Cheltenham Saturday

That'll be where we differ then UG.. I would prefer to see two days of great racing than three days of good racing.. just a personal taste I suppose..

Don't think it means I appreciate the best races any less than I would if they were further spread out..
 
I too prefer the really top races spread out a bit. If you go on the day, and all the races are top drawer, then there is no time for socialising, sitting down, getting a drink etc - it's all a long slog back and forth from track to ring to Winners Enc etc etc.

The Friday is good for the traditional things like Amateurs' races and conditionals races, where you often see old faves not longer up to running in the top class events. It's also good for giving inexperienced horses a taste of the track BEFORE they run in the top races, ie under less pressure.

As SL says, if Friday was a bit thin on quality of horse, that was down to the weather rather than any fundamental flaw in the setup
 
Not to mention that the attendances were up by quite a lot! Here, Colin, fancy telling the 22,000 people that attended on Friday that the racing was crap and unjustified so next year they can't go as you've decided to scrap it?! :D

Besides, when the third day was initially added it was the Sunday that was created, not the Friday which was already part of the meeting.

Of course, if you don't like the additional day's racing, no-one forces you to watch it, bet on it or go racing!
 
'twasn't I who suggested that the Friday should be dropped.

The question I asked, was, did the racing justify being spread over three days.

A couple, or three, or four, of the races could be scrapped and have a fairly high quality two day (7 races each day) meet.

I think it has been discussed before whether the March Festival has been weakened by spreading the meeting over four days and I think most people would agree that there aren't enough good races at Punchestown to justify the length of that Festival.

If you want to get pished for an extra day that can be arranged, probably at a much lower cost.

I am rather surprised that 22,000 people were conned into going for the fare that was provided on Friday.

Obviously a case of never mind the quality, it's Cheltenham.
 
You may not specifically have said "Friday should be dropped" but you are suggesting the racing is cut down to two days whilst saying in the same breath that Friday's racing was dire - it's not a hard conclusion to draw!

The meeting is just fine as it is - plenty of people clearly agree with me, just look at the record attendance levels. As I said before, no-one who doesn't want to go racing/can't afford to go racing/doesn't want to watch the racing/doesn't want to bet on the racing/can't afford to bet on the racing yada yada is forced to do so if they don't want to so where is the problem?

Your comments about 22,000 people being "conned" into going racing on Friday are frankly absurd and downright laughable. So you didn't want to go for whatever reason - don't begrudge those who did want to go, who did go, and who actually enjoyed themselves!

Comments about "getting pished" were also laughable - what an assumption to make! Do 22,000 people who attended have to justify themselves or their reasons to anyone as to why they went and, shock horror, spent their hard-earned there? They wanted to go; it's obvious to a blind man that the weekend's racing is a massive success so those who don't like the extra day will just have to live with it. It's a bit early yet for bah, humbug isn't it?
 
Don't patronise me Colin, I'm just fine. Merely responding to your calls to scrap a perfectly good days racing whilst accusing people of being stupid enough to have been "conned" into going there in the first place....
 
It was I who suggested the meeting should be curtailed to two days, and I stand by that assertion..

To be frank I don't give a flying **** that 22,000 turned up, as that is their prerogative and I certainly don't begrudge them a days racing...

My point is simply that I personally favour a two-day meeting (and I know I'm in the minority), with seven races on both cards.. where's the crime in that?

Suppose it's a matter of taste really..
 
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