Latest news with #StyleWednesday
BBC News
15-03-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Gloucestershire in pics: Loud outfits and stunning sunsets
Gloucestershire has been buzzing this week with the excitement of snow and the Cheltenham have been some loud outfits and frosty mornings in the county with lots of celebrating and dancing - but also some reflective reflect back on some of our favourite moments from the week. Early starts: A gorgeous sunrise on Thursday as reflected here by our Weather Watcher "Tone Poet" in a mix of weather this week, from rain to snow to sunshine, it was nice to have clear blue sky to wake us up on Thursday. Surprising snow: A shock to the system on Wednesday as the county welcomed snow. But the Cheltenham Festival went ahead as planned with some stunning scenes to start "Style Wednesday". Setting sun: Another hit from our Weather Watcher, "Mrs Knee" from Tuesday evening showing off the stunning settings surrounding us in Gloucestershire. Loud outfits: It was a busy day on Wednesday with bright and wonderful outfits for "Style Wednesday". It was certainly a stylish day and Queen Camilla even made an appearance at the racecourse ahead of the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Quiet walks: A peaceful setting in Leckhampton with an unusual looking all this changing weather, the bright side is the beautiful sunrises and sunsets we have seen this week. Reflective moments: A memorial honouring people who lost their lives during the Covid pandemic has been unveiled in memorial in Gloucester Park features eight trees surrounding a plaque, each representing a group of key workers who provided essential services.
The Independent
14-03-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Cheltenham Festival enjoys bounceback in Gold Cup sunshine despite drop in attendance
All ages, all backgrounds, from city slickers to royals – they packed Cheltenham racecourse for the festival's climatic end on Gold Cup day, and were rewarded with a thrilling atmosphere and competitive races. On another year when the decline in attendances has been the focus, Friday's event was sold out, as it usually is, and the sun even poked out over the famous Prestbury Park racetrack. Difficulties well publicised last year – such as the mudbath that faced motorists leaving – were avoided, and punters came away from the four-day festival with a smile on their faces – even those whose bets hadn't quite gone to plan. 'It's been a festival in its truest sense,' said Cheltenham chief executive Guy Lavender, the ex-army serviceman who took over the reins at the racecourse in January. Mr Lavender, faced with declining crowds, has overseen a raft of changes including more competitive racing, relaxed drinking restrictions course-side and the introduction of hardstanding on the 7,000-vehicle car park. He's also wanted better value for money, and has pledged to continue to look into this for next year with the inflated cost of hotels on his radar. 'It was a difficult festival last year, everyone acknowledged it and we've made a number of improvements,' Mr Lavender said on BBC Five Live on Friday afternoon. 'We're really smashing it out of the park so far this year. 'They [punters] come here and they have a great time even if they are not hardcore racing fans. It's vibrant and an iconic sporting event." The biggest decline in attendance from last year was on Style Wednesday, which saw a little under 42,000 turning out, down 5,000 from a year ago. And on Tuesday, otherwise known as Champion Day, there was a decrease in attendance from 60,200 to 55,500. However, on St Patrick's Day, the attendance was just over 53,300, just a few hundred short of last year. And on Friday, the event was sold out. Among those in attendance was Reform leader Nigel Farage and suspended party MP Rupert Lowe, who is being investigated for allegations of bullying and threats of violence, all of which Mr Lowe denies. The pair were in boxes around 400 metres apart. Other famous names included former prime minister David Cameron and Geri Halliwell-Horner. 'This is the holy grail of horse racing,' said Steve, aged 67. The pensioner is a member of the Cheltenham racecourse and has been coming for 46 years. 'I remember when there was just one stand,' he said. 'It's certainly evolved over the years, and they're doing the right things to draw interest with entertainment and the facilities.' Simon Wild and Rob Bulger travelled from Manchester to see the four days of the festival, staying in nearby Stroud to save paying 'more than £500 a night'. 'It's the best horse racing with the best atmosphere,' said Mr Wild, aged 42. 'The drinks are a bit pricey [£7.80 a pint of Guinness], but it's what you expect, it's the same at football. 'It's one of those 'have to be there' events of the year, and we'll be back next year.' First-timers Anne and Bob Clark swapped buying Christmas presents for buying Cheltenham Festival tickets for the Gold Cup. Paying £259, they bought a coach travel package from Inverness that included a two-night hotel stay and tickets for the Friday event. 'I usually buy a jumper he doesn't wear, so this was the best present we've given each other in a while,' said Mrs Clark, aged 75. 'It's been an incredible day out. I'll never forget the great opening roar, it was deafening. And we've won two bets,' said Mr Clark, 76. But not everyone got so lucky on their bets. The day started with shock 100/1 outsider, Poniros, winning, with only a handful of punters collecting winnings. Bookie Graham Thorpe took £2,500 from just the race. 'As a bookie you want a shock, and to get that in a champion race with the favourite so well backed, it was a winner for us.' Mr Thorpe, however, did pay out for one woman who took home £1,000 off a £10 bet. For the main event, the 4pm Gold Cup, it was another non-favourite that won, marking a further boost for bookmakers amid groans among the crowds in the course-facing enclosures. Following the final race at 5.20pm, the temperature suddenly dropped as the thousands of racegoers made their way to the exit gates, many heading to pubs and bars in town centre. No doubt, many will return to this edge of the Cotswolds in a little under 12 months' time.
