The morning of 11th march

And then it's off to bookies place pots , death or glory multiples, off to marks ans Spencer's for nibbles for my afternoon Buffett..back home at 11.45  bar open, laptop on, tv on and off pot war we go....and I have a trip to the course next day to look forward to followed by two more days at home...Xmas for grown ups is this festival lark.

This year I'll be on the way down to the course by minibus. I might have to miss the Morning Line on the Tuesday while getting everyone together. We stop at a service station on the way down for a full English. This is a good chance to relax and chat about the Supreme, Arkle and Champion. I love the Tuesday morning, but the Monday evening is almost on a par with it.

the Monday evening I will be driving onto the ferry in rosslare with the lads , stay in Swansea for the night as usual and drive to the b&b next morning, then get rid of motor, bring sufficient cash for the day and off to the pub. it is xmas for adults exactly.

Wake up - morning line
8:44 - kiss the mrs and baby
8:45 - drop the boy to school
9:00 - full English from my mate Brian
9:45-12:00 - racing post/horse talk/confirm what ante-post bets are down the pan
12:01- Pub

This is repeated for 4 days with only the chef changing each morning. I'm booked in for Thursday this year...

Note to self...Must remember to get Heinz beans - tesco''s own brand doesn't go down to well with the guests!!

Nearly the same, Tues 11th, drop the bairn off at school, then meet the lads at Wetherspoons at 09:15. The rest you know!!!

Was supposed to be going the Tuesday but not now

It will be morning line then local greasy spoon with RP & then back home for the racing.

Tuesday - watch at home while all my mates are there (but its still Cheltenham )
Wednesday - go and meet all the mates in the suburbs of South Liverpool and listen to all their Cheltenham tales (but see Tuesday's parenthesis)
Thursday - Lady of Mann the best racing boozer in Liverpool
Friday see Thursday but as its also payday add a zero to the bets and a short to every round...

Wetherspoons is very popular.

Same here actually: the Bank House in Chelt for about 9.30 if anyone is around.

I am taking the good lady on day one - well it saves kissing her goodbye.

We are easily recognisable, like Laurel and Hardy.

agreed best day of the year !. meet up at the whitegate (Manchester)to get the minibus at 8 am. get to chelt for about 11 ,straight in this working mens club think its called the albion sommat like that.Walk down to the course for a great day of gambling/boozing with my mates(no pain in the arse wifes allowed) wifes and gambling are not compatable.Hopefully a winner or two then a good nite out in chelt. Back on minibus around midnight and back to Manchester for about 3am. A grueller of a day but I love it.

will be booking in at stroud
getting the train
bit of breakfast
cant and wont be beat

Get up at 6.00ma (after a very fragmented night sleep)
Have a big sigh when I release that I actually hadnt gone through the card, it was just a dream
Open the last window in my Cheltenham advent calendar
Cornflakes
Blow the girlfriend a kiss
Get picked up by the lads and drive down to Cheltenham (2.5 hrs)
Study form in Racing Post in car
Feel sick, studying form in racingpost in the car
get to cheltenham about 9.30
hotel not ready so leave the bags.
Flyer in Bank House Wetherspooon Chelt
Another Flyer in Copa
Breakfast in Tailers
Get free placepots from girls in high street and put on in hills
Walk up to course and put on a betfair scarf
Throw away betfair scarf as neck coming out in a rash
Enter the course

Open the last window in my Cheltenham advent calendar

Get off train at Cheltenham spa approx 08.50,slow walk into town to start soaking up the atmosphere.Go in all the town centre bookies for a nosey.Have a "Gold Cup Breakfast" in the little cafe opposite Yates.Start the very slow walk towards the track to get there for gates opening.Just past Pitville pump room stick my headphones in and play One day like this by elbow just intime to cross the roundabout and get to my favourite place in the world.Straight into members to have a sit on the steps looking out to Cleeve hill remembering this is why i graft my balls off all year to be here.Trall back thru the racing post for late placepot adjustments.Cheeky pint of black stuff in cottage rake then a wander down to the parade ring (then for some unknown reason) walk round all them tweed shops then the guinness village.Bump into Alan Brazil then walk back to the centaur to meet some mates for an hour while they do their conkers on the dogs.Back up into members for another pint on the balcony above the walkway people watching.Bump into Jeremy Kyle again for the umpteenth year running then go get my position for the supreme,still wondering,hoping,praying for my best festival ever.Mornings over,this sh** got real

