Cheltenham Festival
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feck me the traffic - 3 hours from oxford !
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i was travelling down to Dorset from Cheshire today foa long standing engagement and decided to drop in at Newbury and catch the first four races. I think a lot of people thought the same!!
Came off the A34 at 11am and got to the racecourse at 12.15, for a 2 mile journey. Fortunately had placed a double on SS and LR so wasn't desperate to get a bet on, but I'd say only another dozen or so cars got in behind me before they closed the gates and a mate of mine who was half an hour behind just turned around. Not knocking Newbury for the free admission idea but a bit of forsight during half term and a few traffic policeman might have helped. What's it like on a normal Saturday raceday? |
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Never that bad, even on Hennessey day. It does help if you, er, don't follow the signs.
It also looked gridlocked on the way out. I took the train - which was also awful because it was the normal service where most trains don't stop at the racecourse station. I couldn't get on the first (3 car) train from Reading and loads of people didn't get on the next one (also only 3 cars). Loads of people also got left at the intermediate stations. Zero foresight from First Great Western. |
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I guess they just weren't expecting the volume. I left after the novice hurdle so it was fine getting away.
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I suppose I should add traffic in Newbury town centre is always pretty bad because there are so many junctions (lights & roundabouts). 20-30 minutes from the A34 to the course is typical.
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Take out the positives guys. You may have seen a few festival winners there today. Superb days racing
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Absolutely right Willie
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12,500 crowd today. They got 19k for the Hennessey this year iirc.
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A Lingfield had less than 1000 I think after charging £16 entry. Brains ?
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*And
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i learnt today very few people have manners one bloke touched my bumper in the queue wasnt so agressive when i told him politely not to.
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I hope that is not a euphamism, Howdi!
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I think it was that coont Celtic Son Sintonian
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It took us an hour just to get out of the course after the racing, which was nice! Still, we didn't care as we'd had a fantastic day out and seen some wonderful horses.
On a separate note, it was very pleasing to see Betfair's prices on the big screen before every race - I wish they sponsored every meeting I went to. It's always nice to know when taking 9/2 with a bookie that it's not 8/1 on here. Perhaps it's time I joined the 21st century and bought an iPad.  |
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It took me 10 minutes to get home
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Undertaker - I thought that was odd actually given using mobile devices for off course betting is supposed to be against the ruls of racing. Has that changed?
Ibrahima - |
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Strontium - I think Betfair would argue that the prices on the screen were for information only, to show that the prices on here are so much better than on course. Then, next time you are watching the racing at home, you will hopefully (for them) bet with Betfair rather than the bookies.
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Must express with the way the racecourse management handled yesterdays bumper crowd yesterday, so many facilities were closed despite the huge crowd. Numerous bars shut, running out of racecards, wide exit gates remaining shut upon exit forcing a huge crowd through a gate 3ft wide while a gate big enough for a lorry remained closed, and poor traffic management both in and out of the course.
With the superb racing on offer, and a guaranteed bumper crowd, it really left a sour taste in the mouth just when racing should be going the extra yard with the many first time race goers. No blame upon the sponsors, really was a first class day, but feel the management didn't make the most of a golden opportunity. |
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To be fair if that was the first time you had ever gone racing I reckon the quality of the racing would have been lost on you and you would just rememeber the hassle and think it's not worth it again.
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Would agree with Banks there, imagine the moaning about travel from wife and family!!!!
And ive not even got to the queue's for food and drink |
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what,when it was free?!!
4 hours of entertainment for no entrance fee!! With a load of top horses on show!!! you sure?? |
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Depending what time you got there and left I reckon you could have spent as long in a traffic jam as you did watching the whole meeting.
The quality of horses and racing is pretty irrelevant to newcomers. They wouldn't know the difference between a seller and a grade 1 chase. I can't help but think that the whole thing backfired a little in terms of tempting first timers to return. Many will think that what they experienced was a standard raceday when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. |
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I gave the junction on the A34 that tailed back a swerve and took a following junction, then park in the town centre and not the course. From course to Milton Keynes was under 2 hours.
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I bumped into a mate at Ascot today who took 4 hours to get out of the car park after racing yesterday. He got home to Oxford (about 20 miles) after 8.
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I didn't get out until after 6. I spent the best part of a couple of hours comparing Cheltenham views with another bloke who was also stuck in the car park to pass the time.
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4 hours to get out of the car park? Did he get lost?
TBH it took me about half an hour to get out of Newbury and I agree the stewards that should have been taking control of the traffic were pathetic. Think they cut back on everything they could as it was free entry and it turned into an unorganised mess leaving the course. At the end of the day it was a good thing they even managed to get it on but they did need to have more qualified stewards along with facilities for a crowd of that size. |
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Possibly
He says there was a crash that blocked one exit and failed traffic lights effectively blocked the other. |
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In the morning on RUK they reported that Newbury were only expecting 5,000 people. But, more than double that turned up.
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you need to turn right from the parking and drive through the golf course
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strontium, the guy from newbury was on talksport on friday saying they were prepared and expecting around 6k plus all facilities were open.
Rubbish half the place was shut, and more laughable was that i was not allowed to place a placepot on other meetings. Racing treat customers like crap, even on a free day. |
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That is true Ibrahima - though it's at that end the traffic lights failed (I guess at the junction for the town and reading).
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Yeah, I'm a member but I prefer to watch NH racing from the Grandstand as you get a much better view. Almost all the bars/catering was closed.
Incidentally, the best place to eat at Newbury is the dingy fish and chip shop. Doesn't look much, but first class. |
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I always went racing for a social event as i know a few people as its my hometown etc.
for the last 2 years i have been going to the restaurant, clearly it is a waste of money but you get treated well and it eliminates the queuing. And the view is 2nd to none, i used to watch races and guessing who was going well. I never thought i would ever be sat in a restaurant at the races as prefer the ring and the atmosphere. But with a drink delivered and not having to pay £10 for some **** food it isnt that bad. |
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Ib - is that the Racegoers or the Hennessey restaurant?
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Both
but mainly go to racegoers as it £30 cheaper and the view is better, plus you can have a **** on the balcony  used to be called the vodafone stand when it was built but now its call the dubai something, doesnt ring right with hh fans...... We paid £50 a head on friday, it was 45 for the challow meeting. Stick to lesser meetings. The thing is most people wont kick about paying £15 for a poor meal that is microwaved but pay £7 for a burger. you pay a little more but you have people delivering drinks. I can guess that you already know that being served at newbury is horrendous. ps 5 years ago i would never had thought of entering a restaurant at a racecourse, they are the people getting treated like a customer and not like cattle. |
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**** smoke
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Is the members area at Newbury not that great? I'm going to membership once I get paid I think, £110 for a whole year is quite decent value!
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I've been to the Racegoers Ib and I enjoyed it. I like to get down to the betting ring and the parade ring though so a table for the day is a waste for me. I think it would be good with a group though, especially if you go with racing newbies. You are right about the view - probably the best at the course.
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Dont they have bluddy concerts half the summer??
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Viking - the members area is terrible! It's small, hot and full of OAPs who sit there all day so you can never sit down. The doormen are rude and the members viewing seats probably have the worst view anywhere in the course.
However, it's a cheap way of getting to see the Newbury racing (which is almost always good) and the reciprocal arrangements are great. So if you go racing for racing (like to watch, see the horses before and after the races so don't want to sit around all day) I'd recommend it quite strongly. They also do quite good deals with discount tickets for guests. |