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Defintely losing it’s lustre for me, even more so when they go 5 days and only 6 races a day. The extra races added have only detracted from other races, the Triumph was nearly always impossible to solve and some big priced winners but it was a great spectacle, the same can’t be said now.
Maybe it’s just me but I can remember the races and winners of the Triumph in the 70’s and 80’s much better than recent Triumph’s
That’s an age thing.
We always remember the results from our relatively formative years the most vividly
I could tell you who won every race at Beverley in April 1977, but last week?
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“I always see Cheltenham as heralding the arrival of spring.”
With you on that, I have long since seen spring arriving on the back of the winner of the Supreme.
Cormack
Always pleasing to see Cheltenham traditions being continued, this time with leading Irish trainer Gordon Iddiott complaining that he’s ‘baffled’ by the handicapping.
“Why are we all not operating off the same ratings? Should all these handicappers not be working off the same level playing field?”
Well yes, that would certainly ensure 100% Irish trained winners, which we might still get anyway. Another half a million quid raised from British punters being recycled to deserving causes like Richie Rich and Mr Ryanair.
Just like me chaps!! I never feel like it’s spring (and honestly wouldn’t acknowledge it was even if it was) until the Tuesday of Cheltenham.
Similarly, but not quite as strongly, the Chester May festival always feels like the start of Summer for me iregardless of when Summer actually starts. In my head Spring literally starts when Cheltenham does and Summer literally starts when Chester festival does
Just done the maths in my head, for me summer ends in September so ever since I’ve watched racing I’ve believed summer is 5 months long, no wonder I’m always moaning about how bad our summers are haha it’s probably autumn and spring half the time I’m expecting it to be 30 degrees outside.
just say no kids!!!!
There’s a saying “winter rides on the tail of the last horse home in the St Leger” or somesuch
I’ll stick with the equinoctial and solsticial definitions of the seasons: 21st March, 21st June, 21st September, 21st December
Or in the racing calendar: National Hunt Meeting, Royal Meeting, Western Meeting, err…Kempton
There’s a saying “winter rides on the tail of the last horse home in the St Leger”
Which is manifest nonsense – Winter is still months away at that point and it’s frequently a warm, sunny, Indian summer of a day on Town Moor on St Leger Day.
I also prefer Drone’s traditional dates for season change.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I’ve gone for the meteorological definition of the seasons; however I’d agree with Gladiateur about the proper start of the Jumps season, the former 1 day meeting at Chepstow with the Mercedes-Benz Chase plus the Timeform 4YO Handicap Hurdle.
As for Cheltenham, I don’t get the same buzz anymore, it’s been massively watered down – and far too many options for horses to duck a challenge. It’s the athletics equivalent of bringing in a 300m/ 600m races, or 1000m Hurdles. However, come the Monday evening before, I’ll be looking forward to it.
I am not sure when the saying about the St Leger and winter originated but given the age of the World’s Oldest Classic, it is reasonable to assume it was at a time when the climate was cooler and winters were harsher. It was probably truthful at the time.
Cheltenham definitely isn’t losing its lustre according to Rishi Persad. I’ve just watched his Oddschecker Racing Weekly programme on YouTube and he thinks that there should be even more emphasis on the festival than there is now.
Don’t think that too many of us here would agree.
Chamberlain is arranging a special ‘ITV Prestbury Cup’ feature panel, with Gerry Adams representing “The Irish” and Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair representing the Brits. They will discuss the days results, with ‘top bants’ ensured.
The losing ‘Captain’ for the week has to detonate their suicide vest live on ITV, immediately after confirming “how it feels” to Rishi or Ollie.
BUY THE SUN
‘Cheltenham definitely isn’t losing its lustre according to Rishi Persad. I’ve just watched his Oddschecker Racing Weekly programme on YouTube and he thinks that there should be even more emphasis on the festival than there is now.’
Absolutely, I don’t know why we even have other racecourses. They sit on prime greenfield land. Sell the lot of them to developers and use the cash to boost prize money at The Festival ™.
The price admission for Taunton isn’t far off that of Cheltenham festival yet the class of races are very low. I don’t think I’d watch it for free if they were running around in my back garden. Now either Cheltenham is value for money or some of these other courses need to reduce ticketing prices
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
You see the same in football Nathan. My local League Two side charges between 20 and 25 quid. For fourth tier football. It’s not far off £20 for non league in places either
And they wonder why nobody turns up.I don’t know what PL clubs charge these days but I’m guessing it’s far better value in relation to the product on offer.
I wish Cheltenham still finished with the County Hurdle. It worked well as a last good race to look forward to after the Gold Cup.
I understand why the bookmakers want a competitive handicap hurdle to be on a main television channel to maximise betting and I suppose it means more money for racing from the Levy or whatever it is called now. However, the festival finishing with a largely unwanted Mares Chase and a consolation Coral Cup with everything ridden by conditional jockeys means the festival ends with a whimper rather than a bang.
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