Cheltenham Gold Cup day on March 18th is already a 56,500 sell-out over two months ahead of the big jump racing festival.
This year's meeting has been expanded from three to four days for the first time in response to its growing popularity and prize money for the 24 races has jumped to £2.71 million.
Course managing director Edward Gillespie said: "With nine weeks to go, we can look forward to not only the largest and richest Festival ever staged at Cheltenham but also the most diverse.
"The new races will complement the existing programme, providing new opportunities for horses that have not always been catered for at the Festival."
Innovations include a two miles five furlongs chase. Known as the Festival Trophy Chase, the new race will be run on Thursday March 17th, the day before the Gold Cup.
Best Mate, winner of the Gold Cup for the last three years, will be bidding for a fourth victory which would take him clear of the great Arkle, successful between 1964-66.
Bookmakers quote Best Mate a general price of 7-2 but the horse faces significant opposition from Beef Or Salmon (11-2), who beat him at Leopardstown last month, Kingscliff (7-1) and Strong Flow (8-1).