Cheltenham Week - what do we all do?

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Len Madeiros

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It's our Christmas! We have the time of our lives, surely? Some Cheltenhams are more memorable than others, some are more profitable - but will we honestly say that it was great fun win, lose or draw?

For me, it is a fantastic betting opportunity, where I save up money to have a massive splurge (for me) on four day's racing. And I take the Tuesday-Friday off work. The "save up money" bit has been getting bigger and bigger every year, and I now have set aside a £500 pot for betting and the pish this year. I will spend three days in the pub, running across the road in between races to place bets, returning to watch the individual races on telly with a crowd of mates; on the day that I don't go to the pub, I will watch the races on telly, having staked about £30 on a few bets. I'm involved in a 'fantasy festival' compo with about 15 others - that I have never won - which culminates on Gold Cup Friday, with the Martin Pipe Hurdle our last race. And in all honesty, a losing Cheltenham does take away the shine from the week, but overall, I am never that disappointed. Three days in the pub with mates is always time well spent. And I like to think that I'm always learning, not repeating mistakes from previous years. It's still the hope that drives me on.

Utterly, spectacularly, the best week of the year for me.
 
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Without a doubt the best week of the year Len.
I'll be there all week, weekend after is always a complete write off!
 
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My favourite week of the year by far.

Won’t be a usual year for me though. With having twins that will be just over 2 months old, it’ll be the only week off work I have for a while, so the Mrs has booked in all the house renovations to be done that week. Carpets, painters and decoratorsX new kitchen, the full works, all in that week.

Can probably imagine my delight when I found out. I’ve got an excuse the Tuesday, I’ll be on the **** in the pub with a few mates who have no interest in racing, but hound me for tips.

I’m back in work Gold Cup day. With a fair few multiples waiting on ILikedwayurthinkin in the Martin Pipe. If that doesn’t come in, I’ll probably be getting my p45 due to the foul language that’ll be leaving my mouth.

Is it easy to miss the racing results? I’m thinking of watching it at night when I get bsck home. Not sure id be able to resist the urge to look though.
 
It's a massive week for me. Last year around 15% of my total turnover for the year was at the Festival.

I've been half a dozen times. To be honest though I prefer just watching on the TV now.
 
Any racing fan who doesn't look forward to the Festival is missing out on a lot but I have to say my enjoyment of the week is seriously undermined by the TV coverage since it moved to Channel 4 and, for me, it has gone seriously downhill since the move to ITV.

Far too much feigned excitement, arseholes like Gleeson and Chapman making a cult of themselves, McCoy bringing absolutely fuckall to the party. Poor commentaries by Hoiles & co (and he's arguably the best of their team), none of whom is a patch on Simon Holt.

And don't get me fuckin started on the fuckin social stable shite.

We need proper form analysis from proper form experts.

We need proper paddock descriptions from proper judges. They're missing out on a massive opporchancity by not employing jinnyj.

We need proper camera coverage with no fancy camera work until after the race has been reviewed a few times by good race-readers. We need to see nearly every horse pass the post, including in proper high-definition slow-mo. (In the case of some of my bets, slo-moos.)

We need proper judges to talk us through the races, people like Willie Mullins or an equivalent of John Gosden.

We need sectional analysis. Perhaps immediately after the race is asking a bit much but within a day or two by a Simon Rowlands or someone of equal expertise.

I would really like to see a three-hour Sunday Review where each race is looked at to varying degrees with perhaps input from an official handicapper who could talk us through what ratings they have in mind for the performances and where those ratings lie in a historical comparison of the same races of previous seasons.

And for all that, last year's Thursday remains the best afternoon's TV racing I have ever seen, but that as much down to the quality and competitiveness of the racing as the compelling reactions of Bryony Frost on Frodon and the Paisley Park team as anything else on the day. I don't remember a word of any of the Turkish Delight spouted by Chamberlin or Bell or Cumani or Harvey or Chapman or Gleeson or anybody else.

But I will never forget that afternoon.
 
Going on the Wednesday this year as I really want to see the QM (normally do the Tuesday). Am taking friend who has never been racing proper before! Should be a baptism of fire for her - let’s hope she can keep up with me as I’m fairly quick on my feet between paddock, bookies and stands! Hope to meet up with some fellow forumites as usual?

