Let's hope Cheltenham has been listening to us on racegoer experience - it's vital the course gets it right in March

It's been fascinating in recent days to read different views on the racegoer experience being provided by courses, which has brought to my mind some complaints at last year's Cheltenham Festival when I surveyed those on the ground.

It's obviously vital for all racecourses to get things right when it comes to the customer experience, but nowhere is this more important than at the festival. This is not only racing's biggest shop window but also an annual pilgrimage for many fans, who fork out a lot of money to get there and whose loyalty cannot be taken for granted.

Last year, though, I heard some familiar complaints about the racecourse experience. In terms of cost, the general consensus was that the ticket price, although substantial, was acceptable and in keeping with similar sporting events, but the additional expenses after passing through the gates were over the top.