Cheltenham 2024

[photo_jo]

I do feel either they all parade or none parade

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Got a sudden feeling Monkfish wins

 

[Strawbz]

Got a sudden feeling Monkfish wins

I thought the same when they showed him in the box having his tack checked. He looked like he was waking up from a nap and I thought 'he'll probably win now' He has a lovely face.

Although he is leaving it a bit late to make a move

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

No real contest in the end

 

[Strawbz]

Glad everyone is round and home safe. I was quite worried about how boggy that ground was this morning.

Fair play to GdC, he's a class act for sure.

 

[Indieanna6]

Does anyone know where Corach finished please? I had a nice e/w on him

 

[ponyparty]

Does anyone know where Corach finished please? I had a nice e/w on him

3rd - so did I!

 

[Indieanna6]

Oh brilliant, thank you!

 

[slimjim86]

Really good to see them all round safely. GDC was pure class but I do love fast or slow and he definitely showed that he enjoys his jumping, wasn't just following the herd but even put himself out in the front until there wasn't another jump to head for lol

 

[Kadastorm]

Gallopin’ was fab and a great fun from Corach who settled in the back and kept out of the way until it mattered most.

Well done Elf if you are reading!

 

[Snowfilly]

Lovely race to watch! When you can go to the last in the GC in ground that heavy and get a jump like that, you know you’ve got a good one.

And Fast or Slow looked like he was having fun lobbing around there minus his jock.

 

[Kadastorm]

Ferns Lock made me laugh at the start, he was well up for it and didn’t want to wait.

 

[Snowfilly]

Cracking Hunter Chase there, some nice riding and a great finish.

 

[humblepie]

Fab win against top professional trainers.

 

[Strawbz]

Ferns Lock made me laugh at the start, he was well up for it and didn’t want to wait.

I think I could hear the jockey swearing

It's nice to see someone break ranks sometimes although I'm sure it must be very frustrating.

 

[splashgirl45]

Only my second time doing the itv7, got very excited and ended up with a 1st, 2x2nd, 2x3rd, a 10th and I had Samcro in the last who I think was pulled up.im not a betting person but wish I’d done some e/w bets.. I’ve got the bug now so think I will have a go tomorrow

 

[Strawbz]

Thanks for the company everyone. It's much nicer to watch and not just be talking to the telly


Probably back to lurking now but hope to be back for Aintree GN meet.

 

[humblepie]

See you then.

 

[Kadastorm]

Been great chatting with you this week!
Think I need to put annual leave over Aintree week so I can stay home and watch! See you all then!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Just seen who won the last, boo

 

[Clodagh]

Been great chatting with you this week!
Think I need to put annual leave over Aintree week so I can stay home and watch! See you all then!

I have always, since I moved back to the UK at 26, taken a weeks holiday for Cheltenham. .
Although I’m raced out by today ( didn’t watch it today, drove mum to Essex instead). Wednesday is my favourite day, 2 mile chases are the best.
Thursday at Aintree is my second favourite racing day of the year.

 

[Maddie Moo]

Just caught up, superb race by GDC again Also I adore the mare who won the Foxhunters, she wasn’t giving in

 

[Old school]

Just caught up, superb race by GDC again Also I adore the mare who won the Foxhunters, she wasn’t giving in

Agree. I watched her cool down walk and just loved her. She is an absolute doll. Would run the festival if given the chance.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

ITV hails Cheltenham audience figures and urges the sport to recognise how popular the festival is with viewers

A quarter of the entire British television audience on Friday afternoon was tuned in to ITV to watch Galopin Des Champs successfully defend his crown... Read More

www.racingpost.com

Thought this was interesting as they were saying how attendance was down

It wouldn't surprise me if more people are realising the tv is optimal viewing - I know there's big screens but you get to watch the whole race in the comfort of your own home. I'd say the only thing you're missing not attending in person is the atmosphere. I've been to a couple of flat meetings and like to see them in the paddock before a race then stroll back to the course to watch the race. Cheltenham looks so rammed it looks very much pick a spot and if it's a good one stay. I'm short so would be swamped in that crowd! Unless you're local you need to add in travel costs, hotel stays, and for anyone attending food/drinks when you're in. Queues etc.

I'd like to go to the F1 at Silverstone but it's so expensive, plus again if nothing happens at your corner, you may as well be watching at home. I'd want to be at the first corner as usually the start is the best but. But again those seats are more expensive.

In football, I can pay for a seat and see the entire game, and actually get to sit down - do you look at adding some of the amphitheatre type seats as a stand so people who want to can reserve these seats, set up a base and see a lot more of the course?

