2016 4 miler

[Istabraq]

I don't get that FM, dry and sunny with daytime temperatures in the teens that ground will be drying out quickly.
If he doesn't apply any water I reckon Gold Cup day will be good all round and ride even quicker....

 

[Faugheen_Machine]

He referenced a previous year (possibly 2008) when they had a similar amount of rain on the lead up to the festival and he said the temperatures where higher in the days leading up to the Tuesday but the ground was soft. The impression I got was that the ground would be on the soft side of good, at best, for Tuesday.

 

[Istabraq]

I'm pleased there's no artificial watering.
I remember walking the course a couple of years ago and where they'd watered you had wet/soft patches and completely dry patches, they can never get a consistent spread across a track 75 yards wide and a mile and a half long, impossible, it really is hit and miss whether you land on a soft patche or good patches, at least this year the Gods have decided and if it does get quick so be it.
If he doesn't water for Tuesday he may add a few mills early next week to the new course (for Thur/Fri)

 

[Lessey]

It would be great to have a festival where they don't have to water, but with the public spotlight and the potential for negative press I honestly don't think we'll ever see ground quicker than good, good to soft in places anymore

 

[Istabraq]

It would be great to have a festival where they don't have to water, but with the public spotlight and the potential for negative press I honestly don't think we'll ever see ground quicker than good, good to soft in places anymore

Yeah, but trust me having walked that course half a dozen times over the years they may call it good to soft but it could easily be 'good' or 'soft'.
The year Vatour won the Supreme that ground was quick, there were no good to soft or soft places, just quick ground everywhere...

 

[Faugheen_Machine]

Yeah, but trust me having walked that course half a dozen times over the years they may call it good to soft but it could easily be 'good' or 'soft'.
The year Vatour won the Supreme that ground was quick, there were no good to soft or soft places, just quick ground everywhere...

I remember Ruby complaining afterwards that the ground was too quick - I'm sure horses were returning home 'jarred up' because of running on the firm ground

 

[Istabraq]

I remember Ruby complaining afterwards that the ground was too quick - I'm sure horses were returning home 'jarred up' because of running on the firm ground

Remember it FM, I guarantee you it was quick.
I'll be walking the course again this year around 10am, if I have a strong view I'll post it in here somewhere

 

[Faugheen_Machine]

how do you get on the course that early? I thought gates didn't open until 10:30

 

[Istabraq]

I thought it was 10am, I'd best check.

Years ago they used to open the course up between 7am and 8am so anyone could walk round, they stopped that because people would walk the course and then hide for a few hours so would watch racing without paying !
Now you can only walk the course by invite but because they allow you to walk to the centre of the course early in the day stewards are less awake and you can often sneak up to an obstacle then do a lap

 

[Faugheen_Machine]

I thought it was 10am, I'd best check.

Years ago they used to open the course up between 7am and 8am so anyone could walk round, they stopped that because people would walk the course and then hide for a few hours so would watch racing without paying !
Now you can only walk the course by invite but because they allow you to walk to the centre of the course early in the day stewards are less awake and you can often sneak up to an obstacle then do a lap

Sounds great - I'm fairly sure it's 10:30 because I remember queuing to yet in a few years back.

We are going with a couple of lads that have never been before so I'll suggest to them we get there early for a look around - it's a great place to be early on the Tuesday, with everyone's dreams still alive!

 

[Lessey]

Ista would you mind posting up your thoughts on here after you've walked it anyway…just I think that would actually be really useful?

 

[Istabraq]

Can't see anything obvious on the Cheltenham website but there's plenty of reference to 10.30am gates opening so you appear to be right FM, my 9.30am cab from Stow will leave me scratching my back side outside the gates for a while then !

Seriously, cross the course as soon as you get there, stop to take a look at the turf, if you're in a large group split up into pairs, then drift away from each other, there are plenty of jockeys, owners, trainers etc all out on the course at that time so you should be able to blend in and then sneak a circuit in.
An experience well worth doing.....

 

[Istabraq]

Ista would you mind posting up your thoughts on here after you've walked it anyway…just I think that would actually be really useful?

Yep will do.
If I haven't drunk my body weight in red wine by lunch time I'll post what B Geraghty said, that'll be about an hour before racing

 

[Faugheen_Machine]

Can't see anything obvious on the Cheltenham website but there's plenty of reference to 10.30am gates opening so you appear to be right FM, my 9.30am cab from Stow will leave me scratching my back side outside the gates for a while then !

Seriously, cross the course as soon as you get there, stop to take a look at the turf, if you're in a large group split up into pairs, then drift away from each other, there are plenty of jockeys, owners, trainers etc all out on the course at that time so you should be able to blend in and then sneak a circuit in.
An experience well worth doing.....

There'll be a couple of pubs within walking distance - although it's an early start!