The Independent
13-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
‘£100 a ticket and toilets like a First World War latrine' – Why are racegoers abandoning Cheltenham Festival?
Cheltenham Festival is the showpiece event of the jumping season, and one of the few times a year when horse racing breaks into the consciousness of the public outside hardcore fans. Attendances top 200,000 each year, but since record-breaking numbers descended on Prestbury Park in 2022 for the first post-pandemic edition, the crowds have steadily declined – and this year even more seem set on staying away. Long-term National Hunt fan Jack Hawthorne is swerving this year's Festival, and he's not the only one. 'For years I used to go to Cheltenham, but I'm afraid the course has priced out several of us and it's simply not enjoyable with all the crowds,' he said, repeating a sentiment that several racegoers told The Independent. This week's meeting is seeing smaller crowds for the third consecutive year, with a little under 42,000 turning out for 'Style Wednesday' compared to 65,000 in 2022, and 5,000 down on last year's figure. It's a trend mirrored across the other days of the four-day Festival, and one which chief executive Guy Lavender anticipated in an open letter to fans before this year's spectacle began. His letter described the decline as 'not catastrophic', but insisted, 'we will define success this week and beyond by whether we are delivering unforgettable days out for our customers.' 'A few friends and I find a local pub instead, pay less for our Guinness and can use the loo when we need it!' Hawthorne said. 'It's a real shame, but we just can't justify the cost and it's pointless and largely impossible trying to find some accommodation in the near vicinity which is fairly priced.' The Independent analysed hotel prices in Cheltenham during the week of the festival compared to the following week. No double rooms for Thursday night in Cheltenham itself – ahead of Gold Cup day at the festival on Friday – were available for less than £190 a night on one popular booking website, with the majority going from over £300 and one particular luxury hotel chain offering a double for an eye-watering £729. Staying overnight the following Thursday, 20 March, would set two adults back £127 at the same chain, or as little as £45 elsewhere in town. Pint prices – £7.80 for a Guinness at the racecourse's numerous bars, a 30p increase on last year's bill – and the soaring costs of travel also weighed on the minds, and purses, of the racegoers we spoke to. 'You spend £5 a pint at a pub outside, then you go in and a drink costs you £32 for a round of four,' said Leslie Mullan, who has come for three days from Ayr in Scotland with three friends. The 58-year-old also questioned the pricing strategy for tickets. Like many events, Cheltenham Festival offered an early bird ticket, as low as £37, following the end of last year's festival – but the price increased as tickets sold. Dynamic pricing, as it is known, has hit headlines multiple times in recent years for the exorbitant numbers involved, most notoriously when Oasis tickets went on sale late last year for £200 more than advertised. 'It seems daft raising the ticket prices up to the event when they must see the attendance is down,' said Mr Mullan. 'Surely the price should go down to get more people inside.' Tickets have been frozen since last year, but many advance tickets reach triple figures – and they're even more expensive on the day. At the time of writing, Thursday tickets for the Best Mate enclosure went from £67, with Tattersalls Enclosure tickets going from £84.60 online. A 45-year-old racegoer, who wanted to remain anonymous, painted a bleak picture, saying: '£100 a ticket and the toilets are like a First World War latrine. 'Everything is expensive, the festival becomes a money-maker. It needs to be looked at.' Over the past decade more and more fans have chosen to experience the festival 1,300 miles away in Benidorm instead, with the overall costs lower and just as much – or even more – of a party atmosphere on the Costa Blanca than in Cheltenham. Dave Challoner, from the West Midlands, is another Cheltenham regular, but he echoed concerns over the expense of making the trip, and said that he had noticed a change in the atmosphere this year. 'I used to bring my grandad before he passed away and it was a great opportunity to have a terrific day out with him,' he told The Independent. 'We had some brilliant days together at the Festival so it's always been a place that's very close to my heart. 'I have come with my dad this year and we are lucky we were given a couple of admission tickets this year, otherwise we might have had to sit at home and watch it. 