cheltenham 1st time.

Picnic?! Its generally f*cking freezing mate

You see the odd few with the boots down on the Range Rover in the car park, but very, very few. Not really a picnic type of meet....

Ha ha!! I spose ur right, never really thought about the weather, just wanted someplace to have a few drinks(cheaper) and read the form before going in.
thanks for the reply

No worries mate... best bet would be heading to one of the Boozers in town I would say, then getting one of the several buses up to the Course, if thats what you're after.

Going to be a first timer myself, well with a friend on Gold cup day. Car parks open at 8am so our plan is to get to the course around then and park up before heading into town for the early price push outs at the bookies get breakfast etc. Gates open at 10:30, it is then when we will be entering and having a good look around before it gets really busy and sort of try to plan our day. We have hospitality badges, someone says that means we will be somewhere in the tented village wherever that is. So no idea of what kind of view of the course we will have? If anyone has any knowledge of this be great to hear? Was at Aintree for the Grand National with betfair a few years ago, was in the white building with one of the best views of the Grand National starting line i could have ever wished for. Was a thoroughly never to be repeated amazing day!

Nice little place to get a few down you in the Best Mate Car Park.

Id leave the pic nic area alone lad, unless you want frost bite :)

Driving mate, there in the morning, back after the racing finishes. No drinking for me, though i rarely do anyways when i go racing tbh.

Cheers howdy, think we are gonna do the weatherspoons in town for some cheap ale and study the form for a couple hours like cant catch advised.

Taxis from Cheltenham station still a nightmare I assume?

if your in the tented vilage,best view is from the guiness stand plenty of bookies in front,tented village itself well down the course and no chance of making it up and down to stands around the winning post for every race,maybe make your way up there for the last couple or watch the 1st up by the line,you dont want to be moving about alot on gold cup day its chocker

I prefer the bus as you can get on and off during the route, stop off in town and then get on a later bus.

with the amount of traffic check the number its probably the same bus,

Get yourself in the course and have a few in one of the many boozers.. Soak up the atmosphere, its only once a year FFS!

seat in the cenateur watch the fashion show or have a word with thommo,take it easy its a long day cup of coffee whilst you sort your bets out

if you havnt been before have a look in the museum next to the cenateur ist floor

Yeah museum is on the list of things to do for sure!

Realise how chocker its going to be as well, which worries the heck out of me. Bet its really hard to get about, are you really shoulder to shoulder everywhere you go? Or are there some easier places of the course to get to etc from the tented village?

Say for example i wanted to try to get to the winners enclosure for after the gold cup, would i be able to? Or is it more a case of either get to a vantage point in the stand if i wanted to watch them in the flesh or go to the winners enclosure before the race and just listen to the commentator?

I'm just trying to get a handle on things to plan my day

Get yourself out off the stands and down to the last fence for one race at least.

Me and my mates usually go over for the Foxhunters and though it takes a bit of head turning and running about to see all the race on the big screen, to see the 'guts' of the race up close and personal is really something.

As another 1st timer, Champion Hurdle day how long does the journey by bus from train station to racecourse take? I have to get a 6.30p.m train so would I be able to take in the last race of the day 5.15 and catch that train?

It is chock a block lads be wary, i love the racing but other meets far more comfortable there. I'm amazed the fire lads haven't stopped them letting 57k in.

Friday is Chocker, other days not so bad..

not my experience ^^^

This year might be my last year for a couple of years.

Punchestown is the way to go for me for the next few. Later start times so you don't have to worry about getting up early after a night on the ale and I know Dublin is a bit of a treck away, but great nightlife, and one of the best cities I've ever been too.

Plus for me, I live right by an airport that goes to Dublin for £40 return and takes 40 mins. A train to Cheltenham is £77 return for me and takes 3 hours!

Haven't been to Gold Cup for a few years. Last time I was there a load of pr1cks cheered when Kauto and Restless Harry fell.  Was so angry I couldn't enjoy a winner in the Foxhunters (Baby Run). Ps Not arsed if that's an after time - see, its got me angry again!!!

I CANT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. ESPECIALLY TO FIRST TIMERS.

Don't take a horrid bus or taxi to the course. The walk up there on a beautiful spring morning is one of the greatest experiences available to man.

The daffodils and Crocus' are in full bloom in the majestic Pitville park. Swans floating effortlessly on the crystal clear waters of the park lakes. Take a slow walk from the town centre and really suck up the atmosphere. I'm not religious but i imagine it's akin to making the final stretch of a pilgrimage.

The last walk before you reach the pearly gates of Prestbury park.

