It’s here! The first day of the festival has arrived and as I write this I’m looking out over Cheltenham and the hustle and bustle of the place. Bin men, people going to work, buses and cars driving about but not a single item of tweed in sight!
I’m pretty sure, everyone going to the festival is still in bed! We were out last night and there were plenty of festival goers supping ale and talking about who was going to win what. There’s always an air of optimism before the first day and it was great to see so many horse racing enthusiasts in one place. There will certainly be a few sore heads out there, this morning!
If you’ve never been to the festival before, then one of the first highlights is walking up Evesham Road toward the course. The atmosphere is incredible. It’s the same as walking to the stadium on a big match day. There’s the touts, buskers, burger vans, people handing out flyers, free scarfs, flags etc. Everyone is excited and the air is filled with optimism. The second highlight is arriving and walking into the Guinness village. Yes, a whole area devoted to the black nectar. The trick here is to stand by the bins! It’s easier to get a pint and you can get to the rails and watch the races a lot quicker.
Anyway, we’ll be heading to the course at 11.30 am to take in all of the sights and sounds. I’ve got all of my bets placed and have cash in hand to get money down on course. It’s always worth trying to get to the rails bookies where Hill’s trades as these are the first pitches and it’s where you can witness people placing £10,000’s. I’ve often seen people with 10K in £50 notes getting on a favourite. A spectacle in itself!
So, with the excitement brewing, it’s time to take stock and think about the plan for the day. I’ve covered my thoughts in previous articles and you can read those on the blog. I’ve outlined my best bets of the day, below –
13:30 – Kalashnikov each way
14:10 – Saint Calvados win
17:30 – Testify each way
Plus a double on the two odds-on favourites.
All bets have been placed and some more money will be placed on course.
I’ll be back on Thursday with a look back on the first two days and another look at Gold Cup day. Until then, be lucky and enjoy the festival 🙂
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