Bar the Bull
At the Start
I am glad.
I need an extra day to recover from yesterday (and last night).
I need an extra day to recover from yesterday (and last night).
Cheltenham Abandoned
- Thread starter Diamond Geezer
- Start date
Shadow Leader
At the Start
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2003
- Messages
- 9,884
No, it's not the end of the world, but it also smells.
Great arse kissing article there from Lee - oh for the days when journalists said what they thought rather than kissing arse and using superfluous flowery prose.
Yes, I criticised Claisse for over-watering - then again I tend to every year as you and I (and everyone else) know that he has an obsession with getting his hose out and playing with it, which I don't agree with. You simply cannot abandon meetings on a forecast - not least when some say it will have dropped by lunchtime. Besides, since when have weather forecasters been infallible?
I also disagree about the marquees - with an army of workers 6 hours should have enabled them to secure the structures and doll them off without necessarily dismantling them completely.
Great arse kissing article there from Lee - oh for the days when journalists said what they thought rather than kissing arse and using superfluous flowery prose.
Yes, I criticised Claisse for over-watering - then again I tend to every year as you and I (and everyone else) know that he has an obsession with getting his hose out and playing with it, which I don't agree with. You simply cannot abandon meetings on a forecast - not least when some say it will have dropped by lunchtime. Besides, since when have weather forecasters been infallible?
I also disagree about the marquees - with an army of workers 6 hours should have enabled them to secure the structures and doll them off without necessarily dismantling them completely.
Shadow Leader
At the Start
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2003
- Messages
- 9,884
....and, if the wind is as horrendous as they say it is, how come Thommo's cap (and that of the guy he interviewed) weren't so much as moving, let alone flying off?! It was clearly safe enough for the stable lads to go out riding their horses on the track too!
K
Kathy
Guest
For anyone that doesn't know The Owners and Trainers facility are in a tented area so are the ROA and David Pipes box etc. These people are the lifeblood of racing, so it's down to Cheltenham racecourse to see if these facilities should be more permanent in future in light of todays conditions.
For anyone who thinks all these "sodding" facilities can just be "removed" and cordoned off in 6 hours is absolutely laughable.
The safety of the guests and the horses are Cheltenham's priority and with gusts of winds at 80mph Cheltenham had no choice. Fair play to them. Inconvenient yes, but for me absolutely the right decision.
For anyone who thinks all these "sodding" facilities can just be "removed" and cordoned off in 6 hours is absolutely laughable.
The safety of the guests and the horses are Cheltenham's priority and with gusts of winds at 80mph Cheltenham had no choice. Fair play to them. Inconvenient yes, but for me absolutely the right decision.
K
Kathy
Guest
Is that right? I thought i heard on The Morning Line that you would'nt be able to get in tomorrow with todays ticket, but a full refund will be given.
I must have mis-heard ?[/b][/quote]
This was according to Sky News.
WelshWizard1973
At the Start
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2008
- Messages
- 31
Bottom line - People's safety is paramount and of the utmost importance and if that means delaying it by a day then so be it!
I was meant to be going up today but will now go tomorrow (already going Friday).
If say at 1.00pm the winds are still at the 40/50mph that they are currently what are they supposed to say to the 15,000/20,000 that have paid over £600 a ticket for today in the tented villages - Sorry chaps, you can't watch the racing today but the rest of you in the stands etc can??!!!
It would be absolute carnage and I think that we should put our disapointment to one side and look forward to the bumper cards tomorrow & Friday.
I was meant to be going up today but will now go tomorrow (already going Friday).
If say at 1.00pm the winds are still at the 40/50mph that they are currently what are they supposed to say to the 15,000/20,000 that have paid over £600 a ticket for today in the tented villages - Sorry chaps, you can't watch the racing today but the rest of you in the stands etc can??!!!
It would be absolute carnage and I think that we should put our disapointment to one side and look forward to the bumper cards tomorrow & Friday.
Shadow Leader
At the Start
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2003
- Messages
- 9,884
I repeat, again, can someone explain to me how, in such horrendous 80mph hurricanes, it is entirely possible for the racehorses to be ridden by mere stable lads in complete safety? Or how people's hats are staying resolutely in place? Superglue, possibly?
PRICEWISE2008
At the Start
Gutted..but 2 unreal days of racing to look forward to..12.30 start..Twiddlingme thumbs today though!!
The forecast is for 50mph GUSTS - not for a 50mph steady wind
There has already been damage during the night to part of the permanent structure - ie the roofs of one of the stands - which were damaged on Monday
To have large marquees, tables, bookies hoardings, and other debris let alone bits of roof flying around with 55,000 people in there is NOT an option. I saw some photos in the paper of the damage on Monday/Tuesday morning which was horrendous - and not shown on the RP site. It's amazing they got it cleared up in time
The way the wind is blowing the Best Mate enc has already been put out of bounds in case stuff is blown onto it from a height
Feel really sorry for the Irish etc who have come over for the firwst two days and won't be able to get a badge for tomorrow
There has already been damage during the night to part of the permanent structure - ie the roofs of one of the stands - which were damaged on Monday
To have large marquees, tables, bookies hoardings, and other debris let alone bits of roof flying around with 55,000 people in there is NOT an option. I saw some photos in the paper of the damage on Monday/Tuesday morning which was horrendous - and not shown on the RP site. It's amazing they got it cleared up in time
The way the wind is blowing the Best Mate enc has already been put out of bounds in case stuff is blown onto it from a height
Feel really sorry for the Irish etc who have come over for the firwst two days and won't be able to get a badge for tomorrow
K
Kathy
Guest
I feel for the jockeys and trainers etc. It must be a nightmare for some of them with the logistics of moving the horses and the racecourse stables for finding enough accomodation for them all etc. Also those trainers that will have had to turn back and take their horses home - not so easy if you have come all the way from Ireland. These are the people that will have the biggest headaches no doubt - not just those that feel it is inconvenient not to see todays racing... today!
