Chelt. The facts

Spot on !

Unfortunately there are idiots about (primarily n0bheads) who dont know any better, who will tell you its the greatest n h festival ever.

Missed out on a few things...

not one uk top jock won a race

U k women jocks got very few rides

Thousand black people there mostly serving white people....not a good image

Comingupthehill, if you go all week why wouldn’t you get membership ? That would give you the comfort of many toilets, bars and sensibly priced food. There were 4 or 5 areas for members to access over the festival with tables still available up to noon in the less busy areas.

Disappointing festival experience.
Mar 2022 • Friends
Visited Wednesday and Thursday of the festival. My second time at the festival and I’m afraid to say my last.

The course is incredible, I regularly visit Doncaster and York and this place makes those look small.

Unfortunately the organisers are milking the customer as much as they can and aren’t interested in offering them the best experience.

The place was jam packed, everywhere you go you have to queue. £7 a pint and £9 for a pork sandwich. Every bar you go in, you can’t move and you’re constantly being nudged as people try and get in and out.

The quality of the racing is second to non and it was a real highlight seeing Tiger Rolls last run.

Would recommend the course to anyone, but wouldn’t recommend the festival. There should be 10 or 20% less people there.

Love this Racecourse but....
Mar 2022
First of all, this racecourse has seen fantastic improvements over the years that I have been visiting(nearly 40 years) for both the horses and the paying public and is as good as the likes of Ascot and Aintree, maybe better. I will be returning BUT not for the festival.
The Festival, in my opinion, has out grown the venue. Personally I have no problem with the entry prices, especially the ones bought in advance, this is after all a major sporting event.
Getting to the course, I would say go by foot,from the town centre(around 25 minutes) the traffic tends to be slow moving at BEST!!! and parking is hard work getting in and out, due to volume of cars, buses and coaches.There are plenty of buses from Cheltenhem Spa railway station but again , tortoise pace.
Due to the the large amount of patrons, over 73,000,on one of the days I attended be perpared to queue for quite a while for everything drink, food, toilets, etc. Again the prices are expensive but on a par with other types of venues, not saying I agree with the pricing but you know before you go that you're going to be paying a premium, so budget for it.

Good but some standards slipping
Mar 2022 • Couples
Another enjoyable visit for the Cheltenham festival.Excellent facilities but sadly overpriced food and drink.Having been to sporting events around the world the food and drink is now a disappointment. The only advise I could give is to send the organisers to the Masters in Augusta is learn how is should be done.

Jockey Club taking the mickey
Mar 2022
Am a massive racing fan and have attended The Festival for the past 15 years or more, but am sad to say, no more. Ridiculous queues for everything. £6.80 for a terrible bacon sandwich, £9 for a roast pork sandwich and £7 for a pint of Guinness. I appreciate this is the “Championship” meeting so you expect to pay a bit of a premium, but the Jockey Club are fleecing the public and are clearly seeing this as an opportunity to recoup revenue due to COVID. Remember not to bite the hand that feeds you!

Not just me then !

6 reviews out of 250,000 footfall is always a great representation of the truth.

You may have a fair point Hibore but I doubt it.  It is sarcastic and unconstructive.  For me it is more than likely that you should be measuring the reviews in comparison to the total of reviews received as against the total of non-reviews.
I remember getting a shocking takeaway from KFC and being all set to go back and complain and thinking - "Why should I bother?  It;s up to them to know their business".  My point being that non-reviews probably tell so much more than anything if only the vendor knew it.
In fact it could be argued that 249,994 people can't be bothered to review at all because it was so poor.
And we;ll know how much the Jockey Club really care if they go to the trouble of carrying out a review of their own.?!

Loyal, it can be difficult to ascertain the the truth if you were not there. Experiences will differ from person to person. I
I was there with 8 people for all 4 days and had an amazing time with an incredible racing spectacle. We have already booked our house for next year and will rebook our memberships and seats as soon as they are released in the summer. The food and drink prices were on the steeper side but comparable with Royal Ascot and Epsom Derby.