V kind comment from you DO. Not sure I’m that good! My betting mojo seriously out of kilter so far this year Pointing. Usually I can pick 4-5 winners per meeting just going on eye but for some reason my eyesight has been way off! Am hoping it returns in time.
 
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Finding winners - especially in the handicaps - at the festival is a major fillip to anyone's enjoyment but for me it isn't the be all and end all. I think a deeper appreciation of what we're seeing pays longer-term dividends.
 
I love Cheltenham week and always feel ridiculously flat on the Saturday afterwards! I take the week off work and watch all the build up and racing each day (usually just myself as very few of my friends and family are as into racing as me - I do manage to persuade Mr New Approach to watch the bigger races each day with me though). Although I'm not a big bettor (I'll probably only spend £20-£25 all week), it's more about the horses for me and I tend to follow particular favourites rather than placing sensible informed bets. I do like placing my small stakes Lucky 15s etc though and enjoy our forum competitions as well as the fantasy Cheltenham. We always say that we will actually go to the Festival next year but haven't managed it yet - mainly due to cat care issues! Hopefully we will manage some time soon - I would enjoy meeting up with fellow forumites.

Wishing everyone luck with all their Festival selections.
 
When I was working I always took Cheltenham week off. Usually go on the Tuesday to set myself up for the week but having to give it a miss this year. Not sure how I'll feel about that because whenever I get to the track I always feel as if I've never been away. Close my eyes anytime anywhere and I can be at Cheltenham. Great as it is being able to bet on the internet, I do miss buying a paper, working out the daily bets and driving to the nearest bookies to place them. Maybe I'll do that this year, just for the one day. I'm trying to obtain a Lady Buttons scarf to wear on whichever day she runs, to get me in the mood....haven't even got a preview to go to this year. Might just take myself to Uttoxeter for the Midlands National on the Saturday; grossly overpriced but easy to get to. I think the thing I miss most about not going is getting there early and watching the horses unload and the Irish horses coming back off the track after their mornings blow out [heck; made meself all miserable now.....] New Approach; mine isn't a cat care issue but a young'ish dog that, unlike my last one, can't be left for very long.
 
Not been to the festival since the 80s, much prefer to watch at home now. Don't seem to get so excited by it these days for some reason :(
 
Biggest week of the year for me, am going on the Thursday this year so hoping Benie runs in the stayers, her v P Park would be the race of the meeting if it happens, will bet somewhere between £400/500 over the 4 days probably half of that in multiples

Only NH meeting of the year i attend now, i do prefer the big Flat days nowadays for days out, weather being the main reason:D The drive down on the Tuesday last year was horrendous in the pissing rain

Still better than Christmas though:)
 
First went down for Alverton's Gold Cup in 1979 and have only missed two years when the meeting has been held since. With the help of contacts of Cantoris, my group has been able to stay within walking distance of the course for several years now. From the time I leave to pick up the first of the guys at lunchtime on Monday till I drop him off on Friday night, it's National Hunt racing, and the rest of the world is pushed away for the week (the one exception being if Spurs are on the TV but even that is only for the duration of the game). I probably bet more than I should but unless I'm on early ante post I rarely back short priced horses and will just stand back to watch/enjoy the performance. I regularly meet up with old friends and frequently meet all sorts of interesting characters that I would not meet in normal life. Love it!
 
Having watched it on TV as a young adult during the late eighties & early nineties I decided to drum up a group of mates to go with me. Back in those days I still lived in Birmingham so it was an easy 40 minute train journey which was preceded by a meet up in a Birmingham pub, which one of the lads managed. On reaching Cheltenham we’d spend the hours of about 11:00-13:00 in the Landsdown before a mad scramble to get to the course in time for the Supreme. The rest of the weeks are now a distant blur.

After not missing a year in about 20 (Foot and Mouth being the obvious exception) I switched firms and cities to London which caused me to eventually move residence and live in Surrey. I initially continued to meet up with everybody that week but, having reached my 40th year, the combination of heavy partying during the week and the lengthy travelling - it’s a tough place to get to if you live in the South East and don’t want (or will be too pi55ed) to drive - and along with the increasing crowds meant I decided to stay home and enjoy the build up on TV, nip to the local village pub with my RP to finalise selections, place bets and go back and watch the day’s racing at home, with a week’s supply of refreshments.

