Cheltenham In Rude Health But In Danger Of Losing Diehard Racing Fans

The Cheltenham Festival is "critical" for the image and health of British racing though in "many ways the racing fan is being priced out" of this week's showpiece, William Woodhams, CEO of Fitzdares bookmakers, told AFP.

The four day extravaganza which pitches the best of British jumps thoroughbreds against their Irish rivals gets underway on Tuesday.

The Irish have dominated in the past few years and are expected to do so again this time with just 4/1 the price for them to saddle 18-19 winners of the 28 races.

Around 55,000 Irish turfistes are expected -- many hoping for revenge for the galling Six Nations defeat to England on Saturday -- with crowds predicted to be over 70,000 per day.

Woodhams, whose London-based firm is the oldest bookmakers in the world, is unequivocal about how pivotal the meeting is to not just his industry but to racing.

"Critical," he said.

"The racing world really wakes up for Cheltenham and we see our biggest turnover (it's our Olympics) on betting which continues for the next four months.

"Many people 'down tools' for January and February but the proverbial belt is untightened in March!!

"In many ways it's a rather pagan experience with the roar of the crowd in the first race on Tuesday signifying the end of the miserable winter and start of life in the United Kingdom and Ireland."

However, Woodhams, drawing on his experience of six years with luxury goods firm LVMH, believes sadly there is a growing imbalance in who makes it to Cheltenham.

"Since Covid the rich appear to have got richer and Cheltenham's boxes and VIP areas are swelling, in many ways the racing fan is being priced out of Cheltenham," he said, citing a pint of Guinness costing racegoers seven pounds fifty pence ($8.50, 8.80 euros).

The urbane Woodhams says Cheltenham has become a victim of its own success but he prays that wiser heads are prevailing in highlighting the jumps season does not just revolve around four days in the picturesque Cotswolds.

"Organising Cheltenham is a jigsaw puzzle and no one can question the quality of the experience and in recent years the incredible racing," he said.

"But it is groaning under the strain of so many people and there is probably a strategy to 'calm it down' a little and hopefully re-engage those 'fair-weather' punters with the National Hunt card all season."

Trainer Jamie Snowden, who has had a cracking season and has high hopes of adding to his two previous Festival winners, agrees with Woodhams - Cheltenham is a shop window to the world for the sport.

"The Cheltenham Festival is a very important week," he told AFP.

"It's a very special week for anyone lucky enough to have a winner there, as it is the Olympics of our sport."

Snowden, though, acknowledges too there are "issues facing British racing, just like the problems facing most other sports, and industries."

"Really we could spend all day talking around these, but in a nutshell the racecourses should be contributing more to the sport," said Snowden.

"There is of course room for optimism, as there are many aspects of the sport that are thriving, and it is the second biggest spectator sport behind football."

Woodhams does see some hope for those battling for air against the behemoth that is Cheltenham.

"One easy solution is to offer another ticket racing with every Cheltenham ticket sold -- who wouldn't want a chance to visit their local track for free," he said.

"Racing always finds a way and perhaps a little wind being taken out of Cheltenham sails will calm down the incessant hype of the Festival that drowns out the day to day racing."

Woodhams also believes the Dublin Racing Festival and the Winter Millions at Windsor and Ascot racecourse in January next year can attract those racegoers who only usually attend Cheltenham.

"Dublin has been a huge hit with UK punters and delivers exceptional racing, prize money, transportation links and value, in many ways the antithesis to expensive hotels in Cheltenham," he said.

Nevertheless Woodhams says his emotions will go unchecked come the first race on Tuesday.

"Often, I cry on the Tuesday," he said.

"That's what a British winter can do to a grown man."