Slightly cynical I know so let me explain. For months we looks forward to it, with sky high hopes and expectations. Dependent on your interest this period may last a week or a few days, for others the anticipation may begin once the last nag has come home in the festival curtain raiser the previous year. For this period of time we invest in our horses in different ways, be it financially or perhaps emotionally in that we all have our favourite horses we hope can win at the place where it means the most. Those magical 4 days in March. Then it begins, Christmas has arrived, the middle Tuesday in March. The highs are few and far between, our hopes are shattered far too often, our nags trail in midfield failing to deliver on all that promise we'd seen of them for months or years before this long awaited March day. True we may get the occassional high but let's be honest the disappointments come thicker and faster. Tuesday was bad, but hey there's 3 more days- it can only get better from here! And so often it doesn't- Cheltenham the place where dreams are made is much more the place where hopes are dashed, destroyed and taken away from us. Not to mention our bank balance taking an annual 4 day pounding! By for me the best thing about Cheltenham is this. There's always next year and then, finally, all our dreams and hopes will come true
Fully agree Beefy, and I may well be taking a long, lingering look around after the cross-country, thinking "well that's 5 losers, do I lump on Quevega to try and get some back?" Thinking back 2 years I had a massive double on Quevega / Big Bucks so finished the week well up, but last year I had some heavy ante post bets which went astray. I'm actually struggling to remember, but I think I had 6 winners last year (Sprinter Sacre, Simonsig, Champagne Fever, Big Bucks, Brindisi Breeze and dear old Bellvano) so ended up coming out of it OK but I know I was struggling on the Tuesday and decided against lumping on Quevega for fear of being completely wiped out. I look forward to the festival from around November time, when we start to see the first serious novices from the big yards. I don't really get a sense of anti-climax afterwards because I really like the Aintree festival too, and went on the Thursday last year (and will do the same this year). Anyways, it's less than 3 weeks to the Lincoln now as well
George am I doing something wrong with my PC? All them ****ing Racing UK videos appear "squashed" - they look like 16:9 videos displayed in a 4:3 format. Has ****ing annoyed me for years. What's the answer?
The gambling is quite inconsequential for me Stick. I rarely bet, you will struggle to find me on the daily thread betting on low fare racing during the week, or at anytime in fact so I don't think I am 'only in it for the gambling'. Each to their own, but for me Cheltenham is a top sporting spectactle first and foremost though I do bet during this week. I'll give you an example of what I mean. Last year's Gold Cup- Kauto Star and Long Run clash again. Kauto Star, the people's champion pulled up. Long Run seemingly unable to beat horses who had been seen as good handicappers not long beforehand. Just a complete anti-climax. The Champion Hurdle ditto. Maybe the betting side does inadvertenly come into what I'm trying to express- when complete outsiders win too many races the festival doesn't feel right whether you've gambled on them or not. No offence to Newmills when he won the Champion Chase but that was just wrong! I've probably not expressed myself well in what I'm trying to say but I hope you get the gist!
The gambling has a big influence for me - if I bang in a few winners it's been a fantastic festival. If I've done my dough it's been ****e. I think most of us feel the same way.
Picking the right horses certainly helps Oddy for sure but it's an excellent festival when the cream rises to the crop. Last year I was on Oscar Whisky for the WH but still thought it was a festival highlight when the champ Big Bucks regained his crown even though I done my dough! Just a thrilling race to watch, like the race the year before with Grands Crus coming to challenge. I love to see it when the true champions come to the fore in the big races whether I win or not so the gambling isn't the key barometer for me (but it does help to win sometimes ) I still maintain the expectation exceeds the event though but that's also true of many things in life
Yeah I know what you mean, just sometimes some of the bigger races tend to pan out in a way that leaves you feeling disappointed, not just on the day but afterwards as well - I remember years ago the 100-1 shot Norton's Coin pipping my favourite Dessie in the Gold Cup and just thinking "that ain't right". Unfortunately Cheltenham just wasn't Dessie's course. That win of Synchronised last year felt a little bit of the same - maybe we were just spoiled by the Denman / Kauto Star era? You also need eyes in the back of your head when trying to pick the handicap winners - so many horse just been laid out for the one race at the festiva, often the form book can be thrown out of the window.
Beefy, if the fancied horses won all the races the sport wouldnt have much appeal now would it. It would be like the SPL. Every year there will be several races that stir you regardless of whether you have had a bet or not. I never had a single penny on Brindisi Breeze but I was elated when he won. If you cant pull out one of those memories for each and every year then you are very hard to please!
Oddy, that link is because GGW copied it from a mobile phone. just replace the m. with www. then it will work normally
I got that bit mate, and I don't think it is limited to the video's George posted. I see it with all RUK videos posted on youtube - either I'm doing something wrong or they are all posted as 16:9 films in 4:3 format - they are all "squashed" in from the sides such that all the jockeys look like the long fella.
The anticipation may well be greater than the reality, that's sort of how life works, from your first kiss to the day you retire from a life in harness, and beyond. However, with Cheltenham the reality is still pretty ****ing great. Last year I struggled for winners, but I was still breathing different air -the real high octane stuff- for the whole 4 days.
As long as I am able to say "Well that was entertaining, informative and brilliant sport" on the way home on Friday evening, I won't be disappointed. The anticipation is something, but we will get at least one marvellous story at the festival, and I can't wait to see this seasons stories unfold with a full house at the best racecourse in the UK.