I can’t comment about the Best Mate enclosure but lack of toilets seems the main concern. I’m sure they will address that next year.

Thousand black people serving white people doesn’t deserve a response but incorrect and just another anti British statement from you mate.

Next years ticket sales will be the proof of the pudding and I’d bet you it will be a sell out again. If you wanted to go I wouldn’t put you off.

agree holborn  ,its not relevant the colour of staff or customers.

I don;t want to go.  I wouldn't give the place a red cent.  It is now a commercial money grab with horse racing as a theme and over-crowding the norm.  As for toilet and hygiene facilities.  Even if there was no tv I still wouldn;t want to go.   In fact I barely watch it on tv now - that is how far my interest in the event has sunk.  Quantity has overtaken quality for me and I record and then watch back the quality races later.
Indeed it has gone a bit like private healthcare for me.  If you;ve got dosh, comfort and relative luxury can be had, if not, then you'll be forced to accept the unsatisfactory basics provided while being fleeced for your trouble and more or less obliged to stay where you because of the overcrowding.
I wonder how many others there are who think like me?

So you already had a bias against the Festival before you posted on here. Thank you for your input on a thread named the “the facts”.
Even though you don’t go or even watch it you know more than someone who was there all 4 days. And you called me unconstructive !

If you read my response to the OP then you will see you don’t need to be a millionaire for a better experience ….just spend £450 on yearly membership.

Maybe I’m the only person left on here that actually likes Cheltenham. Seems we are getting fewer by the day.

I have an opinion and am entitled to air it based on the title of the thread, which seems factual to me.
That's what forums are for.
And you;ve defended the festival, which is your right.
And neither you nor the Jockey Club have encouraged me to attend next year.

I don’t need to or intend to defend Cheltenham. From actually going you can make a constructive decision whether you enjoyed it, found it value for money and if you want to go again. If people had a poor experience you can provide some alternative solutions for them to make it more enjoyable. That is just being sociable.

I can guarantee that much of the bitterness on many threads on here against Cheltenham is due to losing money betting rather than the crowds, price of a pint or toilets.

Hibore and facts dont meet hincho, a massive liar and aftertimer on this forum and not worth pressing the keys

Irishone reported to Betfair for blatant racism.

Irishone does'nt want to employ black people...mmm.. sounds racist to me

Im exposing it mate .....its obviously endemic in UK  society and if you wanted proof have a look around the Cheltenham Festival. You dont see many black owners in the parade ring  or walking around tattersalls or the members. Why could that be ? .
It really is embarrasing

Is there many in Ireland?

Sorry
The forum is called the Cheltenham Festival


(But its just as prevalent in Ireland f y i .....but that dont make it O K )

In reply to comments.

Buying a members badge isn’t the issue. I’m alright jack dosent solve this years issues.

Bar service better. Quicker. Prices are what they are. No point moaning.
But why try and sell more beer for more profit if customers can’t get rid of the beer,

Toilets don’t generate income. So it’s an after thought. But if customers stood in a queue for 15 mins 5 times. They are not spending money or enjoying it.

No queues at bar 300 queuing for toilet.

They need 100 times more toilets. Piss quick then buy quicker.

Rest of festival ok.

But 73k is too many for space. Need more space or limit of 68k. Charge more if sold out.

But 30% won’t go back. So they will run out of customers.

The only other problem is internet. Again. Need 100 times more bandwidth. No point pushing on line if when go racing can’t bet with on line bookie.

Just accept now no betting till 4th race when bandwidth frees up.

All big on line bookies must lose 10% of turnover cos of this.

Satailette phone might be the answer.

I'm pretty sure it used to be against the t&c of entry to bet off course while at the racecourse. Not sure if that's changed with the advent of the internet/smart phones.

