General Chat

[That Horse]

Has anyone travelled from Australia to UK (going to festival, all 4 days!!) with an australian mobile and been able to access both the australian gambling sites and the uk ones , what do i need a vpn, ? i used to use a free one over there called WANG VPN but they now have removed UK from an area to access ... any help . suggestions welcome especially free ones like WANG or how i can achieve having some bets in the uk on my ozzie phone using both the uk betting sites and the australian ones

Sorry to hear that your WANG is not working....:biggrin-new:

I'm sure there are a lot of other free vpns available via whatever app store is loaded onto your phone. It's probably best you download and test a few of them out before you travel in order to confirm which bookmakers allow access to their site whilst on a vpn as some won't as far as I am aware

 

[somer1]

Has anyone travelled from Australia to UK (going to festival, all 4 days!!) with an australian mobile and been able to access both the australian gambling sites and the uk ones , what do i need a vpn, ? i used to use a free one over there called WANG VPN but they now have removed UK from an area to access ... any help . suggestions welcome especially free ones like WANG or how i can achieve having some bets in the uk on my ozzie phone using both the uk betting sites and the australian ones

Buy a pay as you go sim card over here and put it in your phone,loads of places can unlock your phone here. Simples!

 

[Hurricane fly]

8pta e/w on the Naiad at 14/1 as someone who is restricted to a max £50 win on hills

g'wan the forum

 

[Smiley]

Hi, not been on in a while! Is there a page for preview nights! I don’t tend to back much having watched, but I could listen to people chat about horse racing most nights haha! Sorry if I’ve missed it

 

[Deleted member 4957]

Hi, not been on in a while! Is there a page for preview nights! I don’t tend to back much having watched, but I could listen to people chat about horse racing most nights haha! Sorry if I’ve missed it

2024 preview evenings - Fat Jockey | Horse Racing Forum | Cheltenham Festival | Grand National | Royal Ascot​

 

[Quevega]

Absolutely brilliant news that the Festival is struggling with ticket sales this year. After the numbers being down last year.

Could see it coming just from the small sample of people on here.
You can only rinse people for so long with a product that is losing it's competitive edge.

I'd be worried if the powers that be think it's just a blip (again), and don't act.
Like the twat in charge who excused last years numbers and was 100% confident crowds would return this year - and then increased prices again.

Bell end.

 

[Atlantic Viking]

Absolutely brilliant news that the Festival is struggling with ticket sales this year. After the numbers being down last year.

Could see it coming just from the small sample of people on here.
You can only rinse people for so long with a product that is losing it's competitive edge.

I'd be worried if the powers that be think it's just a blip (again), and don't act.
Like the twat in charge who excused last years numbers and was 100% confident crowds would return this year - and then increased prices again.

Bell end.

UK attendance at DRF up again this year too (minus horses..). No coincidence.
Think that Wednesday where it pissed it down finally did it for me at Cheltenham, just realised it wasn't fun anymore, whole day feels too much like a military operation in order to try and enjoy it.
Pint prices (cheaper, better and can take out into the stands at Leopardstown), ticket prices (not much in the grand scheme, but I think they put the early bird club price up 8 or 9 quid after that week I mentioned which just felt like a pisstake too far). Sure i'll be back again one day but the ticket prices are at a level now where it becomes a matter of principle. Had much more fun at the November meet and actually saw a good amount of the course!

 

[somer1]

UK attendance at DRF up again this year too (minus horses..). No coincidence.
Think that Wednesday where it pissed it down finally did it for me at Cheltenham, just realised it wasn't fun anymore, whole day feels too much like a military operation in order to try and enjoy it.
Pint prices (cheaper, better and can take out into the stands at Leopardstown), ticket prices (not much in the grand scheme, but I think they put the early bird club price up 8 or 9 quid after that week I mentioned which just felt like a pisstake too far). Sure i'll be back again one day but the ticket prices are at a level now where it becomes a matter of principle. Had much more fun at the November meet and actually saw a good amount of the course!

Thats half the reason we are doing the fest in the sun this year and now 20 days till we fly :excitement:

 

[Deleted member 4957]

You can only rinse people for so long with a product that is losing it's competitive edge.
.

I've often wondered if anyone in here does things like Glastonbury, or gigs at 02/Wembley, Test Match/ODI/T20 cricket, Silverstone etc
How do Cheltenham prices compare ?

 

[robith]

Absolutely brilliant news that the Festival is struggling with ticket sales this year. After the numbers being down last year.

Could see it coming just from the small sample of people on here.
You can only rinse people for so long with a product that is losing it's competitive edge.