'I know Thursday is the calm before the storm with Gold Cup day on Friday, but it does seem appreciably quieter this year. Four and a half quid for a coffee is a bit rich too, but I guess that's what we've come to expect.' Not everyone felt the festival was worse off, or indeed even noticed the thinner crowds. And this edition appears to have picked up steam as it's gone on: St Patrick's Day attendance this year was 53,366, not far off last year's figure of 53,918. 20-year-old student Fred Wallace paid £100 for tickets for Style Wednesday and St Patrick's Day and booked a two-night stay in a hotel for £400. 'It actually felt busier [than previously],' Wallace said, despite the 5,000 drop in numbers. 'You can't beat the atmosphere here for racing, it's the best in the country. 'I reckon if they cut the price of the Club Enclosure by £25 that would draw more people in and pick up the attendance. It's the cost of living isn't it, it's impacting a lot of people.' But the dip in numbers, while a problem for the organisers to solve and a symptom of how much the cost of living crisis is hitting consumers, isn't all bad. Some people The Independent spoke to said the reduced crowds made for a more enjoyable experience – something which could, counterintuitively, encourage more spectators to return next year. Festival regular Alan Hinton, from Bicester, said: 'Cheltenham is one of the first things to go in the diary each and every year. I have to say it has been a better experience this year because crowds are down a little. 'Getting to and from the course has been a much easier task and I've noticed that the staff in general have been a lot friendlier and welcoming than in past years which is good to see. 'I've also been a little surprised that it's been much easier to get a drink as the queues in the bars are nowhere near the level they were a year or two ago. Mind you, at £7.80 a pint, I doubt I'll be visiting them too regularly!' Cheltenham member David Beard agreed: 'It is noticeably quieter this year, and the days are much more enjoyable because of it.'
Telegraph
13-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Cheltenham Ladies Day attendance lowest in 30 years
Ladies Day attendance fell to its lowest level in 30 years at this year's Cheltenham festival, figures show. A crowd of 41,949 spectators were recorded at the track on the festival's second day, now known as Style Wednesday, amid complaints it has become too expensive for regulars. It was a drop of around 5,000 from the same day last year, and the lowest on record since 1993, when 40,662 racegoers came to watch the Queen Mother Championship Chase. Ladies Day typically draws smaller numbers than other days of the Cheltenham Festival, but the drop was mirrored on Tuesday, when attendance was just 55,498, compared to 60,181 last year. The decline comes amid complaints that the festival's food, drink, travel and accommodation costs have made it too expensive. This year, thousands have instead travelled to Spanish destinations, such as Benidorm and Tenerife, to watch the racing on large TV screens in the sunshine. They claim it is cheaper than going to Prestbury Park in Gloucestershire to see the action. Total attendance for this year's festival is expected to pass 200,000 but will be significantly lower than the record 280,627 who came when crowds were allowed back following the Covid pandemic in 2022. Guy Lavender, Cheltenham's new chief executive, acknowledged that attendance would be down this year, in an open letter published on Saturday. 'The decline is not catastrophic but nor are we seeing growing attendances,' he said. This year saw the introduction of measures to win crowds back, including a freeze on ticket prices and the expansion of areas where attendees can drink alcohol to include much of the standing area in front of the grandstands. Meal deals are sold outside the racetrack to provide affordable food to punters. Spectators can get a sandwich, crisps, chocolate and drink for £10 at two cafes on the site. Racegoers were also offered a 20 per cent discount on a second day at the event if they had already bought a single ticket. The Jockey Club also launched Room to Race, which offers a discounted ticket, accommodation and travel package for the festival. Tickets bought in advance ranged from £37 to £86 for each of the first three days, rising to between £53 and £102 for Cheltenham Gold Cup day on Friday – which has sold out this year. Alcohol prices remain high at the festival with several attendees drawing attention on social media to a pint of Guinness being sold for £7.80 – an increase of 30p from last year. Mr Lavender added in his open letter: 'We will define success this week and beyond by whether we are delivering unforgettable days out for our customers and improving the experience for everyone in attendance and watching on at home.'