I took my own dongle and had no problem

What even in the racecourse betting shop strontium?

Presumably, not, because that was authorised.

But if you look at sections 8, 10.5 & 10.6 of the entry t & c (hxxps://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/globalassets/images/cheltenham/about/terms-... the only time mobiles can be used for betting while at the racecourse is by connecting to the racecourse wifi and using their approved betting sites.

99% abide by it too !

Looks like by 2024. Defo going to be 5. Let’s hope so. A 5 toilet festival is at least an improvement on this year.

Jockey club accountant logic.
If we have 5 extra beer pumps this will increase beer sales.move the toilets to fit these pumps in. Toilets don’t generate any turnover.

Accountant
So 5 extra pumps generates 7% increase in turnover

Thick idiot
But if there’s not enough toilets won’t customers be spending a lot of their day in queues.maybe drink less cos of the hassle. Not spending cos pissing longer. Maybe not enjoy the day so won’t come back.

Accountant
Look idiot. It’s obvious. If we had 100beer pumps in 2020  and sold 5 million pints. If we move the toilets and get rid of them and have 105 beer pumps. We will sell 5% more beer. You don’t get it cos your not an accountant like me. I ve told them. Why not have another day. We make 5 million quid a day profit. So add another day. Make another 5 million quid. It’s obvious. We know what we re doing at chelt. More beer pumps more beer sales. More days more profits. It’s simple.

Is there many in Ireland?

Irish are there many Black people who own race horses in Ireland , Do many black people attend race meetings ? 

Why are you focusing on  England for a lack of Black folks owning race horses , Very strange ..

To be honest case its just as bad
The attendees at Irish race meetings do not represent a cross section of Irish society
The main reason I concentrate on U K is because its ten times  bigger and totally fecked up
Look at the Premier League same thing but in reverse !

There is a reason for this ....I am merely suggesting its racism
Now there might be other reasons , I would be prepared to listen.

looking at the TV adverts Irish , Black folks  like a bet   .

That director comes from Streatham,if yer not a fairy or coloured ye need not apply to appear in an advert

The accommodation I use every year has put its price up by 60% for 2023 AND is insisting on payment now rather than on the day. Well, I won't be doing that.

Yes despite trying to book for 2023 on our last day this year the hotel has put up prices 50%  now and we are thinking of renting a cottage or airbnb for next year. This comes on top of a very unpleasant experience this year and a man down already !

Some of the prices are insane. The Holiday Inn Express is charging nearly £1000 per night, and the Jury's Inn over £500. Who is foolish enough to pay those prices?

Watch this space!Chester crowds down,cost of living spiralling,how many will have expendable income to carry on travelling(thinking high% don't have luxury of jumping on a plane when costs were a lot less),what was 6/8 in a group will no doubt lessen as unable to afford, high% probably in thirties with young children so family holiday will take preference,add in saving £20 per week and getting a return after trip is paid and lead treasurer says nothing left to return but you owe me more to Cover accommodation,imagine a few will say can we holiday in Ireland.
Irish 1 do any tracks in Ireland charge to park the car?

Yes mste 2 euro at Galway, Punchestown do . Most do actually. Rosscommon and Ballinrobe are still free as far as I know.

They ve reduced the attendance to 68k so  looks like it might be back to normal.will end up going all 5 days.why not .

But they still need to keep 7 race cards. 6 will just seem short changed.

There’s loads of options,
Veterans race
Mares bumper
2m4f g1 hurdle
3m6f hcp chase
English only race,to make sure we get at least 1 winner,

Unfortunately I think the Festival will be 5 days by 2024 even though the general consensus is that it’s not welcome. The major issue that could stop it could be moving any major races to the Saturday when ITV won’t show on main channel due to Rugby.

Fingers crossed it stays as it is.

Jockey Club confirmed to members that staying at 4 days. Great news!