I'd be worried if the powers that be think it's just a blip (again), and don't act.
Like the twat in charge who excused last years numbers and was 100% confident crowds would return this year - and then increased prices again.

Bell end.

My work crew I've introduced are only coming again cos we got free tickets through a media owner. if we had to pay they were all a big no

 

[TigerRolllllll]

I've often wondered if anyone in here does things like Glastonbury, or gigs at 02/Wembley, Test Match/ODI/T20 cricket, Silverstone etc
How do Cheltenham prices compare ?

I go to Lords a lot & B-in-law does Silverstone

Chelt similar ….they have all gone up fair bit

 

[Deleted member 4957]

I go to Lords a lot & B-in-law does Silverstone

Chelt similar ….they have all gone up fair bit

I met up with a few old cricket mates the other week, Leicester Square was stupidly agreed for the meet and I was paying £8.20 a pint.
I just wonder how much of a rip off Cheltenham actually is...

 

[robith]

I've often wondered if anyone in here does things like Glastonbury, or gigs at 02/Wembley, Test Match/ODI/T20 cricket, Silverstone etc
How do Cheltenham prices compare ?

I go to a lot of gigs and other events.

You can't compare Glastonbury to anything because whilst capital cost expensive, it's the best, most varied value for money in the country . You basically get four days of 24 hour near enough non stop entertainment.

Cricket tests - I think it's good value vs London tests which are outrageous (I paid almost £200 for the Oval last summer) but poor vs non London (paid £75 for Headingley Ashes, £65 for Windies at Trent Bridge this summer). The facilities at test grounds are far better than Cheltenham though and you can bring a picnic.

Gigs have all gotten mad expensive as live music is how artists make money now. I tend to go abroad for Primavera. I go to the Porto one, if you buy your ticket when you get home it's like 150 euro and the line up is always great

 

[nortonscoin200]

I've often wondered if anyone in here does things like Glastonbury, or gigs at 02/Wembley, Test Match/ODI/T20 cricket, Silverstone etc
How do Cheltenham prices compare ?

(All 2024 prices)

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL (4 day club) approx £440
THE OPEN at Royal Troon 4-day admission £410
GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL Thurs-Sun £355
WIMBLEDON mens final £275
TAYLOR SWIFT at Wembley £194 seated or £110 standing

If we're looking for value, looks like we should all be going to Glasto next year - even though Cheltenham certainly has better loos.

Seriously recommend at least one trip to Glasto for anyone who's never experienced it - rain or shine it's an absolute blast.

But the bottom line is these big sporting/music events will continue to squeeze every last drop of revenue from their customers provided demand exceeds supply.

Looks like Cheltenham has reached a tipping point in terms of customer resistance to prices - but the suits are unable (or choose not) to see it.

 

[Quevega]

I've often wondered if anyone in here does things like Glastonbury, or gigs at 02/Wembley, Test Match/ODI/T20 cricket, Silverstone etc
How do Cheltenham prices compare ?

Not sure that matters.
The fact is that the attendances are dwindling and quickly.
So something is not right.

 

[Quevega]

I met up with a few old cricket mates the other week, Leicester Square was stupidly agreed for the meet and I was paying £8.20 a pint.
I just wonder how much of a rip off Cheltenham actually is...

It's more than just ticket prices it's everything surrounding it.
By far the most rinse worthy cost is the Hotel's, and this has got steadily worse over the last 15 years.
The product is clearly over priced and/or not attractive enough to gather the same level of foot fall as they once did.

I think most would pay the prices and suffer the discomfort of Queue's etc if the product was improved.
Or if that's not possible or they don't want to do it, then reduce profit margins to provide a better more value experience vs the product on offer.

They'll do fuck all though except move the 4 day meet to Wednesday - Saturday.:highly_amused:

 

[TigerRolllllll]

Quevaga makes a good point about not just ticket prices.....roughly 2/3 of spectators come from Ireland or other parts UK (mostly London area i guess)....and accommodation and travel costs huge

We also have a lot of pressure on incomes, so people are having to make decisions at the moment

Many of the events above sell out much easier than Chelt, so greater excess demand (Lords as example can sell any test out just members if it wanted without even going on general sale, Oval benefits from huge number diff people living in London, so any away team has local support, etc).....but other test matches around country often dont sell out

Personally, i dont think it helps with the likes of Blake and other commentators constantly talking down the sport......always , always negative

I suspect were the economy to improve and interest rates fall, etc, we might see things improve again.....thats not saying there aren't things Chelt can do to improve things....as i do think when Gillespie left, the next guy has lost the customer focus he had

 

[Rooster Booster]

Not sure that matters.
The fact is that the attendances are dwindling and quickly.
So something is not right.

