Your Top Non-Horse Tips for Cheltenham

Given how competitive and hard the Champion Hurdle is to weigh up, I'm pretty sure bookies will go out on a limb with a few of the fancied ones. Wouldn't be at all surprised if we see 5-1 or bigger the top 3 in the next few weeks as different books look to balance their takings and get punters in their doors.

Big breakfast and therefore avoid as much as possible paying the rip off food prices at the course.

Also on Day one (definitely) and possibly others, you can get a racecard free in the Irish Independent newspaper they sell aroud the course.

When your under-the-radar 20/1 shot hacks up in one of the handicaps, Lumiére is an excellent place to have a celebratory dinner.

Thought you went for the racing??? you can eat and drink at anytime!!

When i´m coming over, i take as much in as i can,a quick hot whiskey and maybe 1 pint in the village. then on the lash in the town later

Wait till the 5 day decs before placing bets on the handicaps

The walk to the course from Prestbury village, over the fields and round the path next to the back straight up to the Best Mate car park.

It means that you walk towards the front of the grandstand and see the track which helps to build the atmosphere before you get to the entrance.

7 weeks on Tuesday.......

If you're going on the Tuesday finish off with a pint upstairs adjacent to the centaur (balcony overlooking the entrance to the course) where they replay all the days races.The crowds disperse then you can walk or catch the bus easier to town.Take in the atmosphere win lose or draw because that's only day 1 done so plenty more time to look forward in anticipation as well as congratulating yourself on picking the winner of the supreme ages ago

Good thread Tomdeane

don't take the missus! the 3 nights and 3 days (go home Thursday after racing as all the gold cup toffs arrive on Friday) are a lads holiday in all but the cheap flight and the sunshine, can't beat the craic around the whole place wouldn't change a thing!!!
if anyone could suggest a quality place to spend the evenings (preferably with live irish music!) around the town centre that would be a treat as nothing better than relaxing after the battle with a Guinness and some soft tones... enjoy peeps and the starter is next Saturday...!

^Nap

If you can get to the middle of the course for a chase, do it. To hear the roar of the grandstand whilst being by the last will make anyone's hair stand on end.

I think you can only do this from Club. The gate is in the bottom corner of the member's lawn, just by the shute.

I would agree totally with you, I do it myself, Best is to wait and see what offers and value appears and they will they always will.
9 days before the festival you will get some firm offering 9/1 about a previous 4/1 shot, 8 days to go another offer etc.
Also on the day you will get money back if you horse finishes 2nd in all races of the day or money back if some "fancied" runner wins.

There is a ton of value and great offers to be had if you sit back and be patient instead of trying to be clever and backing some eventual non runners that eat up your betting bank in my opinion.

If you are mad enough to go with your kids, 5 yrs ago I took my eldest when she was 6 mths old (if can avoid it do so at all costs) there is an indoor play area/creche, however they do not have a TV in there showing the racing.  The Mrs missed seeing her only winner she backed that day (American Trilogy at 20-1) while she was in there.

My best advice for the festival avoid friday at all costs as the gold cup is the least enjoyable of the three days due to the abnormal crowd levels.

My other piece of advice would be don't drive into Cheltenham and if possible get there early enough not to have to worry about the buses. Can build up your excitement with a brisk walk and a few well earned pub stops between the train station and the course.

avoid the irish lucky clover sellers. It doesn't work I tried it last year.

We're going to head into Montpellier on the Monday night this year - anyone have any suggestions for restaurants and bars?

Tory - Flynns is always good

Tory

Go to every meeting and always stop in Montpellier, Flynn's is good but you cant always get in last minute if its less than a table of four, Shezan is good for a balti and they will fit u in even if your on our own, went for the January meeting to Montpellier wine bar with the other half and it was very good, so was tarragon but it wasn't for a bloke or a set of lads on their own, fantastic food but aimed at couples, strada's always ok as is ask round the corner. the best bars are Montpellier wine bar if you don't mind the mac brigade looking for the birds looking for a bit of dosh, soho next door not as popular as when it was the Salisbury and not as much atmosphere but still a good place, if your prepared for a few minutes walk the retreat's always bouncing as is the beehive round the corner from it and a little gem in my opinion is the bar in the hotel du vin, keep out of the irish bar one of the roughest dives going, rotundas good fun!! as is the queens bar. personally I will probably end up in all of them as usual, so go enjoy and all the best Ronnie.

Great thread Tom.
Never get the buses to and from the town. Full of absolute muppets and, if you do, never listen to the loudmouth who tells you he's got a tip for one on the AW at 7.40pm that night. There is always someone who says that, in between singing a stupid song which bursts your ears.
Never watch the live football at night. This is racing week and spunking dosh on the football is madness.
Have a big breakfast, unless you want to pay £8 for a burger which is like a slice of plywood between two dry bits of sandpaper.
If you are not a Guinness drinker, take spare boxers in yer inside pocket.
Someone at some point of the day will thrust a pint of the cold road tar into your hand and, if you are not used to it, a wet fart/follow through is a near certainty in the subsequent hour which follows.
Always grab one of the freesheets with the next day's fields on it when you leave.
Even though we know inside out what will be running, it starts the build-up for the next day immediately.
On that note, while getting swept away on the day, do remember the decs come at 12 noon for the next day.
Might be a chance to burgle some value if the fields cut up, with most folks' attention taken up by the day immediately ahead.
On the walk back to town, don't use those wee green portaloos. My old man got stuck in one once when the door jammed locked shut.
Hilarious, but left me freezing and robbed me 30 minutes drinking time.
And finally, win, lose or draw, never ever forget to soak up every single second of being because it really is a magical experience which we all live for.
Enjoy...

There is a new Indian opened next to the wine bar at Montpellier called the Ballroom. Not been yet but I am going into Chelt tomorrow and will call into the Rotunda and ask for the locals view.

My own opinion is that the Indian next to Sohos/Salisbury is the worst in Cheltenham (Voodoos?).

CCM you are right about Prithvi. If you are a lover of Indian nosh then definitely try here - it is across the road from the original Wetherspoons in Cheltenham at the bottom of the Bath road. It is owned by the same firm who have the Spice Lodge (a little further up the Bath Road next to the Eagle Tower monstrosity).

At the top end of the Bath road there are a fair few pubs and a couple more Indians. One is a BYO called Baltiwalla: there is a coop or Sainsurys handy and again I think the same family have this as Prithvi and Spice Lodge. I am a big fan of BW but I must admit to soiling myself on the way home on the bus the last time I visited but this probably had more to do with the cider than the crate of lime pickle I consumed.