Cheltenham 2016

SkyBet & 365 who were the first two to go NRNB IIRC were also BOG from that point, along with Betfair who weren't far behind.

Small comfort to those who had backed Al Ferof and co. though I'd imagine. 6/1 or 14/1... makes no difference as they were highly unlikely to beat Vautour.
 
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wilsonl said:
SkyBet & 365 who were the first two to go NRNB IIRC were also BOG from that point, along with Betfair who weren't far behind.

Small comfort to those who had backed Al Ferof and co. though I'd imagine. 6/1 or 14/1... makes no difference as they were highly unlikely to beat Vautour.
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Absolutely I had a good position with RTR 16/1. He may have won the race had Vautour not been in it as he'd have been able to save more for the finish IMHO



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archie said:
I also think that Shaneshill would probably have won the JLT and Black Hercules the RSA if their targets had been reversed. .
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Shaneshill jumped poorly and was allowed to get into the RSA as the pace setters weakened. Imo he'd never have got on terms in the JLT. I would argue that Sizing John was a more rueful absentiee in that race.

archie said:
I was wrong about Don Cossack although everything went his way and I'm still not convinced that he will win in a battle
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I was wrong also about DC but feel it isn't so much a question of him in a fight, as he was allowed to get into a jumping rhythm in such a small field.
 
wilsonl said:
SkyBet & 365 who were the first two to go NRNB IIRC were also BOG from that point, along with Betfair who weren't far behind.
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Are you absolutely sure about this, wilsonl? I was checking the betting daily for the previous month or so and recall ever seeing any bookie offer BOG ante-post. (Otherwise I wouldn't have kept going in time after time on P&C!! :()
 
100% as far as SkyBet and Bet365 are concerned although I stand corrected re Betfair.

I backed Minella Rocco at 5s a week or so before the race with SkyBet - when DOC jumped ship from Native River - but was paid out at 8/1.
 
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Going back to the important issue of the price of Guinness, it was £4.90 last year and the bar staff had lots of tips. This year I'd guess they had hardly any. The rebuilding was good with more room to walk around but the catering was very poor. It appears to have been taken in-house with the result that choice was down and prices substantially up. I particularly missed the seafood stall in Tatts. The prawn curry after the first race has become an established tradition.
 
wilsonl said:
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The thing is, wilsonl, I wouldn't necessarily interpret that the same way you have.

They don't say they'll pay best odd if you take an ante-post price. I'd always interpret 'early price' being related to the final declarations.

Maybe they should clarify it. Next time it matters, I'll phone them.
 
archie said:
Going back to the important issue of the price of Guinness, it was £4.90 last year and the bar staff had lots of tips. This year I'd guess they had hardly any. The rebuilding was good with more room to walk around but the catering was very poor. It appears to have been taken in-house with the result that choice was down and prices substantially up. I particularly missed the seafood stall in Tatts. The prawn curry after the first race has become an established tradition.
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It would never enter my head to look for a meal while at the track. A snack, maybe, if I felt peckish on a cold day but I always try to make sure I'm well fed before I go in.

Drinks wouldn't be an issue if I was driving. A bottle of water in the pocket to see me through the afternoon.
 
8.30 Large hotel breakfast
10.45 Minibus to course
12.00 Guinness Village for 3 pints
1.30 First race
1.45 Was prawn curry (at £5) but now pretty well limited to burger, hot dog, hog roast, pasty or fish and chips with the only curry available in the back of beyond and costing £7.50.
5.45 Minibus back to hotel
8.00 Dinner
 
archie said:
8.30 Large hotel breakfast
10.45 Minibus to course
12.00 Guinness Village for 3 pints
1.30 First race
1.45 Was prawn curry (at £5) but now pretty well limited to burger, hot dog, hog roast, pasty or fish and chips with the only curry available in the back of beyond and costing £7.50.
5.45 Minibus back to hotel
8.00 Dinner
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lets be right here..this is the perfect day..slot in 3 or 4 more pints in the 5.45 - 8.00 area just to complete it

and a hooker at 10:)
 
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To be fair, we get back to the hotel at about 6.30 and during the next 90 minutes do a rota with the room sharer in getting freshened up for the evening. Usually manage a couple of pints as well though.
 
archie said:
8.30 Large hotel breakfast
10.45 Minibus to course
12.00 Guinness Village for 3 pints
1.30 First race
1.45 Was prawn curry (at £5) but now pretty well limited to burger, hot dog, hog roast, pasty or fish and chips with the only curry available in the back of beyond and costing £7.50.
5.45 Minibus back to hotel
8.00 Dinner
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Sounds like my kind of day, bar the food in the middle. I'd sooner swap it for more Guinness.
 
