What makes Cheltenham such a life-affirming experience? It's definitely not the 'Balearic beats'
Cheltenham used to be described as Christmas for grown-ups, and we all know the trouble with Christmas is that the build-up starts earlier every year, it's overhyped, over-commercialised and you wake up the following day with a throbbing head and an empty bank account.
And, just like Christmas, it's easy enough to moan about the festival, complain it's not what it was, or even opt out entirely. As the tape goes up for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, you can focus on Sedgefield and Southwell – racing's equivalent of doing your tax return on Christmas Day.
Or you can grit your teeth, suck it up, fight your way along Cotswold road and rail networks that make Cheltenham Spa seem like the lost valley of Shangri-La, and join the near 70,000 others who are grimly determined to have a good time.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
- Ascot's smart approach to selling racing tells us we can be royalty - even if just for one day
- Sectional timings for the Derby suggest City Of Troy isn't the only Ballydoyle star worth following
- It's clear mainstream coverage of the Derby is lost at the weekend - so perhaps it's time to move it back to Wednesday
- Never mind the price of the beer - kids go racing for nothing and that's worth a lot
- Bank holidays are in sad decline - why not let unloved Brigadier Gerard march to the rescue
- Ascot's smart approach to selling racing tells us we can be royalty - even if just for one day
- Sectional timings for the Derby suggest City Of Troy isn't the only Ballydoyle star worth following
- It's clear mainstream coverage of the Derby is lost at the weekend - so perhaps it's time to move it back to Wednesday
- Never mind the price of the beer - kids go racing for nothing and that's worth a lot
- Bank holidays are in sad decline - why not let unloved Brigadier Gerard march to the rescue