Cheltenham First Timer

DDC1990

Heading to Cheltenham for the first time this year.

Going on GC day.

Just wondering if anyone had advice for me?

Best value for money, entry wise. The Best Mate Enclosure is the cheapest, but do you miss out on anything?

I'll be staying in London the night before and getting the Bus up in the morning. 2h30mins. Is this crazy?

Anything I should avoid, apart from blowing all my cash?

Its something i've always wanted to do, and this may be the last chance I get so feck it, I decided to go for it.

Going alone ( poor me :P ) but i'm a friendly enough person, i'm sure to meet someone and make a day of it :P

Thanks.

(p.s Mods, if there is a better thread for this you can move it. Thanks)

mdwexford

People often sneak into the club enclosure but I would want to be in there so I'd just cough up the extra.

I'd stay in Bristol or as close as you can, I'd hate that long a journey in the morning but that's just me.

Being on your own would probably be better.

ft9

Best Mate enclosure is the last place you want to be, but that's besides the point as it is sold out.

You want club enclosure, and I would def stay in Birmingham or Bristol, much closer, will more than half your commute to the races and both have airports.

DDC1990

ft9 wrote: »

Best Mate enclosure is the last place you want to be, but that's besides the point as it is sold out.

You want club enclosure, and I would def stay in Birmingham or Bristol, much closer, will more than half your commute to the races and both have airports.

Have free accomodation in London, and don't mind the commute, so thats why im heading from London.

You can still get Best Mate tickets, if you book with the Bus, which is what I was planning on doing, but having second thoughts now. There is a £15 difference, just on Entry between the Best Mate and Tattersalls, and £40 difference between BM and club.

Any reason why the Best Mate is shíte?

Obviously, if i'm going to go I want to do it right, so if the £15/40 difference is worth it, I don't mind paying it.

You have the parade Ring etc. with Club entry, is that right?

ft9

The tattersals tickets will get you to the parade ring. They are fine, much better than Best Mate tickets. You say its something you've always wanted to do and it may be your last chance, you have free accom, buy the club enclosure and be done with it.

ste2010

Listen to the lads defo! Forget about best mate, I go to club myself but tatts is where it all happens. With the risk of sounding condescending best mate is fully segregated from tatts and club...I always got the feeling there was a reason for this..when I look over at best mate during the day I always felt sorry for the the poor lads over there :-)

redzerdrog

If you buy tickets for the tatts enclosure it is usually very easy to just sneak into the club enclosure which us the best place to be

Theborderfox81

Definitely Club Enclosure tickets. Wear comfortable shoes with the suit and hit the 21 Club in town that night. Only place to be but be there early.

Enjoy it. Some experience.

Hoofer

yes go the full hog and buy club enclosure tickets and be done with it,dont even contemplate best mate tickets, trust me ..club has great viewing, nice crowd, you can tower over the parade ring..worth every penny!!Best mate is not a great stand..no access or vieiwing to parade ring or anything, your in different side of the track..after last race go into the centaur building for a pint and go upstairs to the balcony and sit and listen to the band for an hour or so to relax the legs then hit the Queens hotel or o'Neills pub in montpellier after the racing and get tanked up and then hit 21 club early, its on regent street I think..Cheltenham is a magical place but be warned go once and youll be going there every year from now on in.:)You will have the best craic ever!!.Enjoy.

DDC1990

Lads seriously, thanks for the advice.

Got the Club tickets, I'll make the most of it.

Always been into racing, Tralee Racetrack is just over the field from me, and I went to every racemeeting there since I was 5/6 years old.

Sorta lost a bit of interest in racing in general since the track stopped running, but always keep an eye out for Cheltenham, the Christmas Festivals, Galway and the Grand Nationals.

Not a massive gambler, thank god. I prefer to have a few small bets, just to have an interest in the races, so I shouldn't lose my shirt.

Im looking forward to it massively now. Only 1 month to go!

I've been lurking away on the Tips threads :P

ste2010

mdwexford wrote: »

Being on your own would probably be better.

Is it true you actually hate the world?

Hoofer

Im going on my own and I love the world:D..Think il back on his own too for national!!!:cool:

pugw

Id get the train if I were you! Got it last year from bristol it was handy! Also try the hog roast at the track its decent nosh!

eoghan_85

I always buy Tattersall tickets and usually buy a badge for the club off one of the many touts outside, for maybe a fiver, depending on how many of us are there - all it is is a piece of cardboard and is only used for visual inspection by any of the stewards about the place (i.e. no barcode or anything on it).