There were 10 people behind the bar, 3 serving, 2 ringing money into the tills, one pouring pints of lager and letting stand on the counter in case anyone wanted one, 40 lined up ready, the others including the manager standing doing nothing. First round we bought the girl said £11.10. I gave her exactly £11.10. She turned to give the money ringing in the till, ( why they had to have separate people doing that I don't know ) , turned back to me and said £11.20. I said you said £11.10. She said he said it's £11.20. It's now the fourth race and you have put the prices up or you have been charging the wrong price all day? Sorry I don't understand she says. No? Really?
I would never have been in there if it wasn't for my friend. I don't understand people who buy tickets for racing and stand in the bar all day and don't go and actually see the horses and watch the races. I buy a packet of pastilles from the sweet kiosk and have a chat with the lady who runs it with her sons as having spoken to them at races for over 10 years, and that's the only time I go near any kind of food or drink outlet.
 
Tuesday's Post had letters from a number of readers on various Festival-related subjects.

One Edward Benson of Gloucestershire took the time to write a longish piece on the issue which must have most concerned all right-thinking people: the fact that neither Elliott nor O'Leary were wearing a tie in the winner's enclosure after the Gold Cup. This both "mortified" and "saddened" Mr Benson who went on: "it seems very sad that these two hugely influential individuals in our sport cannot dress correctly when they are representing racing on its biggest day of the year...surely [they] should have had the decency to wear a tie and set the right example for the best interests of our sport and not look like they were going to the pub."

He ends with a dark warning: "Maybe it's time for Cheltenham to make a stand, as other courses like Ascot most certainly do."

This courageous man speaks for us all, I'm sure, on this burning issue.
 
Absolutely gus. Perhaps Cheltenham could introduce the Ascot "sticker system" so it’s easy for the rest of us to identify those who don’t have the best interests for our sport….
 
So funny, there was a little "red coat" steward in the parade ring at the entrance on the stand side. He must have been 70 years old and he was grabbing and wrestling folk who were walking into the parade ring, he nearly pulled one well dressed mans jacket off him..some were showing him their passes. He was possessed. I'm pretty sure he didn't make it to the end of the week.

He kept calling for assistance to chase these people but the other red coats ignored him.
 
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gus said:
Tuesday's Post had letters from a number of readers on various Festival-related subjects.

One Edward Benson of Gloucestershire took the time to write a longish piece on the issue which must have most concerned all right-thinking people: the fact that neither Elliott nor O'Leary were wearing a tie in the winner's enclosure after the Gold Cup. This both "mortified" and "saddened" Mr Benson who went on: "it seems very sad that these two hugely influential individuals in our sport cannot dress correctly when they are representing racing on its biggest day of the year...surely [they] should have had the decency to wear a tie and set the right example for the best interests of our sport and not look like they were going to the pub."

He ends with a dark warning: "Maybe it's time for Cheltenham to make a stand, as other courses like Ascot most certainly do."

This courageous man speaks for us all, I'm sure, on this burning issue.
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I don't think a formal dress code is de rigueur at any other major racecourse in the world (but am happy to be corrected if I'm wrong).

When I was at Ascot for Nashwan's King George if there was one thing that spoiled the occasion for me it was officious little uniformed and bowler-hatted bumpkins trying to stop people enjoying themselves (and I wasn't drinking that day).

I couldn't even have told you that certain winning owners weren't wearing ties.
 
As long as your ass is pointing to the ground never think like that.

If you aim at the moon and miss you may be lucky and hit a cloud

I owned a Gold Cup horse..If I told her one I told her 100 times..."You are a Gold Cup horse" Unfortunately she preferred to run in 6f sellers on the flat:lol:
 
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