ED CHAMBERLIN: The big picture that critics of Cheltenham’s overhaul are missing and what I’d do to make the fan experience even better
- The Jockey Club, which runs Cheltenham, has made a series of radical changes
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Cheltenham is like Manchester United in so many ways: a glorious history with so many stories, never far from everyday conversations and always expects to be successful.
But the Cheltenham of recent years began to emulate the United of the Glazer era – living on past glories, complacent and overshadowed by several challengers. The end result was the most recent Festival in March, when the barrage of criticism was relentless.
They had two choices. Block out the noise and continue as stubbornly as United, falling further and further off the pace and rivals claiming their ground. Or be proactive and understand the need to make changes. I was relieved this week when I saw that they chose the latter option. They listened.
We have seen the most dramatic changes to The Festival’s racing program in twenty years and I am pleased that there is now a clear picture for aspiring chasers. If you want to be a champion, run the Arkle over two miles or the Browns Advisory over three miles.
Removing the Grade One status from the Turners Novices Chase will make it easier to explain to a television audience, liven up the ante-post betting markets and make racing more competitive. I know people are already complaining, but they need to look out of the bubble.
The Cheltenham Festival will undergo its most revolutionary changes in twenty years to improve the quality of the event and, crucially, improve the experience for racegoers from next year
Grade One status has been taken away from the Turners Novices Chase in a major change
The change could help liven up the ante-post betting markets and make racing more competitive
A bigger picture needs to be seen here. Although changes have been made to six races, the vast majority of people going through the gate will not be concerned if a mare receives a weight penalty in an obstacle race or that professionals can now ride in the former National Hunt National.
They go to Cheltenham because it is beautiful and the people are extremely passionate about it. The course leaders know this and are aware of the need to care for those who make the Festival one of the highlights of the year.
What caught my attention this week when the changes were announced was the story about tickets going up to as much as £175 at Lord’s next summer. My colleague, the esteemed David Lloyd, called that decision ‘elitist nonsense’ in these pages and he is right when he says that such prices cannot be justified.
Cheltenham has taken a different stance and frozen ticket costs, even offering discounts to those wanting to attend over multiple days.
They offer meal deals – I’d love to see a voucher with a QR code on a race card offering £1 off a hot or cold non-alcoholic drink (imagine the goodwill that would generate) – improving on the existing facilities and thinking about the future.
The higher price of a pint of Guinness – £7.80 – has sparked debate, but Cheltenham is not an outlier here. A friend of mine went to Lord’s for a day this summer and tells me he paid £24.80 for two pints of lager, a chicken wrap and a packet of crisps. This is unfortunately the state of the market.
If Cheltenham had only looked at the results, experiences like March might have become the norm. I think back now and all the excitement you associate with it – the opening roar of the race, the cheering when a big favorite delivers a challenge – was missing.
Instructors know that they have to care for the people who make the festival what it is
The majority of people passing through the gate will not be concerned that the National Hunt Chase, previously an event purely for amateur riders, has been opened up to professional jockeys.
Ticket prices have been frozen with discounts for those wishing to attend for multiple days
Cheltenham and The Jockey Club have set their sights on welcoming racegoers
We endured terrible weather, the parking situation was pathetic and I’ve never had four days in Cheltenham where complaints seemed to start every conversation. I would have been completely demoralized if no action had been taken.
Cheltenham still has many challenges ahead and I cannot write without highlighting the impact that Great Western Railways and greedy hotel chains have on racegoers before they have even seen a horse. The extortionate prices they charge have nothing to do with the course.
But The Jockey Club, Cheltenham’s owners, must keep listening. I want racegoers to arrive at the track and be welcomed with open arms. It should be that spectators feel like welcome guests, rather than just the privilege of being allowed through the gates.
What encourages me most, however, is that Cheltenham have their eye on the ball. Manchester United lost focus and who knows when the ship will turn under INEOS? Cheltenham and The Jockey Club have taken the decisive first step. Let it pay off.