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Being as we’ve just been through, imo, the best meeting of the year (Cheltenham), I wondered what other meetings can get close to the excitement of that. Some forumite will say the Southwell Festival or something like that, but seriously, can anything match Cheltenham?
A great idea for a poll jairducochetfan.
It does seem in your list of options that the flat does outweight the jumps quite heavily though. What about Sandown’s Tingle Creek or Whitbread Meeting, Kempton’s King George Meeting or Cheltenham’s Open Meeting? <br>The Cheltenham festival is an incredible meeting, wonderfully exciting. However, no race on the entire racing calendar gets close to exciting me as much as the Grand National and the supporting races are of a high standard too, so just to be a little different, I will vote for the Aintree Meeting.
For the quality of racing it has to be Royal Ascot. I agree completely with tdk; the advantage it has over it’s NH equivalent is that it is both a mid season championship event and a spring board to others later in the season.
From a racegoer’s point of view, especially one that wants to see the horses and not the poseurs, it is a nightmare so I’ve voted for the July Cup meeting, which is relaxed, informal and has an abundance of top class racing.
I fully respect that this is all down to opinion but if this was a vote for the worst, Aintree would get my nomination without any hesitation.
My top 4 (in this order) would be:
Royal Ascot<br>Cheltenham<br>York Ebor meeting<br>Aintree
I agree with thedarkknight as Ascot is consistently top class with international raiders appearing frequently, and it doesn’t overshadow the rest of the flat season. One of the reasons I love the flat so much is because there is always something else on the horizon to look forward to. Once Ascot’s over there’s the July meeting to be thinking about, not forgetting the Irish Derby inbetween. York is my other favourite flat meeting. The track is one of the fairest in the country and York is when we get excited about the 2yos as well as the Juddmonte international which is one of my favourite races of the year.
As for the jumps, in Britian there are only 2 main meetings for me – Cheltenham and Aintree where you can be guaranteed that the cream of NH horses will turn up. Sadly Cheltenham is becoming increasingly dominant, and will be more so with the addition of an extra day in 2005. Because Aintree is so close this year, I fear a lot of the top hurdlers and chasers will give it a miss and go onto Punchestown (which isn’t televised). Yet despite Cheltenham’s dominance, it really gets me into NH mode….always too late though because my favourite code starts up again this week!
Cheltenham beats all the others hands down for atmosphere, but its becoming alittle too uncomfortable for me
Rotyal Ascot is great racing but a dismal event at a rubbish racecourse. The whole place is populated by east end maggots in top hats and tattoos. Its truely vile…but the racing still drags me back each year…i admit
I love Goodwood, but my vote would perhaps be Newmarket July. a delightful meeting at a lovely hot time of year with a decent crowd…
No..
Im talking rubbish…nothing beats Cheltenham
I voted for Royal Ascot but love all the big meetings especially the Cheltenham Festival, Open Meeting and July Meeting.
Clivex I’d love to know how you can think Royal Ascot is a "dismal event at a rubbish racecourse" – although I agree it should be much improved after the redevelopment.
Good to know that the whole place is populated by east end maggots with tattoos. I may wear a top hat but obviously I’m just going to have to that "Made in England" script put on my forearm!
Quote: from jairducochetfan on 3:04 pm on Mar. 21, 2004[br]Some forumite will say the Southwell Festival or something like that
<br>Del, you didnt disappoint!
(Edited by jairducochetfan at 8:06 pm on Mar. 21, 2004)
Quite simply its an event where the vast majority barely care about racing. That detracts from the atmosphere for me and that is an important consideration<br>Its also largely populated by office parties getting childishly drunk. this was well illustrated recently by the cheering on of the horses as they went down to the start.
cheltenham certainly has a more knowledgeable crowd and newmarket even more so…
Its alos a horrible grandstand and the paddock is inaccesible. Same could be said about cheltenham though….
Dont get me wrong, i have enjoyed days there, but its not my favorite event
and the racing itself is superb…
It depends on what you mean by "best"?<br>Qualitywise, definately Cheltenham. From a betting standpoint however, for me, the Aintree National meeting is the winner by a distance.
I voted for Cheltenham,unsurprisingly enough.<br>Second would be Glorious Goodwood,not too bothered about Royal Ascot and the Epsom Derby,prefer to watch those on the box.
I voted for Goodwood.
a) It’s the only one I’ve been to more than once<br>b) It didn’t have any votes and I felt sorry for it
Leopardstown Christmas Meeting for me.<br>Always competitive fields.National Hunt at its best.
my favourites would be
Cheltenham<br>Aintree<br>Hennessy<br>Royal Ascot
Anyone whose been around lambourn on the night of the Hennessy will know where I’m coming from!!!!:naughty:
Obviously for the NH, Cheltenham wins hands down but overall for me Royal Ascot is THE meeting and I’ve always had the dream of attending one year even if it is only a dream,
TDK hits the nail on the head with his comments…
I voted for Royal Ascot. Not only is it 5 days of top class racing, but it doesn’t overshadow the rest of the flat  season the way Cheltenham does the jumps season.
The fact that the meeting is also attracting international performers is another massive positive. I can only see it getting bigger and better in years to come.
I’ve been in The Malt Shovel in Lambourn. Just round the corner from Kim Bailey’s yard. I was making a delivery to Hungerford and popped down there for a laugh. But it was in the daytime, so it was rather quiet i’m afraid :)
Aintree has always been my favourite. It oozes quality, and whilst the prestige of the races doesn’t hit the heights of Cheltenham, the relaxed feeling of the meeting always cheers me up.
Second choice would be the Tote Gold Trophy meeting. It’s near the end of the winter, a good crowd without being too full, and a very well thought out card – a classy 2 mile chase, a fantastic handicap hurdle and the Aon Chase is kept until very close to the end of the card so the day isn’t all over by the third race.
Third choice King George day, although I’ve always (and probably always will) watched this one on the telly.
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