I'm on a football forum and there's an F1 thread and again people are complaining about it becoming boring because of Max's dominance - you don't even get to see the excitement of him racing people, which he's very good at, because he's so far clear of everyone else, because his car is so good, even his team mate can't keep up. RB is the equivalent of WM. I don't care if it's Britain or Ireland winning (unless it's GE!) I just want to see exciting races, and I actually find WM likeable, however I also want a mix of shock results and not just odds on favourites winning. I do like seeing a superb horse live up to the hype e.g. a GDC

It would be really interesting to see a racing version of drive to survive (F1 one). It got a lot more viewers into F1 (which are probably now drifting away due to RB dominance making it boring)

They did one on Andrew Balding and it was really interesting. It would be interesting to see more trainers - without giving away their exact training methods. It would be really interesting seeing behind the scenes at some of the big yards e.g. WM, PN, DS, NH and also featuring some of the smaller yards e.g Shark, and some of the up and coming yards e.g. Ben P

My biggest criticism of ITV was not enough of the horses! Show all the horses beforehand unless it's a massive field - I'm sure they or previous channels used to. I enjoy Alice showing them because she's passionate, but also enjoy Meg Nichols when she's in the paddock, as she gives interesting insight into how they look etc.

They didn't show the ROR parade, there were lots of well known ones in it, let us see them and what they're doing in their new careers!

The Tony McCoy and Richard Dunwoody sections were interesting, but they were just 10 minute slots surely we can see more behind the scenes features. Show us what happens before a race, show us what happens after for welfare. Show us some of the jumps up close - how tall are they, how wide, how does the optimal technique differ

I really enjoy Rubys analysis in his hub and would happily see more of that. Tom Scu makes a great pundit speaks a lot of sense. It must be hard to strike a balance between the once a year un horsey people and those who are only interested in the horses and of course it's good it's not behind a pay wall

 

[teapot]

@Crazy_cat_lady think you make some extremely valid points re viewing figures versus attending in person.

People don’t want to spend £100 plus to queue, fight for a view, and struggle to get out the car park afterwards. I think Wimbledon is one of the very very few places where it’s better to be there than on tv, but that’s literally because the show courts are amphitheaters, and the outside courts are small enough!

While Badminton xc day is good value for money (hours to watch versus cost), you can fully understand why people stay at home.

 

[Snowfilly]

I don’t like racing in person unless it’s one of the small tracks like Newton Abbott where you can see almost everything or some of the local point to point tracks where you stand on a central hill and watch the race spread out around you. Plus you can walk back and forwards to the paddock / bookies / trackside as you want.

Those crowds at Cheltenham look nightmarish- imagine wanting a pee halfway through the card! And you can’t see a lot of it. For the money, it doesn’t seem like a great deal to me. (And was it true about the hour queues to get out the car park? I get antsy at 15 minutes to get out the county show when the tractors are needed, an hour would have stopped me going.)

 

[ponyparty]

Honestly I’m not sure I’d go to again. I’ve been to, and really enjoyed, the November meet, particularly Countryside Day (the Friday I think?). Never fancied the Festival as looked too busy to me, so this year was my first time.

We were in Tattersalls; you could go and buy a drink in the Guinness village there, but you weren’t allowed to take it out of there to go and place bets or walk up to the paddock or anywhere. It seemed ridiculous. I barely saw a horse in real life, I might as well have watched it from home or the pub.

My friend was in the Club enclosure - they only sold champagne or wine in there, £155 for a bottle of Moët she said, and again you’re not allowed to take it out - even to the grandstand seating - to watch the race, or out to smoke/vape. Like… what is the point?

Felt like cattle being herded around and too many rules and regulations around what you can and can’t do, where don’t get me wrong I had fun, but I would have had just as much fun (and probably seen more racing!) watching it at the pub! Think I’ll stick to the quieter days if I go again in future.

 

[Kadastorm]

@Crazy_cat_lady think you make some extremely valid points re viewing figures versus attending in person.

People don’t want to spend £100 plus to queue, fight for a view, and struggle to get out the car park afterwards. I think Wimbledon is one of the very very few places where it’s better to be there than on tv, but that’s literally because the show courts are amphitheaters, and the outside courts are small enough!

While Badminton xc day is good value for money (hours to watch versus cost), you can fully understand why people stay at home.

I’m glad to see Wimbledon is worth is as I’m going for the first time this year! Have centre court tickets, top row but right in the middle so will be able to see so clearly. I can’t wait!
I have no plans on attending Cheltenham, the expense and the crowds put me off.

 

[teapot]

I’m glad to see Wimbledon is worth is as I’m going for the first time this year! Have centre court tickets, top row but right in the middle so will be able to see so clearly. I can’t wait!
I have no plans on attending Cheltenham, the expense and the crowds put me off.

There's no bad view, not even from the back row - enjoy it, it's one of my favourite places!

 

[Gamebird]

I think a lot of the stable staff thought the same. We can use the horse walkways to get everywhere, and have a separate stand course-side, and also viewing of the finish from the balcony of the lads' lodge, but none of us fancied the general crowd melee, let alone the cost! Several said that they wouldn't consider coming as a punter, and I'd be among them.