Brilliant news. Are you going Friday / Saturday Earl ?

Only a bean counter or the Jockey Club could have advocated a 5-day Cheltenham for 2023 despite several races were represented by fewer or single-figure runners in 2022. An own goal by the Jockey Club and what a waste of scarce financial resource!

Looks like they bottled it. It will be back in a few years. They’re still paying for new stand.
Think the  number of horses was the problem.
They need 7 race cards for value for money,plus police,traffic drifting off at the end.
Can’t go 5 days with 6 race card. That would be shocking. Plus chaos in the car parks,m5. 
Train station already can’t cope. So early Finnish would cause major problems.
They need a crap last race,to encourage staggered leaving times.
The town and transport network can’t cope with 68k going home at same time.

2/3 mares races,longer hcp,2,5/ hurdle,veterans hcp.

It’s doable.

The 2 biggest problems chelt have done in last few years. Was knocking the old tote stand down in tatts at the top of the hill,to make way for a food court.
Why have a food court visible to the track,put the food behind.
The tatts is tiny viewing,massive area but it’s all behind the stands.
If people are hungry,make them walk for it behind.

Plus the new stupid seating stand in best mate,just blocked the view. People don’t pay extra for these seats. So no logic why they built it.

Think they built it cos knocked the old (Doug walters stand down,only cricket experts will get this.).they knocked this down to extend the bar,more sales,so plonked another smaller stand on the rails blocking views from best mate.it was a complete cluster**** with no obvious benefit ,even for beer sales or viewing,no idea why they did it,think a seating guilt trip cos moved seats that were in car park.
So. 100 get a seat,1000 can’t see track,strange descision,

Until 3/4 years ago it seemed to improve every year,then something happened and it changed,either new stand manager or agressive beer sales logic. But every change since pre al boom photo first win has been a backward step(can’t remember year dates,just remember gold cup winners easier than remembering numbers. Been going since forgive and forget won,been in every enclosure,every accommodation,every town ,village in 30 mile radius.hotels,rented houses,slept in car,guest houses. You name it we ve done it,had a members badge,tatts,best mate,never done paramonic restaurant yet..
Gibbed in free for a few years when you could walk in and out with a members badge,bought touts tickets,bought real tickets most years in advance for every enclosure. 
Even spent 20 mins begging Gillespie ceo to not call off for high winds at 8am ,he wouldn’t listen.

Current prices for next years festival
£45 Best Mates
£67 Tatts
£93 Members

A rite rip off

Had meal in National Hunt room for 6 on Saturday Paddy Power Chase day. Warm beer that ran out before first race…they had to get beers from Quevega bar and put into ice buckets. Carvery was warm at best and they ran out out big plates by second race so people had to pile up food on starter plates. Service staff were fine as it’s not their fault but most ridiculous thing was only 1 salt and pepper pot in entire restaurant.

Not bad for £600 each when the bill came in.

Never again.

I went on Friday.

First time I have driven to the course for a very long time.

Was shocked to have been charged to park!!!!

Lot of people not going back this year from Ireland ...they dont include Willie, Henry or Gordon

Now I ve calmed down after last year. Going all 4 days again. Knew I would.
68k crowd limit so should be less problems.

Because of covid and crowd chaos,plus singing.
The biggest problem is the slow decline in the quality of racing.

Lhomme presse rsa/browns race last year was shocking
The 4 horse turners where galophin fell,look what beat it. Bob olinger,
The supreme being won by a mile 2 years running
Odds on shots in the champion hurdle
Nichols effectively avoiding the meeting,
The mares races are 2nd rate has a decent mare runs in the grade 1s


We ve come a long way from the magnificent seven running in the champion hurdle,and that was just 7 Irish horses,before the Irish had winners at the festival.

The winner of the ultimata then winning the grand national
Placed horses in gold cup winning the national,

Although the media say the whole season is Cheltenham focused,it actually isn’t.

