16th March '21 Champion Hurdle day

I wonder if, with the course in such good condition (it looks slow on the surface, but the horses are finding speed beneath it if they have the pace) and the lack of other variables such as the crowd and atmosphere, if the "better horses" will have an easier time with nothing to upset them. This year's Cheltenham might be a real, "Quality will out," situation.

ITV can **** off with their covid crap we've enough of that elsewhere

TheMilkyPirate wrote: »

ITV can **** off with their covid crap we've enough of that elsewhere

And getting that absolute chancer Piers Morgan in to be a talking head. He'll say whatever is necessary to further his career.

Amazing

Something I've noticed is there's far less general buzz about this Cheltenham, at least online. It seems half (more than half) the people like getting in the pub and shouting and cheering, (and having day-drinks.) It seems weird but it's like a lot of those people in the pub were actually busy posting online half the time they were in there, because there's very little excitement outside of horsey people. And it really does feel like horsey people (or horsey people-lite, like me) are out on their own, actually getting excited about the racing rather than the extraneous (I am still getting my drink on, and that last race was a thriller.)

I was talking to my mother this morning, and she said she loves the time around Cheltenham because she can go for a sandwich in one of the bars at lunch and there's fierce excitement, and fellas knocking back pints (she said one bar she went to even had a bookie set up in the corner of the hall-like room they were in, but not in the past few years (I think she saw a Buster Board, but nonetheless.)) I'd guess there's plenty of lads who took a long-lunch, or half-day, and soaked up the atmosphere, but without it this year they're not bothered. Also, they loved over-hearing conversation and relaying their nuggets of wisdom as their own. There's none of that this year, so, much like on the course, it's pure horsing.

Vintageclouds was a delight to watch

Epatante to win the Champion Hurdle for me

Who is goat laying in the champion hurdle?

pottokblue wrote: »

Was the fake roar prerecorded roars of previous years or did they get all the ITV crew to rehearse the roar yesterday and record it??? either way I didnt appreciate the fake roar its like canned laughter from a poor american sitcom....

It was the crowd roar from FIFA 98.

Jesus Goshen making it seriously hard for Jamie there

Bookies taking a bashing so far. Great to see.