Overthelast

The drink is pricey on track. I ordered a hot whiskey in that little hut near the hog roast trailer in Nov. £4. ok, I'm on holidays. Tasteless. Ah, forgot, measures in England 25ml vs 33ml in irl. "Add 1 more measure please". Now I'm at £8 a drink. Back to the kings arms prestbury for the £2.40 pint. Now that's more like it. So avoid paying daft prices at the track.

If you have time in the morning, try if you can to walk up from the bottom of the hill, facing the finishing straight. It gives you a great appreciation of what the horses face at the end of a gruelling race.

Have a great trip.

hucklebuck

Seriously man you should consider staying in Bristol.

We stayed in IBIS Temple Meads last year, it's 5 minutes from Bristol Temple Meads train station and a train from here has you in Cheltenham in about 40 minutes. It will cost €40 for the night and you will have a shorter trip to and from Cheltenham giving you more time to study the form. If you are flying to Bristol you should fly Ryanair.

http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/ibis-bristol-temple-meads.en-gb.html?aid=303948;label=bristol-Ao9MvPxWrBMpYKNEkdHqLAS8394926061%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1100%3Ap2%3Aac500301%3Aap1t1%3Aneg;sid=84579836cf535e99cf613baf59300a95;dcid=1;checkin=2013-03-15;checkout=2013-03-16;srfid=dcb1202e54ed9862129390edff43ff7ae61e3053X19

hucklebuck

Oh and don't think about betting from your phone, you won't get any coverage and it will ruin your day!!

pugw

hucklebuck wrote: »

Seriously man you should consider staying in Bristol.

We stayed in IBIS Temple Meads last year, it's 5 minutes from Bristol Temple Meads train station and a train from here has you in Cheltenham in about 40 minutes. It will cost €40 for the night and you will have a shorter trip to and from Cheltenham giving you more time to study the form. If you are flying to Bristol you should fly Ryanair.

+1 on that bristol is the way to go, not much of a horsey crowd there after though but some good pubs and clubs and drink is dirt cheap!

mdwexford

ste2010 wrote: »

Is it true you actually hate the world?

Most of it yes.

Being on your own is fine though you'll be far too busy to talk to anyone anyway. Races creep up fast when you are over there.

ste2010

mdwexford wrote: »

Most of it yes.

Being on your own is fine though you'll be far too busy to talk to anyone anyway. Races creep up fast when you are over there.

True story. You rarely have enough time to get a pint. I think the only pint I had during the racing last year was when the cross country 25min chase was on!

finbarrk

Been there loads of times. Never been to the Best Mate Enclosure. Always Club/Tatts.

premierstone

hucklebuck wrote: »

Seriously man you should consider staying in Bristol.

We stayed in IBIS Temple Meads last year, it's 5 minutes from Bristol Temple Meads train station and a train from here has you in Cheltenham in about 40 minutes. It will cost €40 for the night and you will have a shorter trip to and from Cheltenham giving you more time to study the form. If you are flying to Bristol you should fly Ryanair.

http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/ibis-bristol-temple-meads.en-gb.html?aid=303948;label=bristol-Ao9MvPxWrBMpYKNEkdHqLAS8394926061%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1100%3Ap2%3Aac500301%3Aap1t1%3Aneg;sid=84579836cf535e99cf613baf59300a95;dcid=1;checkin=2013-03-15;checkout=2013-03-16;srfid=dcb1202e54ed9862129390edff43ff7ae61e3053X19

Should have said hello I was there aswell, Mon to Thursday.

DDC1990

Guys thanks for all the advice.

Had the perfect day.

5 winners! 2 placed e/w. Flight, Bus up, tickets paid for.

Amazing experience, to seeBryan Cooper on Our Conor steam up and win almost on the bridle, only to see him grind out a tough win in the next on Ted Veale. Was down at the rails for the Ted Veale race as I lost my place in the stand, and you couldn't hear the commentary with the crowd. The horses were covered in muck so I didn't realise until the final hurdle that it was actually Ted Veale! I've never shouted as much for that last furlong! Unreal!

Then to have3 Alderwood in the last to break the record of Irish wins.

Just a perfect day!