The Independent
12-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
The emotional 40 minutes that gave Michael O'Sullivan a fitting Cheltenham farewell
Marine Nationale and Jazzy Matty won back-to-back races on a day of surprises in an emotional tribute to jockey Michael O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan, a 24-year-old jockey who passed away last month after a fall at Thurles racecourse, only won twice at the Cheltenham Festival with both victories coming on day one of the 2023 edition. His horses that day were Marine Nationale and Jazzy Matty who both triumphed inside 40 minutes on Style Wednesday providing the perfect farewell to their previous rider. Cheltenham had already paid tribute to O'Sullivan by renaming yesterday's opening race in his honour yet the successes for his former horses provided more special moments for his family. Marine Nationale's pedigree is well known but he wasn't expected to triumph this afternoon in a Queen Mother Champion Chase field which included heavy favourite Jonbon, Willie Mullins ' Energumene and last year's winner Captain Guinness. Quilixios and Solness also ran having both beaten Marine Nationale in his previous three races and it was those two who proved more stubborn. They traded places at the front of the pack to lead the field for most of the race with Energumene also taking his turn at the top. Marine Nationale sat deeper allowing the leaders to jostle and that tactic paid off when Jonbon made his move. The odds-on favourite drifted to the outside and was stepping towards the front with five fences left to jump before clattering into the obstacle and dropping into last – jockey Nico de Boinville did exceptionally well to remain in the saddle. But it opened the door for Marine Nationale and his jockey Sean Flanagan. Flanagan spurred his charge onwards and closed the gap on the leaders. By the second to last fence, he'd leapt into the lead with Quilixios the only stayer. The lead looked to be slipping away as Quilixios found an extra gear, but the last fence proved decisive as his legs clipped the top and he went down. Marine Nationale cleared it to raucous cheers and Flanagan, wearing the same colours O'Sullivan did when he won here, soaked in the adulation as he crossed the line. After the race an emotioanl Flanagan said: "Hugely emotional for a lot of reasons. His [O'Sullivan's] family find it very hard, jockeys in Ireland, England and around the world have been under a cloud in the last couple of weeks. 'I'm just the man on him [Marine Nationale] today, Michael made him what he is. Every race is a race by race ride. I'm just lucky I can come here. I'm only drafted in late on, the work was already done." O'Sullivan's girlfriend Charlotte was among those in the circle to welcome the victors. In the very next race, Jazzy Matty left it late to surge through the field in the Grand Annual Handicap Chase. Rounding the final turn at full gallop he caught the leader, Unexpected Party, and jumped the last fence with a share of the lead. The two battled up the hill on the final straight with neither giving way but Jazzy Matty had more. Whether it was will, spirit, an encouraging nudge from jockey Danny Gilligan or a twinge of destiny, Jazzy Matty slowly fought his way into the lead and crossed the line first. Gilligan paid tribute to O'Sullivan after the race saying: "I think we all know there is someone very special looking down on this, especially with Marine Nationale earlier and now this. Someone very special is looking down at us today.' Earlier, the first race of the day, the Turners' Novices Hurdle, was won by The New Lion – a candidate for the best horse Dan Skelton has trained. After the race, Skelton said: 'I just trusted him the whole way around, I knew he'd win. It's unchartered territory. We've had superstars, but we've not had one like this.' Winning jockey and Skelton's brother, Harry, added: 'He's got it all. You hope one day in your life, in your career, you can come across a good one, and he's a good one. He's good.' Hot favourite Ballyburn was woefully ineffective in the Brown Advisory Chase and never competed as Lecky Watson, a 20/1 shout, drove to victory thanks to a successful charge in front of the grandstand. Rachael Blackmore 's Ballyadam almost pulled off a shock victory in the Coral Cup only to be beaten up the final straight by Jimmy Du Seuil who was another wild winner at 16/1. Stumptown's triumph in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase was far from an upset with Gavin Cromwell's charge the 5/2 favourite but the manner of his victory was eye-opening while Paul Townend 's sister, Josephine, claimed victory in the Champion Bumper with Bambino Fever. Yet, the day belonged to two horses and one special jockey.
