Lisowski Swaps Snooker For The Saddle
Jack Lisowski was given a taste of life in the saddle ahead at Cheltenham Racecourse, which will be the new venue for this season’s Ladbrokes World Grand Prix.
World number 17 Lisowski put his jockey skills to the test on a horse racing simulator under the guidance of Cheltenham Festival winning jockey and fellow Gloucestershire resident Ryan Hatch.
The Ladbrokes World Grand Prix will take place in The Centaur, part of Cheltenham Racecourse, from Monday, February 4 to 10 – featuring the leading 32 players on the 2018/19 season one year ranking list.
Lisowski, who lives in Cheltenham, was visiting the racecourse for the first time and was also treated to a guided tour of the Home of Jump racing.
Hatch, his tutor for the day, was forced to retire from the sport earlier this year after damaging his spinal column.
Lisowski is looking forward to being home town favourite on the green baize – but says he is already looking to call an end to his short horse racing career.
“I’m really looking forward to the tournament in February. I had never actually been to Cheltenham Racecourse before today, it’s just incredible,” he said.
“I had a good chat with Ryan, he talked me through the injuries he has had, so I think this will be as far as my career in horse racing will go.
“I’ve never had the ‘local favourite’ feeling before, sometimes it spurs a player on and hopefully that can happen to me.”
The tournament will be the first in the 2019 Ladbrokes Series and gives fans the chance to see the best snooker players on the planet compete. The event is covered live on ITV4 with a top prize of £100,000 up for grabs from a total prize fund of £375,000. Ronnie O’Sullivan won the title last year in Preston.
It will be the first time a tournament has been staged at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Sophia Dale, Regional Communications Manager for the south west region of The Jockey Club said: “We were thrilled to invite Jack down to the racecourse and give him a taste of what Cheltenham is all about ahead of the Ladbrokes World Grand Prix next year.
“It will be an action packed two months of elite sport for us, with the world famous Cheltenham Festival taking place just a month after the world’s top snooker talents compete in The Centaur.
“We’re sure on his next visit Jack will be back in his comfort zone, swapping the saddle for his cue and doing what he does best on the world stage.”
Watch video content of Lisowski’s visit to Cheltenham HERE
Tickets for the Ladbrokes World Grand Prix are available now, including fantastic hospitality packages with the chance to watch the event in style. For details CLICK HERE
The top 16 players on the one-year list will go on to the Ladbrokes Players Championship in Preston (March 4-10) and only the top eight will qualify for the Ladbrokes Tour Champion in Llandudno (March 19-24). Any player winning all three events will have his total prize money rounded up to £500,000.