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I can see me doing this in a couple of years when I retire. 5 days would be perfect. When you take into account the travel to the course,the extortionate price of hotels,huge entrance fees and prices on food and drink no wonder many are doing it. Temperature in tenerife right now 16c. Highs between 17 and 19 over the next four days. Very tempting. Plus loads going to the drf instead. Cant see the crowds returning for many years. You reap what you sow.
Looking at the forecast the windchill at Cheltenham will be edging down to not much above freezing as the week progresses
Not long back in the house.
That’s an annual thing now I think for me. Is it better than being there???….. I’m going to say…… It’s different. And overall. More enjoyable.
We found a little restaurant on the beach that had ITV on every day that was family friendly and had enough in who were watching the racing to make it a really good atmosphere of like minded folk. Me and the Mrs took the little un down each afternoon, had a couple or three drinks each, a sarnie/canarian potatoes/garlic prawns etc for around €30. Little un would sit quite happily in a high chair for a couple of hours and I’d stick my bets on and watch the world go by in shorts and t shirt.
There was a few bars with groups of lads that were all together more rowdy (one of them called Waxy o’ Shea’s was quite frankly a f’in crack den!
The hotel we stayed in was 5 star with a lovely kids pool, roof top bar, baby club etc etc and we managed to find a couple of really nice local eateries for us to have an evening meal.
I had a really enjoyable few days. Watched the racing nice and warm and found it all excellent value for money.
Cheltenham has a real problem on its hands now. Because going to Tenerife/Benidorm offers the perfect antidote to all the problems Cheltenham presents! And I don’t see them turning it round any time soon! The bars over there have cottoned on very quickly that people are looking to make this a thing now! And it’s only going to get more popular in my opinion!
I enjoyed going Cheltenham on the Friday. Didn’t pay for the ticket (Thanks again, BigG) Don’t buy alcohol on course. Bought a couple of standard coffees £2.80 which kept me going. Love seeing the horses up close.
But am very tempted to go away next year and get some early sun. My boss always books me the week off. I have my own private work but never get much done anyway Cheltenham week so why not..
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
I can’t speak highly enough of it Nathan.
Unless you pay extra for a seat in the stand or exorbitantly high prices for one of the course facing restaurants then Tenerife offers you a far better view of what’s happening in the track.
It’s busy enough for there to be a good atmosphere but not so busy as to be uncomfortable. As said above, me and the Mrs found a family restaurant with 3 big tellys in it and sat there with food and drinks brought to the table. The weather was a lovely 22/23 degrees. It was a ten minute stroll to our hotel. You’re never getting the same weather at Cheltenham, and if you want the level of convenience and service we had, it’s gonna cost you thousands!
If you do it once, I guarantee you will do it regularly.
Agree with TC – I can only see this becoming more popular. Although there is a risk airlines and hotels etc will begin to realise and hike up their prices.
It sends a message to Cheltenham. The fact people can now go abroad to watch the racing for a cheaper price is something Cheltenham should be concerned about. It thought punters would keep on paying ever increasing prices and didn’t think to consider they wouldn’t. Serves Cheltenham right!
First thing Chamberlain said was something about it in his opening lines
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
CAS:
I’d say it’s highly unlikely that Tenerife becomes over subscribed to the point where every room is sold at a premium. The island hosts hundreds of thousands per week at peak season. Around 20/30/40k racing fans during the week in mid March isn’t going to push the barometer to the point its price point becomes out of reach for most people with a job which brings in a low to median wage.
Flights and hotel this time for £650! My mum and dad and sister are coming this time. We booked it a couple of months ago before we found out the Mrs is pregnant again so she’s drawn a bit of a short straw in terms of being able to have a few drinks.
Weather looking favourable again. I know it’s dried up here somewhat in the last week or so but it’s never going to be 23/24 degrees in Cheltenham in March and it’s never going to be £2 for a bottle of beer.
Sit back, cheer my horses on, have a bite to eat. Back to the hotel a 5 minute stroll away and find somewhere nice to eat at night. The whole experience is far more enjoyable! Anyone else booked up for this year? Nathan? Mickeyjp?
Cheltenham was great in the 1960’s. Prices were still expensive, but on the reasonable side, there was great camaraderie between the English and Irish and it was never too crowded. I will never forget the day Arkle thrashed Mill House, even if I backed the latter.
Now prices are sky high and you cannot move. There is no excitement as English trainers cannot compete. Cheltenham racecourse is slowly killing the golden goose through sheer greed.
So I would choose Tenerife now and no longer contribute to those fat satchels.
The British look likely to compete this year , open Gold cup , good chance in the supreme , Irish will win the Champion Chase and likely the stayers however plenty open hcaps , but meeting for Skelton , if he’s to be champion then he needs some of the big ones here , I fancy Pauling who’s had a monster season is going to have a decent festival ,
racing for rewards or whatever its called seem to have stopped turning betting points into pounds so this could be my last year in attandance as I won’t be paying the ticket price out of my own pocket the way they treated me a few years ago and on another occassion
I’ll be wearing my Kopek Des Bordes cap…
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
Have you lost your Gaelic one , I’d thought your be going to see him run …. on the Thursday
I’ll be in the Gaelic Warrior shell suit that day
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
The bridesmaid horse in the bridesmaid race , you should really be wearing a bridesmaid dress ..
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