Plus for me, I live right by an airport that goes to Dublin for £40 return and takes 40 mins. A train to Cheltenham is £77 return for me and takes 3 hours!


I payed 7 quid there and 9 quid back to watch the wolves pre season on Ryanair

Mr E. Have you been to No 131? Another new gaff to add to our list this year!

STS.........As you will be sober,can you pack a defib,blankets and smelling salts.

WINGA.... If he does have a picnic, will need your assistance,he will be the one motionless in car park 7, looking like Braveheart.

Get in the main stand for one race,by the winning post,great atmosphere.
Be wary of those lower end bookmakers near the furlong pole,some will be under SP.
Do watch at least one race by the last hurdle/fence.
If you are going to mooch,wrap up if its chilly,its more exposed in places than people think.
Check out the tote prices pre-race,if you like f/casts/placepots etc...the pools here can be massive for small stakes.

Take in every moment,it will fly by.

Mr. Eboue is spot on and put it very well. I always enjoy the walk to the course whenever I take the train to the Festival.

I have not mate sorry.


I did have a cracking breakfast at a place called Bills the other day (next to Copa in the town centre).

If you are looking for something a bit more refined than a greasy spoon this is your place.

http://bills-website.co.uk/restaurants/cheltenham/

I payed 7 quid there and 9 quid back to watch the wolves pre season on Ryanair

That's a moneysupermarket.com style aftertime that alleged

I am really looking forwards to it. I don't know what my friend intends to do but i am in full intentions of soaking it all up as only there for one day and so although its hospitality and so things will be happening going on in that area I want to get to as many areas as i can really.

Will just have to forget i am ** and pretend I am 19 and at the Leeds festival again barging past fellow music festival goers to get to that perfect spot in front of the stage deep in the mosh pit

@the original poster

if you're coming from the M5 theres a place called The House in the Tree near Staverton with a beer garden. Very down to earth country  boozer (no duck-egg paint but farmers with forearms like thighs). Bit rough round the edges but inexpensive, friendly, big breakfasts and shedloads of mystical cider (as I recall). As they do food, it would be rude to crack open the picnic hamper but our group spent a superb Gold Cup morning there, sat outside, watching the helicopters go by. If the weather is on the inclement side, the bar has the original low timber beams, wooden tables etc. Its not as lively as the town for sure but that doesn't sound like what your after.

Its about 4.5m from the track but I think a quieter route in by car or taxi. Looking at the website it may have had an upgrade in the 6 years since we were there, but the pictures and reviews tell me it hasnt changed all that much.

watch them in the parade ring then when they head out onto the course go with the masses, head down through into the club, so many people at one time they cant check badges , I would advise anyone who hasn't been to after racing go up two flights into the main grandstand above the winning post, and have a look at the view from the seats up there because once you've seen that you will be waiting for next yrs tickets to come out. maybe pricey at 75 extra a day but as someone else pointed out , its only once a year. Tues/weds for Us again. bring it on.

i could only get seats for thurs this year, bit pricey but well worth it.

I think ours were ordered back in April, they do go quick!

IM hoping to get about a bit on the day as only there for one. In hospitality, some people on here seem to think that is the tented village and on the map on the cheltenham festival site it looks like that is behind the guiness stand. So will likely try to have a look around that area in front check out the bookies there see just how bad they are with their prices and move about between races. Don't think i will be spending more than about an hour in the actually booth we are allocated if it is a booth lol. Hopefully our badges will allow us access to near where channel 4 do their filming etc. That i am guessing is in front of the main stands? Am sure Tanya will be by them bookies?

that hill just doesnt apply to the horses ,quite a drag on the legs if your walking up from the guiness stand to the cenatear area a few times,if your in early its pretty easy to get about till about 12ish

Got know intention of walking up and down lol. Intend on getting there early and planning the day of being at different spots for each race with a back up plan if the original is impossible due to the crowd

Got know intention of walking up and down lol. Intend on getting there early and planning the day of being at different spots for each race with a back up plan if the original is impossible due to the crowd

Find out where the loos are and walk away from the entrance in a straight line for about 50 yards. Then make a note of where you are - that'll be where the queues start from later on.

That silly cross country race, head to the centaur, get a coffee/beer maybe a bite to eat, head upstairs and grab a seat, watch that stupid race, heat up, charge the battery's a bit before the final assault on the bookies, sing song on bus back to chelts, hit various bars but always finish the night off in the queens, many a happy memory there, and a taxi when you walk out the door!!!!!!! enjoy.....

on the contrary, go out to the centre of the course for the cross country race, you can get nice and close to the horses.