Definitely going on the Tuesday, hopefully Wednesday as well if workload permits.
I missed it last year because of my fall but certainly won't miss two years on the spin! For that week in March, Cheltenham racecourse is my favourite place on the planet.
I'm sorely tempted by GC day if I can. How's everyone's bets shaping up?
I'm happy with Bellshill at 20/1 EW in that race, and Commander of Fleet at 66/1 to win at both the Dublin Racing Festival and Cheltenham. That's now effectively 8/1!
Also nice is Envoi Allen and Defi Du Seuil both each way in Win Any Race markets - now single figures for what they're being aimed at.
will be my last year of doing 2 days, next year will do gold cup day only, day trip from london on train, having never been how mobbed does it get?
there the weds and thursday - club enclosure both days, stay in Birmingham for the night as better night life - last year ended up calling ian dowie a palace cnut in walkabouts or pop-world in Birmingham city centre.
cheltenham itself i find crap for a drink afterwards too busy/high nobhead ratio.
we usually hang around racetrack until 6.30/7 walk into a pub called the costwold inn and get an uber/taxi from there to the station few cans for train back to brum.
5 weeks to the day until the greatest show on turf
I've been going for about 25 years, done 1,2,3 and four days at various times. My mates and find it now pretty hard work as we've got older and this year are just doing Tuesday with our own transport. Getting from the course to the town centre/train station has become a real pain. Most people queue up in an orderly fashion for the buses (and there are loads of these) but you get more and more idiots every year pushing in etc. Seen far too many scuffles and nasty behaviour. We stopped going to Gold Cup day years ago as it really is far too busy and full of twats.
Just got home from Leopardstown for the Dublin festival, absolutely cracking weekend of racing! Apple's Jade is going to take some beating in the champion hurdle - its 3/1 on Paddy Power at the moment. Normally go to the Tuesday at Cheltenham but going to the Thursday this year instead.
I used to do the Gold Cup, but stopped after Kauto Star's last win. It's quicker to hop on one leg than those station to course buses, it's a total joke. Even getting a pint on course is a massive hassle as there's just too many people crammed in. I think making it 5 days has killed some of the charm of it all, just attracts more twats.
I used to do the Gold Cup, but stopped after Kauto Star's last win. It's quicker to hop on one leg than those station to course buses, it's a total joke. Even getting a pint on course is a massive hassle as there's just too many people crammed in. I think making it 5 days has killed some of the charm of it all, just attracts more twats.
It's only 4 days, at the moment at least. Would not be surprised if they did drag it out to the Saturday. It has changed so much in the last 20 years and not for the better. So corporate based like most major sporting occasions. When I first went in 1993 it still had an air of rustic charm about it then, like a huge Country Show with beer tents that were actually tents with grass as flooring and old trestle tables as the bar. Crowds were as big as they are now but with less tossers around, at least that is how it seems. There were less races then, just 20 over Tues, Wed and Thurs unlike the 28 now which surely spreads the quality too thinly? Rose tinted spectacles maybe or just getting cynical with age.
have been 3 times on the Tuesday and weds and thurs the last 2 years, after the amount of wankers in the guinness village last year we decided to get club enclosure tickets for both days as a bit more space in those bars.
have never even tried getting the buses back have always walked it back to the pub i mentioned.
Just got home from Leopardstown for the Dublin festival, absolutely cracking weekend of racing! Apple's Jade is going to take some beating in the champion hurdle - its 3/1 on Paddy Power at the moment. Normally go to the Tuesday at Cheltenham but going to the Thursday this year instead.
Apples Jade was very impressive at the weekend but it will take a truly exceptional mare to win the CH. Annie Power was exceptional but did it in a pretty sub standard field - BVD however is a machine and I for one can't see him getting beaten by a mare, however good that mare is.
Apples Jade would have to go from the front like Saturday which will give BVD the tow he requires would set up nicely for him but, would be a cracking race as she was very impressive.
