Cheltz Fest 2021 Behind Closed Doors ?

[MTR]

RIP Cheltenham 2021.

[Saxon Warrior]

My 30 year unbroken run of watching the Dewhurst Stakes every October at Newmarket will be broken in 2 weeks time.

I'm hoping that the Cheltenham Festival gets clearance by next March, but at this point there is no point even thinking about what will happen month-by-month for 6 months to racing.

I'm just hoping racing can continue behind closed doors, through the winter and that covid doesn't damage even that - which isn't guaranteed.

[Geordieboy83]

I have seen people on social media saying move the dates of fest, Can’t see them moving the dates, will either go ahead or it won’t. Thing for me would be it going ahead, but the Irish don’t travel across. That would just make for a poor fest and not Cheltenham as we know it. If that does happen which I hope it doesn’t, I can see it being the beginning of the end as Irish will just make the Dublin racing festival their Cheltenham in future.

[Lobos]

I have seen people on social media saying move the dates of fest, Can’t see them moving the dates, will either go ahead or it won’t. Thing for me would be it going ahead, but the Irish don’t travel across. That would just make for a poor fest and not Cheltenham as we know it. If that does happen which I hope it doesn’t, I can see it being the beginning of the end as Irish will just make the Dublin racing festival their Cheltenham in future.

Think the horses will still travel but possibly not spectators from Ireland. Are there lots of Irish Cheltenham Members ??

[Istabraq]

Can’t agree there Geordieboy, Cheltenham has always been and will always be the pinnacle of the NH season, the introduction of Dublin is timed so that their best horses get top class preps and have sufficient recovery time before March.
Dublin has not had a negative impact on Punchestown or Fairyhouse, there’s room for them all.
Irish trainers will always target Cheltenham races, it’s as if it’s in the blood...

[Quevega]

It's hardly an industry full of groundbreakers, tradition breakers or forward thinkers is it ?
I think we're safe for now.

[charlie]

Impossible to predict where we will be in 6-months time, but for the sake of my sanity I'm making peace with Cheltenham being behind closed doors.

My main hope is that racing continues uninterrupted throughout the winter so as we head into the spring we will all be confident Cheltenham takes place, which is the main thing.

Re the Irish it's again impossible to say now whether they will or won't be allowed to travel over, but I suspect if Covid is still prevalent they may make the horses and their handlers travel over 2 weeks in advance so people can go into quarantine etc.

[Saxon Warrior]

I have had a rapid response to my email late last night about updated rules for refunds for Cheltenham members.

if anyone wants me to forward the actual email from Cheltenham Racecourse, then send me a Notification on FJ with your email address.

The reply from Cheltenham Racecourse confirmed members refunds if the season were lost, and day by day refunds if certain meetings were lost, including £60 per day for each of the first three Festival days, and £70 for Gold Cup Day.

The text of the email is:-

"Thank you for your email regarding refund policy for the forthcoming season

I can confirm that if we were to lose the whole season then a refund of £430 less £25 admin fee would be given to Full Members including The Festival

There is a refund structure in place for all meetings to the end of the season with the refunds being heavily weighted to The Festival where the refunds are £60 per day for the first three days and £70 for Friday. The refunds for the rest of the season are pro-rata and in total will add up to £430

I will request that the FAQ’s are updated – these were current at the time when we were issuing the renewal documentation but as things are moving so quickly they obviously now need to be revised."

[Saxon Warrior]

A further email has come through to me (this afternoon) as an Annual Member at Cheltenham, wording in full below.

“Preparations for the dispatch of members’ badges have continued in recent weeks and the first batch was posted yesterday; we anticipate that your pack, which includes your badge for the upcoming season, will arrive with you over the coming weeks.

In the light of the Prime Minister’s announcements yesterday, my accompanying letter now appears unduly optimistic with regard to the likely attendance of Annual Members at Cheltenham in the near future and it would appear that there is a significant chance that your Annual Members’ badge has little value other than a souvenir of the season that never happened.

When you applied for this season’s membership, we detailed the rebates applicable if members could not visit the racecourse in the early part of the season. These rebates are weighted towards The Festival and when calculated for the full season, offer a full refund of your Annual Membership costs, less a £25 fee to cover administration, postage and production costs. In the event that the entire season is lost, we will look at options such as retaining this season’s badges for the 2021/22 season to try to reduce the aforementioned fee.

Please rest assured that, despite the gloomy prognostications that we heard yesterday, we will be working closely with the Government and doing everything in our power to facilitate the return of Annual Members to the racecourse as soon as is possible. We very much hope to be able to welcome you back to Cheltenham at some stage during this forthcoming season. As has been mentioned before, in the event that we have the ability to open the racecourse up beyond participants and racehorse owners, Annual Members will be prioritised.

I trust that you are keeping well in these difficult times and that you look forward to returning Cheltenham Racecourse to some semblance of normality as soon as is possible.

Kind regards,

Ian Renton
Regional Director, Cheltenham Racecourse“

[ryanh97]

A further email has come through to me (this afternoon) as an Annual Member at Cheltenham, wording in full below.

“Preparations for the dispatch of members’ badges have continued in recent weeks and the first batch was posted yesterday; we anticipate that your pack, which includes your badge for the upcoming season, will arrive with you over the coming weeks.

In the light of the Prime Minister’s announcements yesterday, my accompanying letter now appears unduly optimistic with regard to the likely attendance of Annual Members at Cheltenham in the near future and it would appear that there is a significant chance that your Annual Members’ badge has little value other than a souvenir of the season that never happened.

When you applied for this season’s membership, we detailed the rebates applicable if members could not visit the racecourse in the early part of the season. These rebates are weighted towards The Festival and when calculated for the full season, offer a full refund of your Annual Membership costs, less a £25 fee to cover administration, postage and production costs. In the event that the entire season is lost, we will look at options such as retaining this season’s badges for the 2021/22 season to try to reduce the aforementioned fee.

Please rest assured that, despite the gloomy prognostications that we heard yesterday, we will be working closely with the Government and doing everything in our power to facilitate the return of Annual Members to the racecourse as soon as is possible. We very much hope to be able to welcome you back to Cheltenham at some stage during this forthcoming season. As has been mentioned before, in the event that we have the ability to open the racecourse up beyond participants and racehorse owners, Annual Members will be prioritised.

I trust that you are keeping well in these difficult times and that you look forward to returning Cheltenham Racecourse to some semblance of normality as soon as is possible.

Kind regards,

Ian Renton
Regional Director, Cheltenham Racecourse“

Received this as well Saxon, very gloomy indeed

[Quevega]

Prognostications.


love that.

[Platty]

I must say that as an annual member I could not ask for any more from Cheltenham than the e-mail above which I also received today. I have no doubts that the festival will go ahead with or without spectators and if the latter & I am offered a replacement membership for the following season even with a small fee then I for one would find that perfectly acceptable. Anyway I haven't given up hope yet & am still planning my 43rd festival visit next March.

[Lobos]

Received this as well Saxon, very gloomy indeed

How pessimistic is that 'souvenir' comment! Twats! Didn't need to say that at all imo.

[SharpHat]

Prognostications.


love that.

why does a racecourse, a fixed location, need a regional director. stupid title.

[Istabraq]

why does a racecourse, a fixed location, need a regional director. stupid title.

They are Jockey Club employees and their duties will include other ‘West’ courses owned by JC such as Wincanton, Newton Abbott amongst others...