Cheltenham 2016

Only 5 months away and with the Grade 1`s now being run its worth starting a thread imo

Smad Place was impressive in the Henessy yesterday and will be fancied to run well in the Gold Cup

Cue Card looks back to his best and will line up in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day

Identity Thief won the Fighting Figth yesterday and looks progressive might be a champion Hurdle longshot

Have pencilled to attend the festival. But I need to persuade a buddy

Cheers Bob

Mac wrote: Have pencilled to attend the festival. But I need to persuade a buddy

It'll cost you a few bob, Mac, but is well worth attending and should be on your bucket list at the very least. Pretty much racing heaven as it is one of the few events attended where hardcore racing fans are in the overwhelming majority rather than the social butterflies which normally infest (pollute?) the big racedays.

I went in 2005 but and would love to return but at approximately R22 to the pound it is eye wateringly expensive.

I did a provisional budget a couple of weeks ago and gave up once the attendance costs, accomodation, transfers & airfares passed the R120,000 mark. Admittedly I was planning to attend all 4 days in the glass fronted restaurant at the finish...but as you can end up almost 400 metres from the finish in the lesser venues I believe (based on my previous visit) that it's the only way to go.

If you do manage to get there you are going to be gobsmacked at the sheer size of the event. For example - imagine being confronted by a betting ring with literally dozens of bookmakers ( probably more than 100 but I didn't want to exaggerate) and punters lumping on huge wads of cash. I personally saw some 'whales' (big players) strike bets of 20,000 POUNDS on in certain races without the bookie flinching. At least not publicly.

In 2005 I sat with a group of Irishmen who had come over to back Kicking King; who managed to win the Gold Cup. I could not help but be with them. After he won we did a quick whip around our table of 10 and concluded that we had cleared nearly 250,000 pounds as a group. Sadly my share was only a small fraction of that total.

One of the features of Cheltenham is that you can hire an earpiece which clips over your one ear and allows you to listen to ongoing comments, commentary & betting movements. Very useful as the PA tends to get drowned in the general mayhem.

Sjoe, R120k, eish thats a challenge for me who backs to win only R500 but your story makes it even more inviting to go. The sweet sound of music of a hundred bookmakers, aaaah!. Let's see, if not this year then next year, even if I go by myself. Are there any other clanners planning?

I remember Kicking King cos I also backed him.!!

120K from SA that's around £6k. Over the top imo unless Garrick travels first class with a stop over in Dubai then books in at the Dorcester hires a helicopter for each day has truffles, caviar and gold leaf for lunch washed down with Dom Perignon White Gold.

Accomodation away from Cheltenham along the M5 or Bristol will set you back at the most £70 a night bed and breakfast and you can grab a meal in the evening at around £10. By now all accommodation within 30 miles of the course will have been booked out. You can get a bus to the course or if you don't drink hire a car at around £40 a day.

Entrance fees at the Tatterstall enclosure is around £50, The Club enclosure around £90, the Guiness View £176 . The cheapest is the Best Mate area at £35. These are daily entrance cost. The expensive seats/areas are already sold out.

ARCTIC FIRE 2nd in last years CHAMPION HURDLE

Ran well yesterday

Yes if u can afford a trip worth making my advantage was I have family living close plus had tickets from Betfair and for the Gold Cup managed to swing invite for Molly into Betfair tent (bubbly and neck massages when you are placing your bets on line with all the computers they had set up) the way to go and a festival you will never forget.
Transport is excellent especially train is superb where you can also have champers and bacon rolls on the way to track to get you into the mood.
Enjoy

Unless you want to spend a wheel barrow of money for the best position I believe that it won't be that enjoyable to attend. I don't like standing in a que at the supermarket so I won't cope standing in a mile long que to get in then que to bet then que to have a drink then que to have a pee then que to get out of the track then que to catch a train or taxi or sit in a que in the car. No thanks.

who has run that R5000 comp for the festival ?

The Cheltenham Festival - Experience the 'Greatest Show on Turf'

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most exciting race meetings in the world and the fixture continues to attract race fans from many different countries.

The incredible meeting is unquestionably the highlight of the National Hunt season and the Cotswolds are the perfect backdrop for glowing reputations being cemented and new stars being born. 28 races are staged across four days of absorbing racing and the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, World Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup are the features across four mesmerizing afternoons.

Betting

Galloping hand-in-hand with the races is the art of betting. Stakes are wagered weeks and months in advance of the Cheltenham Festival, but there’s nothing better than being amongst fellow bettors in the atmospheric betting ring at Prestbury Park.

There are two main betting rings in front of the Tattersalls and Best Mate Grandstands, along with a Betfred betting shop and Totepool betting points throughout the racecourse, giving you the ability of shopping around to find the best odds and value available.

The parade ring is also a must for all bettors, as you get the chance to see the horses close-up before the race and to hopefully pick the winner. This is an advantage racegoers have over off-course punters, and you will also get to see the connections of each horse (the owners, trainers, stable staff etc).

Ahead of visiting Cheltenham, you should have a look around our site for a wide range of bookmaker introductory offers and free bets, as well as enhanced odds and money back offers for each day's racing at the Festival.

Food and Drink

There are plenty of mobile catering units in all enclosures at Cheltenham, and typically offer fare such as fish and chips, hog roasts, burgers and hots dogs, sandwiches, teas and coffees and doughnuts. In addition there are a number of bars that offer food in addition to drinks.

The Final Flight Bar offers premium products and live music after racing, the Arkle Bar (named after the three time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner) is stuffed with draught beers, while the elegant Golden Miller Champagne Bar (named after the most successful horse to ever run in the Gold Cup, winning the contest five times), is a great place to sit back, relax, and enjoy your champagne with a range of platters and tapas towers.

The Atmosphere

The Cheltenham Festival is an unbelievable occasion that is known for it’s vibrant and electric atmosphere.

The atmosphere during Festival week is second to none, and one that you must experience at least once in your lifetime. Even if you don’t follow racing religiously, you can’t help but get caught up in the excitement and drama, and the “Cheltenham Roar” will certainly make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

The Cheltenham Festival is guaranteed to give you goosebumps, and there’s not much better than the thrill of beating the bookmaker.

Fashion

The outfits at the Cheltenham Festival can range from fabulous to fanciful, but the aim of the day is to have a good time. There is no shortage of colourful and glamorous outfits on show, as racegoers turn out in their glad rags to have a punt on the horses.

Unlike other stricter venues across the United Kingdom, there’s no dress code at Cheltenham racecourse, although many ladies wear hats and the gentlemen usually wear a suit or similar, particularly if they visit the Club Enclosure or the hospitality restaurants on course.

Fancy dress is also permitted as long as the outfit is not offensive - Perfectly demonstrated by the chap above.

Written by Ross Aylward from Cheltenhamfestival.net