The Festival - Is it worth going or better on tv?

If you haven't been make sure you do the Tuesday, personally this is my fav day by a mile. You are right there's just simply not enough time between races to go to the paddock get a drink and get a decent place in the stands etc, so you have to mix things up. I like to get there early tuesday once the gates are open have a wonder, get down to the guinness village have a few pints before hand, take hip flask so you have something to drink between the races you're not going to the bar.

Gold Cup day is just too crowded imo and tbf the racing bar the gold cup isn't anywhere near as good as the first day. It being so crowded just ruins the occasion, from grand stand to winners enclosure after the gold cup is like running an assault course.

Cheers Brooks, forgot about the bogs, must be hideous lol

I just sh1t or pi55 in me pants

Another vote for tv

...unless that was at home Z?

41 years watching on tv with a fridge full of beers I dont have to push past people to get them-hope ted walsh is on he talks sense amongst sicophants-I dislike that ex willy hill man that spins his hands like windmills,and will miss francome and baggy underpants again.
C'MON quevega win once more and I will elope with you to a hayloft in mauritius.
And heartfelt hope that all horses return safetly, its not about money this week,its the one week of the year I dont mind losing, (although thats only ever been one year!)

I usually go two days. This year I'm doing the Tuesday and the Friday. The atmosphere is fantastic, especially Tuesday, but betting wise you're better off at home. It tends to be difficult to get online, so I try to get my bets on before I leave. Bogs and bar queues can be a nightmare too.

In answer to your question, I think it's worth going one day a year and maybe watch the rest from home.

So not a good customer experience then, bar the racing & atmosphere, what would make it better?....seems the facilities aren't up to it..

It's just too popular nowadays and it's as simple as that.  However, I've been on the different days over the years and wouldn't of missed any of them for the world.  You never forget the Championship winners you have seen in the flesh and seem to have a 'soft spot' for them as they progress through their careers.

So my advice is, if you haven't been, then go, but dwell on the plus points in your memory. Hide all the bad stuff away somewhere in your brain and treat it as a 'whole experience' package.

If you have been, then stay at home, get the beers in the fridge, buy the racing post, turn the laptop on, turn channel 4 on and relax in the knowledge that your bog is just upstairs, it's nice and clean, nobody is going to piss on your foot and if you want a beer you haven't got to queue up for half an hour to get one !

Yep makes sense, will hopefully go one day, however it's clear that the experience for racegoers could be better, so here's my suggestion - start at 11am and have one race per hour, 5pm last race, more time for refreshments/punting/paddock watching/oblutions etc, tv would gain from adverts & could do full justice to each race, with a full betting review/preview on the markets, no need to rush, in short give it the full works

Must admit i wouldn't actually want to go if you gave me a ticket.

Went to the old Benson & Hedges meeting at York a few years ago when Cormorant Wood defeated Sadler's Wells in the big race and even though it wasn't a patch crowd wise at Chelt it basically was impossible to do all the things you wanted to , so if you wanted to watch them parade , you struggled to put a bet on then at the bookies , by the time you'd done that you had no chance of getting somewhere to watch the race , you would have to put your bets online via phone etc and make sure you don't leave your place in the stands which means the parade ring or winners enclosure is out of bounds.

To be honest Rob its a bit of a daft question its a little bit like "Do I live life or experience a sanitised, edited version of life that someone else determines?"
Neg
1) Yes its busy
2) Yes going to the loo is an issue
Pos
3) Always get served in the Golden Miller within 2 mins
4) You meet some great people
5) It happens in real time

See you tomorrow !!!

Yep noted, can't beat live sport, but why compromise? It could be everything with a little bit of vision..

Rob trust me its not a compromise - Cheltenham isn't even my favourite meeting but i've been going since Dawn Run (Gold Cup). There's plenty of time to be a curmudgeonly old git later in life.......

If you have never been you must go to tick the box. I have been a few times, the first in 92. Remember Golden Freeze & Carvills Hill? I would not rush back as I like my routine nowadays and it is heaving but someday I will.

Wednesday is the best day
Since the Centaur was built only the GC day is sardnies
Usually miss one race to have a wander around
See the stalls/food areas
No problem
Only downside is Wednesday is now Ladies Day

Fair enough, but wouldn't more time between each race help the experience?

ha - great idea i can barely get the champagne in, chat to the girls and tell a few jokes before the next- good job i never have to pick up.
Ask all the "beer in the fridge " boys how their day goes....

"The TV version "..is a kin to sitting in  a comfortable arm chair stroking your ****  watching two beautiful women having sex ."The live version "..is a kin to being right spank in the middle of the action.I know which I would choose .No contest.

ISL, Downside????

oufies

oufies

1/3 on course votes market, 5/2 home viewing, on course clear - hope it gets home..

Ideally I would attend Tuesday, Wednesday and kick the arse out of it.

Recover Thursday on the couch

Celebrate the greatest day of the greatest week of the year on Friday with like minded fellows in a quality racing boozer.

(GC day can be hideous imvho)

Accommodation & travel haven't really been accounted for , can't be easy or cost effective for the working punter..

depends how organised you are.

last minute youre either a) lucky b) paying top bing c) in Birmingham or Bristol

get a squad of you, booked up in October, November, comes out very reasonable.

Ok final proposal, 9 day festival with 3 races per day, free entrance sponsored by the bookies through logos on each furlong, free booze via the black stuff as a thankyou for the previous 50 years patronage, free bets via layers to make up for missing online deals, guaranteed 2k cash wedge per punter on exit for point of consumption loyalty bonus, free helicopter rides home for being good chaps...see you again next year...tally ho

they calls it festival fever ya know

ha vg it was the fact you're from norwich that took us all in ! I'd go on Friday for the Potatoes race

Would've needed to leave deepest Naarfark pre Xmas via horse n cart for Chelts , ne'er mind, can always catch up on the radiomaphone..