I missed being at the track but generally the pros outweighed the cons.

A few years back a new neighbour moved in just across from me and sharing my love of racing he started joining me. He’s now a forum member on here.

I haven’t worked this week my whole life and despite the holidays the missus and I take I’ve often said to her that if I only had 4 days holiday each year, these would be the days. That may well change as I get older but thankfully for now, she thinks I’m joking.

I’d say I stake about an average of £150 per race but will likely bet less on races like the Bumper and Mare’s Novice - unless I have a strong fancy - and more on the handicaps, where advantageous place terms make it worthwhile although getting the bets on is now one of the greatest challenges of the week.
 
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Best Week of the year by far- Ive been at least one day every year since 1987- although I made my debut when seeing Badsworth Boy win the Champion Chase for the 2nd time (Sabin Du Loir, Forgive n Forget and Dawn Run also ran that day- the best days sick I ever had, thanks Dad)

I tend to go Tuesday, Thursday and Friday- with a day off in between in a pub in Birmingham with a couple of mates.

Will meet up with various forumites over the time Im there, Frontrunner, Maruco, Grasshopper and no doubt a few more. Ive stayed for the duration Monday to Friday only once and although I just about stayed the trip I was reported as finishing distressed .
 
I went last year the first two and it pissed rain all day the Tuesday. I wouldn't take a present of going for a while again. The best weeks I've had were off the beer and focused on getting bets on with the cut usually midday. Betting race to race at the festival is in my opinion a mistake because they bet the races so hard in the morning.
 
Slim said:
I went last year the first two and it pissed rain all day the Tuesday. I wouldn't take a present of going for a while again. The best weeks I've had were off the beer and focused on getting bets on with the cut usually midday. Betting race to race at the festival is in my opinion a mistake because they bet the races so hard in the morning.
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I wouldn't mind going once to say I've done it but you see so much more on TV and, as you say, there are seriously good value bets to be taken through the morning (regardless of whether they actually win!)

I like being 'sorted' by about 11am ahead of enjoying the rest of the day although, in truth, I'm usually finalising studying for the next day or two in between TV races.

As you know, for many years I've been in the habit of tabulating all my ratings and commiting to print all my thoughts, conclusions and bets, which is a huge strain on my time.

My enforced withdrawal from the latter aspect came with its own stresses but now I'm almost enjoying the alternative challenge of reading a race in advance without recourse to the form book. I'm 'guessing' to an extent - something we both hold in contempt - but I like to think I'm guessing based on a hefty background of knowledge and experience.

I'm just as capable of getting it as spectacularly wrong as the most ill-informed 'guessers' but it's a grand feeling when I get it right.

Because I'm not studying at the moment, I'm only betting fractions of what I used to bet. The days of committing three- and four-figure sums to one race or one day's betting might not return for me but the feelgood factor brought by 'being right' is now worth almost as much to me as the money.

Plus, I like being able to hoover up little bits of value via the laptop through the afternoon where the betting takes unexpected turns and opens up little value opportunities.
 
There are some great tales shared here, and it's great to see so many of us take our enjoyment so seriously for four days of the year. I take your point about value in the morning, Slim - and my accumulators are laid out then at the morning prices - but I just love the freneticism of running between pub-bookies-pub for individual races. One of the pubs we go to is like being in an old school bookies - it is a "racing pub". Every single person in the pub will be watching the racing; there are even pens and betting slips available! Every losing horse is a wanker and every losing jockey is a cant. But when they win, they go mental. I saw three blokes in their 50s last year standing on the same table, as Band of Outlaws won the Fred Winter. Yes, the table gave way.

I have actually been twice, in 2012 and 2013, but I know that I prefer what I do these days. I had my best ever year last year - Silver Streak third in the CH at 80/1 and Croco Bay winning the Grand Annual at 66/1 were the highlights - so I'm hoping that I am learning from past mistakes and backing my own judgement. And also creaming off large slices of luck. But I so love the week itself.
 