Saving himself for Aintree, I presume. That said, there's a wealth of savvy knowledge on here from many regarding Cheltenham, so I wouldn't be too worried with a lack of Peanuts - unless he swerves the XC and similar chases, in which case I'd be quite intrigued.
Saving himself for Aintree, I presume. That said, there's a wealth of savvy knowledge on here from many regarding Cheltenham, so I wouldn't be too worried with a lack of Peanuts - unless he swerves the XC and similar chases, in which case I'd be quite intrigued.
Cheers for asking @harveys_gardener but marathon handicaps are the object of my weird little obsession and, fantastic though Cheltenham is and glued to it though I'll be, 3.25m is the longest handicap chase on offer at the Festival - virtually a sprint . I'll likely have a dabble here and there but, as @PaddyP17 says, there are far sager Cheltenham tipsters on here than me. All the best.
My old man is going as he does most years, but has had a message today from over in Ireland saying that its probably not going to go ahead on the week planned? Any one else hearing any rumours?
My old man is going as he does most years, but has had a message today from over in Ireland saying that its probably not going to go ahead on the week planned? Any one else hearing any rumours?
All racing has been suspended in the UK mainland for the next 6 days due to an outbreak of equine flu. Hopefully it has been done early enough to isolate the affected horses and it won't have spread but we all remember the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 which started small and escalated enough for the festival to be cancelled. The Irish had already pulled out weeks before the event was postponed and of course they won't travel this year if there is any risk.
Comments
We get it Steve.
Do you understand that people that enjoy racing don’t enjoy when horses are injured?
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz
I missed it last year because of my fall but certainly won't miss two years on the spin! For that week in March, Cheltenham racecourse is my favourite place on the planet.
I'm happy with Bellshill at 20/1 EW in that race, and Commander of Fleet at 66/1 to win at both the Dublin Racing Festival and Cheltenham. That's now effectively 8/1!
Also nice is Envoi Allen and Defi Du Seuil both each way in Win Any Race markets - now single figures for what they're being aimed at.
We stopped going to Gold Cup day years ago as it really is far too busy and full of twats.
on the Tuesday and weds and thurs the last 2 years, after the amount of wankers in the guinness village last year we decided to get club enclosure tickets for both days as a bit more space in those bars.
have never even tried getting the buses back have always walked it back to the pub i mentioned.
O'Leary will bottle it anyway!
don't think I'll be making Burton at home that night..
Clarence House Chase 7 Champion Chase winners - altior
Irish Champion Hurdle 7 Champion Hurdle winners - apples jade
Cleeve Hurdle 7 World Hurdle winners - paisley park
Spring Juvenile Hurdle 6 Triumph Hurdle winners - sir erec
King George VI Chase 6 Gold Cup, 4 Ryanair Chase winners - clan des obeaux
Gr1 2m5f Novice Chase (Leop, Feb) 5 RSA winners - la bague au roi ( owner has confirmed heading straight to aintree )
Adonis Juvenile Novices' Hurdle 5 Triumph Hurdle winners - not run yet
Deloitte Novice Hurdle 4 Supreme Nov, 4 Neptune Nov winners - klassical dream
P.P. Hogan C Country Chase (Punc, 3m) 4 Glenfarclas Chase winners - not run yet
Arkle Novice Chase (Leop, Feb) 4 Arkle Chase winners - le richebourg
World Series Hurdle (Punchestown) 4 Mares Hurdle winners - 2018 faugheen
Ascot Chase 4 Ryanair Chase winners - not run yet
Betfair Hurdle (Newbury) 4 County Hurdle winners - not run yet
I'll likely have a dabble here and there but, as @PaddyP17 says, there are far sager Cheltenham tipsters on here than me.
All the best.
I'll be there all week as normal. Highlight of the year for me.
None of that handicap nonsense for me - level weights all the way. But then you know that about me already, Peanuts!
Seeing this reminds me that I have PP at 12s for the Stayers and he's now 2/1 generally. This excites me greatly.