cheltenham may be off

[Stat Brother]

The racing yesterday was SHIT. This would not have been called off 10 years ago, it down to the pc, compensation people that with a strong breeze they runied the day for everyone. Cheltenham course made NO efforts to keep today's racing and with no reason called it off as they could not be bothered with the effort. Well the whole festival is OFF as far as I am concerned and I will not be watching any of it.

Because 10 years ago, it was just the grandstands that are still there, uneffected today.

If you want to blame anyone, why don't you blame everyone else who have decided to turn up to YOUR festival meeting, and needing temporary tents to stand in.

I guess I'm just being suckered into your silliness.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The racing yesterday was SHIT. This would not have been called off 10 years ago, it down to the pc, compensation people that with a strong breeze they runied the day for everyone. Cheltenham course made NO efforts to keep today's racing and with no reason called it off as they could not be bothered with the effort. Well the whole festival is OFF as far as I am concerned and I will not be watching any of it.

Wouldn't it ruin your day more if the wind blew a tent-peg into your head?

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Bozza

The racing was shit as I lost every race

 

[Bozza]

Bozza

The racing was shit as I lost every race

Then I am afraid, sir, that it is you who are shit.

 

[Stat Brother]

Bozza

The racing was shit as I lost every race

Even my dog, with his big fat feet, got a place.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I had planned this day for months and am pissed off. I saw Thomson on the course and it was calm with the occassional strong breeze. None of the jockeys and trainers could believe it has been called off.

So he didn't come back on the team coach last night then?

 

[Normal Rob]

US

I can understand your frustration, I too am annoyed that the racing has been called off today. However to rant like you have has made you look both rather childish. Something which, peversely, i think was your objective.

Safety is paramount as I am sure deep down you undertstand but you are just letting your own petty issues and 'look at me' attitude obscure the bigger picture .

besides- you are a shit gambler. think of the money you've just saved.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I am just going to sit in a dark room all day and cry. Goodbye friends.

 

[Mtoto]

i assume your on a laptop typing this in the middle of the course because obviously you wouldn't make such a statement without knowing EXACTLY what the weather conditions are/are going to be.........

Funnily enough I AM typing this on a laptop at the track and I can promise you that it would have been insane to wait until later in the day to call it off. There are plenty of gusts that could knock a horse and jockey sideways, never mind the state of the tented village. It may drop by 2.00, or it may not, but they can't pack 50,000 people into a track with many temporary stands and facilities just on the off-chance. Everyone's pissed off about it, but that's just the way it is.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I am glad it has been called off, just so we can get rants like this from Gavin.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Pipe Down Piers and just leave me to my misery

 

[Hannibal smith]

Funnily enough I AM typing this on a laptop at the track and I can promise you that it would have been insane to wait until later in the day to call it off. There are plenty of gusts that could knock a horse and jockey sideways, never mind the state of the tented village. It may drop by 2.00, or it may not, but they can't pack 50,000 people into a track with many temporary stands and facilities just on the off-chance. Everyone's pissed off about it, but that's just the way it is.

I agree it the right course of action (having been kept awake all night by high winds) but the organisational side leaves a bit to be desired. As I had tickets for today and Friday I sent a friend over to buy tickets for tomorrow instead. No tickets for sale until 10:00 tomorrow. Whose bright idea is that? There are potentially thousands of people now going tomorrow with 9 races and it being called off today and a stampede on the door. In terms of bad ideas its up there with 'That Iceberg is miles away chaps'

 

[Ernest]

I was in the hospitality at Brighton races a couple of years ago and it was a tad windy and I was even hit on the head by a flying vol au vaunt but they never called it off

 

[Horsham Gull]

CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE STATEMENT
0830 Wed 12th March

We have a weather forecast for today that predicts extremely strong winds over the next 6 or 7 hours with a high degree of certainty. On that basis we have made the decision to abandon racing for today. The forecast for Thursday and Friday is much calmer and the races abandoned today will be re-scheduled to be run on Thursday and Friday on extended cards, with a first race time of 1230pm. The revised order of running and further details regarding Thursday and Friday will be issued in due course.

Ticket holders for today will receive a 100% refund, but those tickets will not be valid on Thursday or Friday. There will be tickets on sale for all 3 enclosures tomorrow, using a higher capacity of 65,000. Friday is sold out.

Andy Clifton
Communications Manager
Cheltenham Racecourse

And a Statto stat for you

The last time weather forced a cancellation at the Festival was in 1978 when Gold Cup day was lost to snow while the entire 2001 Festival was cancelled because of the foot and mouth outbreak.

 

[Mtoto]

I agree it the right course of action (having been kept awake all night by high winds) but the organisational side leaves a bit to be desired. As I had tickets for today and Friday I sent a friend over to buy tickets for tomorrow instead. No tickets for sale until 10:00 tomorrow. Whose bright idea is that? There are potentially thousands of people now going tomorrow with 9 races and it being called off today and a stampede on the door. In terms of bad ideas its up there with 'That Iceberg is miles away chaps'

You're right, that doesn't sound clever. Simply getting to the course for a 12.30 start is going to be interesting too, as the Cheltenham rush-hour is sticky at the best of times.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Huntingdon now off as well which was my back up meeting. I think I will just go back to bed.

 

[Jello]

You're right, that doesn't sound clever. Simply getting to the course for a 12.30 start is going to be interesting too, as the Cheltenham rush-hour is sticky at the best of times.

I've now having to leave Brighton at 5.30 on Friday to catch my mates bus, it's going to be a long day but worth the effort.

 

[Bozza]

Huntingdon now off as well which was my back up meeting. I think I will just go back to bed.

Oh no it's not!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Huntingdon now off as well which was my back up meeting. I think I will just go back to bed.

Practically no horses running there anymore, but so far as I can see it's still on:

Huntingdon

Going: Good
1:40 | Non-runners: None
2:15 | Non-runners: Zahra's Place; Talkin Roxy;
2:50 | Non-runners: Sound Of Cheers;
3:30 | Non-runners: Escobar;
4:15 | Non-runners: Common Girl; Jug Of Punch;
4:55 | Non-runners: Councillor Jack; My Friend Johnnie; Such A Man; Walsingham;
5:30 | Non-runners: Trireme;

 

[Mtoto]

Hannibal

They are definitely selling tickets for tomorrow at the track right now. I saw someone buying one 10 minutes ago.