LETS FACKIN GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Not been to the Festival since Istabraq day in 1999

I've been to many other race meets all over the country since then including Cheltenham and Points but I enjoy the festival more now from the comfort of my own settee, TV and laptop. It just seemed to get busier and busier, so God knows what it's like now ?

Ritual
Every night from now on I will be looking at races properly, 27 races in 10 days. On Monday 10th I will finalise my Lucky 15/accumulator strategy, normally covering every race somehow in short priced accumulators and each-way 10,000/1 Lucky 15's (normally looking for 4 horses around the 10/1 mark)  I always have at least one 'retirement bet' to win that cool million. But every race will have multiple horse interest. I tend not lose a lot with this strategy, in fact I am about 7-3 in profit over the last 10 years, with one of those covering most of the expenditure for 6 festivals. So pretty good overall.

I have always had Cheltenham week off from work since 1988 

Tuesday
Get up, walk the dog
Get the RP from the shops
Have brekkie
Spend the next few hours selecting
Do another Lucky 15 for the day, might even do some strange forecasts that never win
Turn on telly, go to a message forum like here, OLBG and Fanfootycouk, for a bit of banter and discussion
Sit back, get the beers out, have a great afternoon

Up on the day: Out for a few pints, Lose on the day: Extra studying needed for tomorrow

Repeat for the next three days

Friday night: Win, lose or draw - cry

Saturday morning: Ease myself off the fix by studying for the Midlands National, which never wins

Sunday evening: When does that Grand National business start ?

7.30 Gym - bower up some heavy weights toburn up the calories and the nervous energy.

Huge breakfast - really stuff myself to fill up the cracks, determined as I am to not give those chiselling twatters on the food stands at Chelters one penny of my hard earned.

9.30 - Last skip through here, thumb through the racing post, any last minute bets on here, shave and get suited and booted

10.30 - Head into the course and get the Cheltenham playlist 'banging choons' on the sound system, just to get the ennervation levels up to the levels (I imagine) one would associate with a rape!

11.30-midday: Park up and onto the course for the usual pre-game bimble about seeing whose about and what's occuring prior to the firs race.

I am flying in from Bermuda where I live and work. Probably won't make Cheltenham itself this year. Tuesday morning will be the Morning Line and then a 5 mile run along the coast. This will clear the mind for the battle ahead. I am pretty sure of what I am on already. A nice brekkie then meet the boys in the pub for the racing. And repeat for the week. Sunday 16 March fly back to Bermuda.

Got to move to Bermuda, the holidays in England sound great.

Bring your rain coat PH as it has been bloody horrible here for the last week. I am coming to England for the weather haahaaaa.

^ love the name. One of the true non-military greats.

Get up. Strong coffee x 2. Stuff my pockets full with pork pies then head off to the course.

A true great.  And a quick scan of p.1 here shows how many of his quotes can relate to gambling...

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/marcus_tullius_cicero.html

wake up too early
feel rough after a monday night out
walk in to cheltenham town centre
various bookies to see if any value bets available
breakfast - probably delboys if its still open
shuttle bus to course
business with tout
cider
let the fun begin

repeat for four days with each day feeling progressively worse

7-8am ... Get a suck off me bird while watching the morning line , during the adverts she can take a break while I make a few notes .

Then it's party time

Haven't planned my week yet.

It will probably involve a visit to gym each morning then stuffing my face each afternoon while watching the racing