Lanzorte on Saturday was worth 56k,  a good few of the hcps are worth less than this,plus no Irish to beat. So why waste a winning chance at chelt,,leave the Irish to it.

Bar the pertempts,since qualification went to first 4,the English have done well,the Irish can’t hide one plus with the extra weight the Irish have to carry,they can’t sneak one in on a good mark,first 5/6 home were English last year which is the opposite of all the other races.

But. The best thing about chelt is. It gives you something to do from jan till march,so may as well get involved,


Think hollow games might run well 33/1 turners or browns,

Hollow Games ran pretty badly last time out. Elliott will be keen to mark his return though.

1 year on. An update on this years festival

Attendance a lot lower,lower than max. So didn’t sell out,the reason for this was in the opening post.

Miles better this year,everything worked well,mainly because attendance was well down,
Sold gold cup ticket on Wednesday,probably won’t be going on the Friday again.

Mulling over Portugal for next year,but will probably go first 3 days.

Went Doncaster on gold cup day,loads of room,no queues,internet available all day.
Get a similar experience without the hassle,although Donny dosent make the most of its gold cup day fixture,races on big screen but no commentary,so you have to watch it inside,why they don’t combine their fixture with chelt to max race goers experience I don’t know,it’s like they don’t want to admit the gold cup is on.

As for chelt
Thursday a bit busy,but just about manageable.first 2 days great.

As usual,no internet till after 4th race,
So what is the point.if it’s being blocked,then block it all day,if it’s bandwidth,then pay open reach to increase bandwith,I presume the pitch bookies are fully on line to lay off bets,so it must be possible,
If it’s deliberate,then block it all day,but then the big on line bookies need to consider sponsorship.

Because of no internet,it sort of makes it pointless going,you can’t get any info,look at odds,form etc,and can’t bet,
Big companies must be losing alot of traffic each day,yet paying chelt for sponsorship,

The ladbrokes world hurdle,paddy power chase etc,yet their customers can’t bet with them.

Bars,toilets,space all ok.
No one queening,the stag party type crowd didn’t go Tuesday,Wednesday,but turned up Thursday,and presume Friday.

The racing was good,but there is a feel that the quality is slightly weaker,
1/4 shot in champion hurdle etc.

Cheltenham make a fortune,but looks to me that certain British trainers have given up on the hcps,the prize money and Irish challenge isn’t worth the entry,when you can win more prize money on a big Saturday hcp in an easier race,Nicholls seems to of done this,

Given 14 of the most bet turnover races out of 20 all year are at chelt,then surely every hcp should be the best prize money for that type of event,weaken the grade 1 prize money a bit,they can hardly go to France or USA,

Overall better than last year,

But I think Cheltenham will decline more,

The cost is a joke,but if less go,then they ll milk those that do even more,

They ve never held ticket prices,up every year,drinks. Food the same,where will it end.

Think they should freeze entry fees,limit crowd to 65k,and limit drinks to 7.00 ,

Promote all this and get 65k attendance each day,

Unless they re set the whole thing,100% there will be less there next year.

They have a chance now,whilst it just starting to decline,to sort it and halt it,but I doubt it

Pointless paying for extra attractions like DJ s ,

Offer a pre paid drinks card at cheaper drinks 6.00 quid a drink if buy 5 ,30 quid,just flash the card,

Why don’t they team up with itv and play their feed in between races etc,

The racegoer is blind and deaf,if your there you don’t really know what’s going on,

Surely in this day of technology,the names of the front 6 horses could be on the screen,altering up the run in,with GPS trackers updating it ,so viewers know which horse is which.

How many times do you say to your mate,what’s this coming up the rail,then scramble around with your paper working out which horse it is,can’t hear commentary on run in cos of crowd cheers.

They also only tell you first 4 in result,yet most bookies pay first 6/7..

Just put the full result up or at least first 6/7.

