Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (6 October 2024)
Held at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, “the Arc” is widely regarded as Europe’s most prestigious race. It attracts the best middle-distance horses from around the world, competing over 2400 metres. The event is not just a race, but a cultural celebration, with Parisian flair adding to the spectacle.
2) Breeders’ Cup (1-2 November 2024)
Held at Del Mar Racetrack, the Breeders’ Cup is a top North American event with multiple Grade 1 races. Over two days, elite horses, jockeys, and trainers compete, with the Breeders’ Cup Classic often deciding the Horse of the Year. This event is a key highlight on the international racing calendar.
3) Melbourne Cup (5 November 2024)
Known as “the race that stops a nation,” the Melbourne Cup is Australia’s most famous race. Held at Flemington Racecourse, this two-mile handicap is a unique blend of top-tier competition and Australian cultural tradition. The event draws enormous crowds and is watched by millions around the world.
4) Hong Kong international races (8 December 2024)
The Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse is the climax of the global racing calendar. Featuring four Group 1 races, it attracts a stellar lineup of horses, jockeys, and trainers, making it one of the most important international race meetings of the year.
Conclusion
As we approach the final months of 2024, horse racing promises more thrilling moments. With historic classics and global spectacles ahead, intense competition and unforgettable performances are guaranteed. Whether you’re a seasoned fan or new to the sport, these events offer a chance to witness history, ensuring the year’s racing calendar concludes spectacularly.
Entertainment
The authentic sound of The Rolling Stones… with the world’s premier Jagger lookalike

CAPTURING the authentic sound and spirit of The Greatest Rock n’ Roll Band In The World, NOT THE ROLLING STONES have played festivals, theatres and private gigs throughout Europe, the middle east and the UK. This May, they will appear here on the Torch Stage in Pembrokeshire!
Featuring the best Mick Jagger lookalike you will ever see, truly international tribute act in demand all over Europe as well as the UK, will take you back to the Golden Age of The Stones- from Satisfaction to Sympathy for the Devil… You won’t believe it’s not Jagger!
Based on the Rolling Stones, an English rock band formed in London in 1962 and active for over six decades, they were one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the rock era and pioneered the gritty, rhythmically driven sound that came to define hard rock, and Not The Rolling Stones carry on that legacy today.
They have the unique asset of a ‘Mick and Keith’ who stagger audiences with their authenticity, also attested by the many TV and film credits they have between them.
Backed by a superb group of professional musicians that love the music they are playing; they convey their enthusiasm for the work of the world’s greatest rock and roll band.
Not the Rolling Stones will be on the Torch Theatre stage on Friday 16 May at 7.30pm. Tickets are £25. Visit the website for further details www.torchtheatre.co.uk or phone the Box Office on (01646) 695267.
Entertainment
Radio 3 celebrates Easter with live broadcast from St Non’s Chapel

A musical pilgrimage to one of Wales’ holiest sites
BBC RADIO 3 will mark Easter 2025 with a special series of live broadcasts exploring themes of music, landscape, and pilgrimage—culminating in a live Easter Sunday programme from St Non’s Chapel in Pembrokeshire.
The broadcast, part of Easter: A Seasonal Journey, airs live on Easter Sunday morning (April 20), with presenter Sarah Walker joined at the ancient cliffside chapel—believed to be the birthplace of St David, the patron saint of Wales—by renowned musicians including harpist Mared Pugh-Evans, the official harpist to His Majesty the King, and Filkin’s Drift, the popular Welsh folk duo.
Set just metres from the sea near St Davids, the location provides a powerful backdrop for a programme that explores the spiritual and cultural resonance of Pembrokeshire’s rugged coastal landscape. The event follows a Holy Saturday broadcast from the island of Iona in Scotland.
The live programme runs from 9:00am to 12:00pm, and will include music, interviews and reflections from this iconic Pembrokeshire site.
Other highlights of Radio 3’s Easter programming include:
Choral Evensong from Newcastle Cathedral
Sunday 20 April, 3:00pm – 4:00pm
A special Easter Day service featuring celebratory music by Howells, Paulus, and Vaughan Williams.
Record Review of the 21st Century
Monday 21 April, All day
A day-long celebration of the best classical recordings from the past 25 years. Host Andrew McGregor is joined by guest contributors, including celebrity classical fans Stephen Fry, Cathy Newman, and John Suchet. The day concludes with a full performance of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony (7:30pm).
Located on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path near St Davids, St Non’s Chapel is one of the oldest Christian sites in Wales. Tradition holds it to be the birthplace of St David, Wales’ most revered saint. Today, the chapel ruins remain a place of quiet pilgrimage, with sweeping views over St Brides Bay.
Entertainment
Join TV and radio presenter Hester Grainger live at the Torch

THIS June, the Torch Theatre welcomes ADHD coach, speaker and former Wright Stuff presenter Hester Grainger to the stage with her powerful and uplifting show, ADHD: Unmasked.
Expect an evening of open conversation, laughter, and refreshingly honest insights into life with ADHD. In a supportive and inclusive space, Hester invites everyone—whether living with ADHD, supporting someone who is, or simply curious—to share stories, connect, and feel seen.
A well-known voice in the neurodivergent community, Hester is a regular podcast guest and media contributor. Her appearance on ADHD Chatter with Alex Partridge went viral, with clips from the episode racking up over 22 million views.
ADHD: Unmasked is an interactive, dopamine-filled evening where Hester shares how to embrace a fast-paced mind, practise self-compassion, and tap into the strengths of neurodiversity. She’ll also speak candidly about family life—raising two autistic/ADHD teenagers and living with her autistic/ADHD husband—as well as navigating ADHD in the workplace, friendships, relationships, and late diagnosis.
Audience participation is welcome, with opportunities to ask questions throughout. Whether you’ve received a diagnosis or are just starting your journey, this event offers connection, laughter, and a sense of belonging. You’ll leave feeling empowered, informed—and most importantly—reminded that you are not alone.
Hester began her media career on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff, going on to work with Loose Women and Today with Des and Mel. She has featured on BBC Radio 2, Radio 4, Radio 5 Live, and hosted her own show on BBC Radio Berkshire.
She has appeared on leading podcasts such as ADHD Chatter, The Hidden 20%, and ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast, and her writing has been published by HuffPost, Evening Standard, Reader’s Digest, and Arabian Business.
Alongside her husband Kelly, Hester co-founded Perfectly Autistic, a neurodiversity consultancy providing training, talks, and coaching to support neurodivergent employees. Both were diagnosed with ADHD in their forties, after Kelly’s earlier autism diagnosis.
Hester says: “I’m so excited to tour the UK talking about ADHD—something I’m truly passionate about. Being diagnosed in my forties finally gave me the answers I’d been searching for my whole life. With growing awareness, so many people have questions and want to understand more. This evening will be fun, entertaining, and honest—and nothing’s off limits.”
ADHD: Unmasked comes to the Torch Theatre on Friday 6 June at 7:30pm.
Tickets: £26
Book online at www.torchtheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on (01646) 695267.

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