Cheltenham Racecourse in the UK will host a major snooker tournament for the first time next year when the World Grand Prix takes place.

The 32-player event will run from February 4-10 at the Centaur, part of the racecourse.

The 2018 World Grand Prix took place in the UK city of Preston, with Ronnie O’Sullivan (pictured) beating Ding Junhui in the final.

The tournament will be shown live on UK commercial broadcaster ITV through its ITV4 digital channel.

“As well as being world famous for horse racing, this is a superb venue which hosts a wide range of major events and we have no doubt it will prove a top-class facility for one of our leading tournaments,” World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn said.

“The popularity of snooker has grown dramatically in recent years, both in terms of its television and live audience, so we are always looking for new locations where we can give fans the opportunity to see the players in the flesh. Tickets will go on sale soon and they will sell rapidly so fans are strongly urged to book fast.