Yes too few good horses and not enough competition. The product is simply getting less and less compelling. A bit like there’s only one thing worse than being talked about….theres only one thing worse than people being prepared to pay inflated prices. Be careful what you wish for.

People are less sensitive to normal supply/demand relationships when their hobby/passion is well served but as soon as the product becomes less compelling things spiral very quickly and price/value is not a variable that can fix things.

If something gets cheaper to encourage an increase in demand and reduced demand is triggered partially by product decline then reducing price / increasing value won’t help that much.

the more the Irish dominate and particularly Willie the less compelling Cheltenham becomes when you have the DRF just weeks before. If we want Cheltenham to thrive the only solution is for there to be more good horses and proportionally more of them to be trained in Britain. If the trend continues along its current trajectory then the DRF will simply replace Cheltenham. Things change and things evolve and it’s not difficult to predict the future when the clues are staring us in the face.

All of this is relative. Cheltenham is still compelling as it stands , just a little less than it was. If the current trends continue it will become less and less relevant a few degrees at a time. More and more people willl choose DRF over Cheltenham and the dynamic will gradually shift. The only thing to arrest this imo is to have enough good horses that don’t go to the DRF to challenge those that do.

​​​​​​​ The less a main event can distinguish itself from its preceding trial events (regardless of the sport) the less relevant it becomes.

 

[Kevloaf]

Yes too few good horses and not enough competition. The product is simply getting less and less compelling. A bit like there’s only one thing worse than being talked about….theres only one thing worse than people being prepared to pay inflated prices. Be careful what you wish for.

People are less sensitive to normal supply/demand relationships when their hobby/passion is well served but as soon as the product becomes less compelling things spiral very quickly and price/value is not a variable that can fix things.

If something gets cheaper to encourage an increase in demand and reduced demand is triggered partially by product decline then reducing price / increasing value won’t help that much.

the more the Irish dominate and particularly Willie the less compelling Cheltenham becomes when you have the DRF just weeks before. If we want Cheltenham to thrive the only solution is for there to be more good horses and proportionally more of them to be trained in Britain. If the trend continues along its current trajectory then the DRF will simply replace Cheltenham. Things change and things evolve and it’s not difficult to predict the future when the clues are staring us in the face.

All of this is relative. Cheltenham is still compelling as it stands , just a little less than it was. If the current trends continue it will become less and less relevant a few degrees at a time. More and more people willl choose DRF over Cheltenham and the dynamic will gradually shift. The only thing to arrest this imo is to have enough good horses that don’t go to the DRF to challenge those that do.

​​​​​​​ The less a main event can distinguish itself from its preceding trial events (regardless of the sport) the less relevant it becomes.

Just to add to this, over the weekend it was 50 euro for the weekend tickets for the DRF (early bird tickets) ....

Even without knowing I can go, getting flights or accomodation, that is just a bargain.

I don't usually end up having to pay for accomodation as a group of lads I went to school with go and I crash with them :applouse:
I rememebr paying more last year for the seated viewing and that was worth the extra IMO - but I can see me not going in the future... as the product is getting weaker.

No need to go on about the diluting of the races as it upsets people but watching from home or with friends (or going away for it) will definitely come in to consideration for me, especially if I end up enjoying the DRF next year!


I know that's just my opinion but what you'd said resonated!

 

[Rooster Booster]

Just to add to this, over the weekend it was 50 euro for the weekend tickets for the DRF (early bird tickets) ....

Even without knowing I can go, getting flights or accomodation, that is just a bargain.

I don't usually end up having to pay for accomodation as a group of lads I went to school with go and I crash with them :applouse:
I rememebr paying more last year for the seated viewing and that was worth the extra IMO - but I can see me not going in the future... as the product is getting weaker.

No need to go on about the diluting of the races as it upsets people but watching from home or with friends (or going away for it) will definitely come in to consideration for me, especially if I end up enjoying the DRF next year!


I know that's just my opinion but what you'd said resonated!

Absolutely. Do not downplay your opinion as it is hugely significant. You represent the population that is more likely to stay loyal and if you are starting to waiver then those less loyal won’t think twice. It’s a hugely significant data point and people that have control over our sport need to fucking wake up.

Apologies…I’ll step down from my soap box now but i do think if you cherry picked the folks on here and asked them to run racing they’d do a far better job of it.