I used to go with some mates and didn’t miss a day from 1994-1999. Fortunately there was one of us who was happy to drive up every day from Andover. By 2000 I think he’d had enough and we all watched on TV legging it to the bookies for the last two.

Didn’t go again until 2007 when invited for some corporate hospitality on the Thursday and I’ve been going with the same crew on the Thursday since then. Got invited by another mob for the Friday in 2011 but my liver suffered. Going all 4 days would probably kill me.

So the routine this year will be watching at home with Mrs Viking on Tuesday then travelling to Cheltenham on Wednesday (while trying to watch the races on my phone) to meet up with my hosts then back home after racing on Thursday watching Fridays action on TV with Mrs V.

I also like to be done with betting by about 12 although also bet through the afternoon when at the course


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I first went in 1999 or 2000 and been every year since (bar Foot n Mouth), at first used to be Thurs and Friday, with a group of 10 of on the Thursday generously funded by a mate who took a table for us all. Nowadays go with same mate on the Tues and Weds, with 1 or 2 others. It really does feel like Christmas - hard to explain to non believers.

Highlights have been the year when the Weds was cancelled owing to high winds - sorry for those who missed out, but selfishly meant getting 19 races on the Thurs and Friday, seeing Masterminded romp home in a QM I wouldn’t have seen, and best ever 2 days in terms of winners. Mr McGoldrick winning at 160s on Tote with our table fund on each way was unforgettable. And seeing all Kauto Star’s Gold Cup runs. In 20 years I’ve gone from going for the beer to going for the horses (and beer) - though I’m still a mug punter no matter how much I study the form.

Not been on this thread much over recent past but will try to chip in my views a bit more as I really enjoy reading all the views of fellow believers.


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I`ve been only the once. It was 1977 and Davy Lad won the Gold Cup. But the race that stays in the memory was the Champion Hurdle won by Night Nurse and ridden by Paddy Broderick, who sadly died recently. Surely it was the Golden Age of great hurdlers. As well as Night Nurse, the field included Monksfield, Sea Pigeon and Birds Nest. There may have been better champions but I doubt there has ever been a better field. A memorable race.

I`ve never wanted to return, though. The weather was awful and the crowds far too big for comfort. Give me a day out on the hill at Bangor any day! Now, I much prefer to watch on the TV except for Gold Cup day when I meet up with our racing group (who still include some from our 1977 group) in a good racing pub and have a good drink, a good bet, and enjoy some good company.
 
My dad introduced me to racing 40 years ago and the Cheltenham festival was a huge event for him. We got up a half hour in the morning time and did us both a fry. We would discuss the ante post runners over breakfast, using the previous evening herald as the gospel.
Little did I know how much the memories of them breakfasts would cheer me up later in life.

Here’s just one discussion

Dad....I was reading in the life graham McCourt thought he would have been much closer in the king George if he had not made mistakes.

Me.....dad, don’t say that out loud or the men in the white coats will be called for you.

Week later...

Dad... I was looking thru the life during the week and Norton’s coin has run at Cheltenham three times and finished 211 and that farmer that trains him says he is great order also says he can’t wait for the race.

Me...dad he has never ran anywhere near the gold cup distance, don’t be wasting your money.

Dad...if a horse likes that course that’s a huge plus he is a 100/1 shot and I am backing him before he shortens, you should throw a few quid ew on it yourself.

Me......under my breath, lunatic.....but to him, yeah I suppose so worth a small few quid.

We always took the three days of together.
Morning of the race, we walk down to the bookies, corals, Norton’s coin is 150/1.
Jesus look Norton’s coin is 150/1he said to me. Quick he says, put £2.50 e/w on it for me.
I did and we went in for a drink, he asked me “ did you throw a few quid on it yourself”

Me...do you not think one nut job in the family is enough.

I punted stake wise a lot more than him and he knew that, plus the fact I was having a terrible Cheltenham.

Come the race, he asks, what ya go for.

I was a big Jenny pitman fan back then, TOBY TOBIAS I said. All in.

All Toby had to do was pass one fooking horse up the run in, a 100/1 rag called norton coin. He couldn’t

After the race my dad handed me a coral docket with £3 e/w on norton coin at 150/1 saying just as well only one of us is nuts but it’s not me.
 
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