They just plod on doing same thing every year,no one seems to want to improve the product,but they’re quick enough to increase the price,
Irony is,can’t check result on phone cos there’s no internet,

All these things are easy to solve and would make the experience better,but it’s just hassle going to chelt now,hence attendance drop,and it will drop next year,no matter how many constitution hills you have.

On the food,

I don’t know if this is still the situation,but the food vans didn’t used pay rent for their pitch,it’s free,the only condition was,they must also do the paddy power meeting,as chelt was trying to grow that meeting so needed food vans there.
So the charges of food drinks can’t be justified because of high rents,like airports etc,
So the van owners are literally just setting the highest price they think they can get away with.

They say it’s comparable with other big sporting event prices,then quote Grand Prix,football,cricket etc.

They then say 6 hours of sport ain’t bad for the price,

But it’s 20 mins of sport really,with 40 mins fleecing breaks in between,
And then to compare the x country,hunter chase ,women’s races ,it’s hardly elite sport.,then the elite races have 5-7 runners with a 1/4 shot,so it’s hardly competitive,

So yeah,you can blag a weaker product,give price money less than a Saturday hcp,but why fleece your customers so much it deters them,it’s winter,cold,so the nice day out crowd won’t come.

It’s in decline,they need to act now to stop it,or else it will fade.

But like the fixture list,they ll wait 5 years to decide they need a steering group to look into the reason for the decline,then 3 years to form the group,then another 5 years to complete a report,

Report findings will be,
Everything 10-15% too expensive,no customer service regards info or involvement,internet a problem..

Simple basic fact,I went to Donny today,pint 6 quid,internet all day I’ll be going again next year.
I won’t go chelt gold cup day,no internet,too busy,price fleecing,it’s not the money,it’s the cheek,

Jockey Club WiFi was fine for me on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

Drinks are expensive , but not compulsory - £7.50 a pint. If you have 4 or 5 pints you've paid what ?- a tenner more than in a pub and probably about the same as in London.

Eat a hearty breakfast and the food prices / quality are of no concern.

We street park up about a 15-20 minute walk away and are in and out no problem.

Service at all bars we used was quick - no more than 5 minutes ever and often served immediately.

No queues for the loos.

Walking around was busy at certain pinch points  , but far far better than a few years ago. Yes - attendances were down - hopefully no price increases for next year.

Buy your tickets early - we paid £52 a day for Tatts -  cheap for a premier sporting event. (£80 ? on the day probably puts a few off)

Minor gripe - do away with the leading horse numbers displayed on the video screen as the race is running - pointless and a distraction.

(Bookie's prices are shocking , but we all know that before we go)

Two fantastic days racing.

Midlands national richest hcp of last week.attendance 10k,  150k prize

Chelt attendance 60k,

Most expensive pint of the week.

You get the gist.

The attendance was well down on each day and contrary to what the racecourse tell you, I don't see any correalation between the rail and teachers strikes and the attendance as most people would have bought there tickets by the time that these strikes were announced. I would suggest that the cost of the tickets for each of the enclosures is more to blame, however this did make for nice comfortable crowds on both the Tuesday and the Wednesday.

As for the drinks prices £7.50 is more than most sporting events, Ascot for instance charged £6.50 at the Royal Meeting last year and that was for a pint of premium Peroni. I normally also attend various cricket internationals and T20 finals day and I am sure that the price of a pint at these is somewhere between £5 and £6. Prices used to be fine when the bars and catering were outsourced to Letherby and Christophers but since it has been brought in house by Jockey Club it increases by about 50p per pint a year.

As for the catering the prices charged are ridiculous and the quality is extremely poor. I try to eat before setting foot on the racecourse now and not eat until I leave.

On a positive note I found that moving around was quite easy and generally getting in and out of the toilets was quite easy, with the exception of the Vestey Bar, whoever thought it would be good to site a cocktail bar in the main throughfare to the toilets !!