Cheltenham Abandoned

Cheltenham racecourse have been in touch with all local stables desperate to find boxes for horses to stay in. With all the racecourse stables full and more horses appearing from long distances they are desperate to find some where for them to go. Under HRA rules all horses have to be stabled in licensed premises 2 weeks before racing, unless you are Hunter Chasing.
 
They wouldn't have. There were bits coming off the roof of one of the stands, and the Starter's chair, bookies kiosks etc etc were flying around the place - look at some of the photos online.

In any case you CANNOT have 20+ bunched horses up in the air with 50mph wind gusts expected! Jeez... They'd be blown into each other, there could have been some horrific accidents. it just wasn't worth taking the risk. Horses get spooked enough by high winds at the best of times

I'm sure they will now build a permanent structure down past the stands for the hospitality which will resolve the problem in the future. Sadly these people are needed financially - but best they have their own area well away form the action!
 
Difficult decision although ultimately, I think, the right one. I'm not sure about 80 mph winds but I've never heard the wind so bad here as it was last night and this morning - I'm pretty near the centre of Gloucester where it's fairly sheltered, nowhere near as exposed as the course. And since my home turf's not far from Pen-Y-Pass, I'm used to the strong stuff :P

As mentioned earlier, the safety of people and horses is paramount and whilst I do feel sorry for anyone who's missed out on the racing today, it's certainly a treat for those of us attending tomorrow and/or Friday.

Those of you already here will know the wind's dropped massively but for those further afield all seemed pretty calm when I was walking home about half an hour ago.
 
Originally posted by Headstrong@Mar 12 2008, 09:19 PM

I'm sure they will now build a permanent structure down past the stands for the hospitality which will resolve the problem in the future.
Click to expand...
I am afraid there are planning issues.
 
As I said in the first place, at 0830, how were they to know what the winds would be doing by 1400?

Where I was staying, around 40 mins from the track, the weather was fine all day. It got a little gusty but not badly so and dropped by late morning when the sun came out.

From what I have heard, others questioned the decision to abandon so early - jockeys and journalists amongst them.
 
Some of the bits of film which have been shown on telly and online of the gusting winds that day make it clear why the abandonment had to be the decision, however inconvenient.
 
Originally posted by Shadow Leader@Mar 14 2008, 11:02 PM
As I said in the first place, at 0830, how were they to know what the winds would be doing by 1400?

Where I was staying, around 40 mins from the track, the weather was fine all day. It got a little gusty but not badly so and dropped by late morning when the sun came out.

From what I have heard, others questioned the decision to abandon so early - jockeys and journalists amongst them.
Click to expand...
You will never know for sure what the winds would do, but you have to listen to your forecasters. If the winds were bad, a contingency had to be in place, and that had to be in place early on the Wednesday.

I would have thought that you would be the last person to criticise a fast decisive decision.

And of course people question the decision. If it was an obvious decision, we wouldn't be talking about it. If their forecast had turned out incorrect, they would have had to cancel the races at noon or so, with no time to declare for extra races on Thursday and no time to send horses back home where possible.
 
It would almost certainly have been down to their Insurers, SL, as to whether they would cover the event if they had proceeded.
 
Tell you what, this could have been so much worse. Some 36 hours after the GC torrential rain has resulted in fairly extensive flooding in and around Cheltenham (Prestbury High Street flooded) and and whether or not the course would have been raceable the travel situation would have been horrendous.
 
From todays Gloucester Echo


Officials believe day two of the festival could have gone ahead if Cheltenham racecourse was allowed to build permanent facilities.Councillors have backed racecourse boss Edward Gillespie's calls to remove greenbelt planning restrictions from the course.

They believe new weather-proof facilities could have allowed Wednesday's racing, which was called off because of winds of up to 87mph, to go ahead.

The winds forced organisers to cancel the festival's second day because of fears over the safety of marquees erected to house the thousands of racegoers and staff at the course.

Mr Gillespie said: "We had no choice as the facilities could have been blown away or collapsed.

"It is unfortunate as the festival brings a great deal of money to Cheltenham and the county. It was the right decision but we believe in future it must be avoided if possible."

Mr Gillespie's team wishes to emulate other courses, such as Aintree, by having permanent brick buildings.

Because the course is greenbelt land, it is difficult to get permission.

Mr Gillespie said: "We're providing a 21st century audience with 1950s facilities. We're asking people to stand around in tents in March. Meanwhile, at Aintree, where there are actually far fewer meetings each year, the course is able to build permanent buildings.

"Last week's weather brought home to us how bad a situation this really is.

"We're pretty sure the racing itself could have gone ahead so, with buildings rather than marquees, we'd never have had to call off the day's racing."

Mr Gillespie and members of Cheltenham Borough Council were petitioning to change the regulations.

He said: "We'd like to draw a line around the area such as the grandstand and other buildings to enable us to build there.

"We're working with the greenbelt review to have the boundaries redrawn and we hope that will happen.

"We need to build the right buildings to withstand the weather and safeguard the festival's future."

Cheltenham borough councillor Leslie Godwin (PAB, Prestbury) is a member of Cheltenham's planning Committee and defender of the greenbelt and green spaces in the town.

But he confirmed his and the council's support for Mr Gillespie's campaign.

He said: "We in PAB (People Against Bureaucracy) believe the racecourse should be able to build to improve facilities.

"If we had a redrawn boundary, everyone would know exactly where building was allowed, saving time and energy being put into lost causes.

"The racecourse is a great asset to Cheltenham and we in the Prestbury area would like to see that continue.

"At present the review has indicated it wants the greenbelt to stay as it is but we hope we can push for change and enable the course to serve its customers even better."
 
I bet if Gillespie applied to build 500 1 and 2 bedroomed luxury flats on the same piece of Green belt land permission would no doubt be granted by the council! :brows:
 
Quote Kathy .....*.I bet if Gillespie applied to build 500 1 and 2 bedroomed luxury flats on the same piece of Green belt land permission would no doubt be granted by the council!*

Being a Local Goverment Officer myself i will 2nd that Kathy
 
Back
Top