Cheltenham Attendees - where do you go and what do you do?

1. Train it there but don't always take the "Shuttle Bus" which is hardly a shuttle  as it takes almost an hour for 2 miles so walk out of station and get a cab.

2. Tatts tickets are 30 in advance great value, so get there early have a few sherberts in the Centaur.

3. Then head down to the temporary stands down by the Guinness Village, good view and access to Paddock/Bar and Bookies.

4. Go into to toilets in the tented village, much less of a crowd.

5. Put you packet on Peddlars Cross to storm up the hill for the 3 rd year running.

6. Get late train back alllowing thong to die down.

7 Savour every minute !!

Perhaps Cheltenham have introduced an Ascot style dress code! Think there could be plenty wearing orange stickers

Whoops !!

Up in the stands, ideally right above the tunnel that leads through to the Tommy Atkins (?) Bar and paddock.

Get a good view of the big screen and the course and there's no chance of some huge Rupert or Felicity standing in front of you, blocking your view.

Am I the only one who struggles to get anywhere up in the stands? Constantly packed before races I usually stand what I believe is called the lawn? I'm one who likes to be on the move in between races though. I think for someone new to the fest the golden rules must be-

1. Have something decent to eat before arriving and go for a slash as soon as you get on course or before. The toilets are usually chocka block and the last thing you want to be doing is spending your time waiting to have a piss or buying food.
2. Get to the course early and soak it all up. I only just managed to get there for the Supreme last year because of traffic and I have to say it probs would have ruined my day if I missed the first.
3. My usual plan when I get there on time is to go have a Guinness down in the Guinness Village. Probs the best pint you will have all year imo. Great place to go before racing.
4. Go to the paddock and look at the horses. A tip I will give you is try and get around all of the f u c kwits that stand at the top because 9 times out of 10 there is loads of room down on the steps and around the paddock. The muppets that stand at the top do my head in and create an illusion that the place is crammed.
5. Take a look at previous years results & sp's to give you a bit of a reality check before you go. In every race there will be some hotpot or certainty that will usually go missing. It's great when they do come in but not many of them win.

re 4. (above) Better still, gp to the pre-parade ring and have a shufty at the horses before at least one race.

Also, eavesdrop in on some of the paddock watchers. Fair play if you know what Stringhalt is and genuinely know when a beast has 'run up light', but outside of a horoscope or a documentary fronted by Prof Brian Cox, you'll never hear such distilled guesswork masquerading as informed comment!

All good fun though.

Lol ^^

If the weather is fair I like to finalise my Placepots and forecasts on the balcony outside the Golden Miller (or the one further along, forget it's name )looking across to the parade ring, watching the throng of humanity pass below, well the milfs anyway Watch most of the races from beside the bookies pitches in Club, (quick to collect or place for next race).
What do you folks do after racing ? I generally have a wander about, even stick my head in the Centaur if I'm feeling brave, then saunter into town PoW first then wherever.

Joci - Sounds great (apart from the Morning Line). The view from the Tatts Grandstand seats is sensational (but you must be loaded to be able to afford one for the whole Festival!).

My advice would be to move around and watch races from all different areas, a real different perspective from every angle. Definitely try to get to the middle, it really is strange looking back up at the crowds in the stands and almost feeling entirely separate from it all,whilst at the same time right in the thick of things. Good views in front on the Guinness tent of the final jumps, up in the stands to feel part of the roar, and down on the lawn (standing on a bench if im in with a shout jumping the last) all give great experiences.

Also the pre-parade ring can sometimes feel like the best kept secret of Cheltenham, especially if you're early and there are few people there; working out which horse is which and seeing all the connections look so nervous really is the calm before the storm! It sounds silly but its so exciting seeing which star will come down the walk way next... Love it and can't wait.

usually do the first 2 days, always on the royal lawn then back to the guiness bar between races for a pint of the black stuff and a shot of whisky, happy days indeed, absolutely cannot wait for it!!

From Monday after Stratford Races my couple of racing mates and I'll stay in my static caravan for the week. It's 16 miles from the course. Wake up, fetch the Racing Post, watch the Morning Line, breakfast and then leave around half past ten for the course. We park up in one of the private car parks next to the course then out comes the hamper. After all the hours studying we generally know what we're going to back so we have the luxury of savouring every minute and chatting to old friends.

We go into the Best Mate enclosure in the spacious Loyalty Club tent and it suits us perfectly. We'll meet up with folk who we've known for years and watch the racing from either the temporary stand or standing near the 3m hurdle start with tremendous views across the course and the Main Stand as the backdrop as they finish.

And this year on Thursday it'll be my hundredth Festival Day.

I've only been once before but I found in tatts gettin to and from the toilet was a pain, in best mate it was ok :-), AND in tatts I felt the pain of GMOOH getting beat a snoater in the supreme. This year five of us going for the four days wed in tatts, first day looks tough for betting strategy.

happy 90th birthday for next year silvercoat

Tues - Dormy House - Morning Line - Full English - To the Course - Arkle Bar - Lawn -Arkle Bar - Lawn-Arkle Bar - repeat to fade - with maybe some stand action and parade ring thrown in for good measure - Back to Dormy House - Dinner/Large Drinks - Bed.

Wed - Same

Thurs - Same but head home after the racing

Fri - Recovery on the sofa (To busy on the Friday and after 3 days of the above the 'once a year brigade' are just to painful to deal with.

Bring it on - Bookies are going to get smashed this year IMO!

I went for the first time last year 1TP and can honestly say didnt have a problem with view or toilets.

Watched Supreme up to the CH from in front of Guinness Village - had Tatts tickets and didnt really know where that was or what it allowed. School Boy error.

For the end of that day, and all Wed, my mate and i would be in the bar at the top of Tatts tiered standing area right opposite the winning line. Dont know the name of the bar but we were able to walk out about 5-10 mins before each race and find a spot on the railing which gave a perfect view of the course and big screen. Best bit for me was that you had a completely uninterrupted view of the home straight.

Thats the one and only time i've been to Cheltenham so will try to find some of these other bars being mentioned. Spent the end of both days in the bar which is kind of in the open slightly higher up from the parade ring. Again, dont know the name so people can feel free to tell me

Tory, think the outdoor one is the Cottage Rake, but could be wrong.

Cottage Rake bar is level 2 club.

seven springs breakfast
then tatts guiness enclosure or paddock if winner from here
newbury for curry