feature | cheltenham
view from the stands
for the love of
cheltenham
w e f i n d o u t wh a t r a c e g o e r s t w e e t a b o u t c h e lt e n h a m
“ The famous Cheltenham Roar rumbles through the Cotswolds
There is no finer place Jack Jacob Milner @JJMSports
@CheltenhamRaces 2017/18 membership purchased. Bring on October
Chris Mellon @cjmellon85
ew sports can boast over two centuries of history and popularity, but horseracing’s longevity and place in the nation’s heart is without question, and Cheltenham continues to draw new crowds as well as delight the regulars. The reasons for this aren’t unfathomable, but they are, perhaps, multi-faceted. As we edge closer towards marking the bicentenary of the first Gold Cup race on Cleeve Hill in 1818, we should first acknowledge a debt of gratitude, ironically, to the fire and brimstone anti-racing preaching of Reverend Close, Cheltenham’s evangelical, puritan Rector of Georgian times. Echoing national concern against gambling and the more unsavoury proclivities then associated with it, Close’s rhetoric incited F
@CheltenhamRaces #IWasThere Enjoying the sun! Where else would you even want to be???? Jackie Pritchett @JackiePritchet2 One of the greatest weeks in English sport #cotswolds Rob Rees (Australia) @FoodWorksAus
an arson attack that closed the Cleeve Hill facilities and prompted a move to the same spot at Prestbury Park where the turf action unfolds to this day. Nowadays, against odds no Georgian bookie would have wagered, that same Gold Cup race has become a highlight of a world-class, blue riband sporting spectacle, enjoyed and celebrated by men and women, royals and subjects, and the young and the older and wiser. Many stars have blazed a trail at The Festival and unforgettable memories have been made.There is a chemistry between horse and rider that is unrivalled in any sport. Add to that the cheering crowd and a convivial atmosphere when a winner romps home and it is easy to see why the famous Cheltenham Roar rumbles through the Cotswolds like a thousand prides of lions across the Savannah. The course is magnificent, the achievements
attendance explains: “Cheltenham Festival is like Christmas with all the trimmings crossed with a birthday party – it’s fun and tradition rolled into one, a celebration of life”. Clearly, it’s not just the clatter of hooves in the parade ring, the frisson of a flutter, tweed and binoculars or a perfectly poured pint of the black stuff. Nor is it just the ambience, the cordial warmth, the joy of a win or knowing that, in being there, you are sharing another slice of racing’s history. Like Wordsworth’s host of golden daffodils, The Festival ushers in springtime and raises the spirits.There’s a Cheltenham buzz, now spreading across social media too.The Festival is a sum of its many parts, but it’s magic remains indefinable. Let us know what keeps you coming back for more.
of jockeys, trainers and owners are glorious and the punters revel in taking on the bookmakers, race after race, year after year, when the luck of the Irish is tested and celebrated in inimitable Cheltenham fashion. It’s not just mud-spattered jockeys whose dedication and determination sees them feted as heroes at Cheltenham, it’s the valiant horses too.There is something of thistledown and magic, an indefinable star quality about certain horses here. Capturing hearts and imaginations, Cheltenham’s greats, names such as Arkle, Dawn Run, Istabraq and Kauto Star, have earned international news coverage and sealed their places in Festival folklore. Attendance is well over 260,000 during the four days of The Festival, and an incredible amount – approaching £600 million – is staked on the outcome of the 27 races of the week, with £1million changing
wh a t i s i t a b o u t c h e lt e n h a m t h a t
d r a w s p e o p l e b a c k t i m e a n d t i m e a g a i n ? c o r r i e b o n d - f r e n c h s u m s u p t h e m a g i c hands on every race in the betting ring at the racecourse, where more than 250 bookmakers attend each day. From pints of Guinness to those celebratory jeroboams and methusulahs of Champagne, and Chez Roux boxes to organic burger vans, everyone is catered for; there is something for everyone. So what are the essential ingredients that keep people coming back year after year? As one racegoer of 30 years’ annual
My Junior Jumper, think he might be the first to ‘yellow’ badge @CheltenhamRaces #lovethejumps #racing Kate Neill @Toid
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