The decision will not have been taken lightly BUT the good news is - we haven't lost the actual races - just seeing them on a different day.
Would be a different story if these bad weather was going to continue for another 2 days and we lost Thursday and Friday as well.
The decision will not have been taken lightly BUT the good news is - we haven't lost the actual races - just seeing them on a different day.
Would be a different story if these bad weather was going to continue for another 2 days and we lost Thursday and Friday as well.
Where have you got 80mph from Kathy. I've heard 80mph being reported as having been recorded in the Llanberis Pass over night, but that is a natural wind tunnel and a 1000 feet high at Pen Y Pass.
I live about 35 miles directly east of Cheltenham, and where as we might have had gusts of 55mph this morning, I'd be surprised if we've had anything more fierce than 35 to low 40's in the last hour. It's definately easing all the time.
Having said that, in a perverse way, I've made a profit on the day
Euronymous
Senior Jockey
I see Betfair still haven`t got the full programme up for tomorrow. I wonder whey they get their IT guys from - the local Job Centre.
K
Kathy
Guest
Where have you got 80mph from Kathy. I've heard 80mph being reported as having been recorded in the Llanberis Pass over night, but that is a natural wind tunnel and a 1000 feet high at Pen Y Pass.
I live about 35 miles directly east of Cheltenham, and where as we might have had gusts of 55mph this morning, I'd be surprised if we've had anything more fierce than 35 to low 40's in the last hour. It's definately easing all the time.
Having said that, in a perverse way, I've made a profit on the day[/b][/quote]
Well, just mentioned it again on Channel Four (midday news), Warbler and they said possible 80mph gusts on Sky News too this morning at 9am!
K
Kathy
Guest
Just a thought..... 
They (Edward Gillespie on C4 news) just said that people wouldn't have to apply for their refunds as the money would be repaid to the people who purchased the badges whose names will be on their database. Therefore, am I right in assuming that anyone who purchased their badges off of places such as Ebay (or via any 3rd party), will surely have to rely on the honesty of the people they brought the badges from to pass the refund on.
They (Edward Gillespie on C4 news) just said that people wouldn't have to apply for their refunds as the money would be repaid to the people who purchased the badges whose names will be on their database. Therefore, am I right in assuming that anyone who purchased their badges off of places such as Ebay (or via any 3rd party), will surely have to rely on the honesty of the people they brought the badges from to pass the refund on.
K
Kathy
Guest
It wasn't sold out today, Gareth, just Friday.
They were definitely selling tickets on Ebay for all days including corporate hospitality.
Headstrong, when you say dodgey badges, it does happen that people sometimes purchase badges for all sorts of events which they then cannot use - work commitments, ill health etc. It's not always someone trying to make a quick buck.
A few days ago someone on Ebay had to offload some badges and probably got nowhere near face value for Cheltenham for Thursday, they just couldn't (evidently) use them and wanted to get anything (something) back on them. There was hospitality badges going very cheap as well - a lot of them one off's where someone couldn't go. It happens.
My Dad was parked very close to one of the entrances yesterday where we had our pre-Cheltenham party. We had about 5 touts working close to us and they were selling the Tuesday badges for £40 each just to offload them. Some people got a bargain as when the rain came down about 1pm and they were then willing to take any sensible offers.
They were definitely selling tickets on Ebay for all days including corporate hospitality.
Headstrong, when you say dodgey badges, it does happen that people sometimes purchase badges for all sorts of events which they then cannot use - work commitments, ill health etc. It's not always someone trying to make a quick buck.
A few days ago someone on Ebay had to offload some badges and probably got nowhere near face value for Cheltenham for Thursday, they just couldn't (evidently) use them and wanted to get anything (something) back on them. There was hospitality badges going very cheap as well - a lot of them one off's where someone couldn't go. It happens.
My Dad was parked very close to one of the entrances yesterday where we had our pre-Cheltenham party. We had about 5 touts working close to us and they were selling the Tuesday badges for £40 each just to offload them. Some people got a bargain as when the rain came down about 1pm and they were then willing to take any sensible offers.
C'Mon Shadow. I recall you were displeased recently when a track didn't call off until very late in the day and I recall you urged executives to have the courage of their convictions and to be decisive.
Willie Mullins was just interviewed on RTE and completely agreed with the decision. I think they did the right thing, even if it leaves my day without a purpose.
Anyway, on a lighter note I have always been astonished that a multi-billion pound business uses a stick to ascertain ground conditions. Now we are using Thommos cap to judge the strength of the wind!
Willie Mullins was just interviewed on RTE and completely agreed with the decision. I think they did the right thing, even if it leaves my day without a purpose.
Anyway, on a lighter note I have always been astonished that a multi-billion pound business uses a stick to ascertain ground conditions. Now we are using Thommos cap to judge the strength of the wind!
crazyhorse
At the Start
A true Classic :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
K
Kathy
Guest
I agree with An.