Cheltz Fest 2021 Behind Closed Doors ?

[Istabraq]

Charlie - Trials Day comment was a response to discussions currently taking place between government and football authorities for a Jan return for fans, BHA have jumped the back of this and said racing shouldn’t be excluded from such discussions/considerations.
I don’t disagree with your comments but these are genuine discussions if there’s good news out there about racing and its’ future it has to be welcomed...

[Lobos]

Potentially more great vaccine news today and this time here in Oxford. If successful it'll mean vaccine shots will be plentiful and herd Immunity can become reality. Very positive for everyone.

[charlie]

Charlie - Trials Day comment was a response to discussions currently taking place between government and football authorities for a Jan return for fans, BHA have jumped the back of this and said racing shouldn't be excluded from such discussions/considerations. I don't disagree with your comments but these are genuine discussions if there's good news out there about racing and its future it has to be welcomed...

I welcome anything that's positive for racing Ista, but being realistic is important because these headlines create false hope. Those discussions have been happening back and forth for months and months, and let's be honest, they have gotton absolutely nowhere. They now have winter and xmas Covid to deal with on top of the 'quieter' months where they failed to for fans to return. Simply saying the news looks great, but logistically I don't see how it's possible, or how it would be good for Cheltenham long run ie. fans being at the festival.

[Istabraq]

I welcome anything that's positive for racing Ista, but being realistic is important because these headlines create false hope. Those discussions have been happening back and forth for months and months, and let's be honest, they have gotton absolutely nowhere. They now have winter and xmas Covid to deal with on top of the 'quieter' months where they failed to for fans to return. Simply saying the news looks great, but logistically I don't see how it's possible, or how it would be good for Cheltenham long run ie. fans being at the festival.

I get your thinking ryan, and once again I can’t disagree with your latest points, I do think the government now realise the extent of not only the financial burden of leisure/sports closure but also of the impact these activities can have on peoples wellbeing.
I’ve long argued that racing should be treated as an individual case given it’s entirely outdoors and social distancing couldn’t be easier.
I also caught something on the news last night that Northern Ireland had 1000 fans in the stadium, we could argue all day about division between the nations but if one part can achieve this at a time when cases are rocketing then surely others can follow and I’d argue all day long that racecourses are safer than football stadiums.
This rapid test really should be a gamechanger, for me there’s no reason to stop fans/racegoers from entering arenas if they aren’t carrying the virus even if social distancing measures are retained in all areas...

[charlie]

I get your thinking ryan, and once again I can’t disagree with your latest points, I do think the government now realise the extent of not only the financial burden of leisure/sports closure but also of the impact these activities can have on peoples wellbeing.
I’ve long argued that racing should be treated as an individual case given it’s entirely outdoors and social distancing couldn’t be easier.
I also caught something on the news last night that Northern Ireland had 1000 fans in the stadium, we could argue all day about division between the nations but if one part can achieve this at a time when cases are rocketing then surely others can follow and I’d argue all day long that racecourses are safer than football stadiums.
This rapid test really should be a gamechanger, for me there’s no reason to stop fans/racegoers from entering arenas if they aren’t carrying the virus even if social distancing measures are retained in all areas...

Where did Ryan come from?

We completely agree re racing being treated as an individual case given it could be safely held without use of indoor spaces at all. I am one of the people that thinks its laughable given the vast expanse of open spaces at racecourse that people haven't been able to return.

[Istabraq]

Where did Ryan come from?

We completely agree re racing being treated as an individual case given it could be safely held without use of indoor spaces at all. I am one of the people that thinks its laughable given the vast expanse of open spaces at racecourse that people haven't been able to return.

Apologies charlie, must have been reading another post at the time or onset of dementia has arrived...

[charlie]

Apologies charlie, must have been reading another post at the time or onset of dementia has arrived...

Haha that's ok pal, I've been called worse especially when being a bit punchy! We all want the same thing at the end of the day, have to tell myself that

[Jorvik]

Rumours doing the rounds that crowds are coming back in todays announcement. Wont be much use to most of us for this, but it'd be a very big step in the right direction especially with vaccinations starting to be rolled out in Dec/Jan. Still a long odds on for meaningful crowd numbers at the festival, but there's amsll glimmers of hope at least. This is the rumoured brave new World from Dec 2nd:

Tier 1
4,000 spectators/ 50% capacity for outdoor events, whichever is lower, and 2,000/ 50% capacity for indoor

Tier 2
2,000 spectators/50% capacity outdoors, whichever is lower, and 1,000/ 50% indoors

Tier 3
No spectators

[ryanh97]

Rumours doing the rounds that crowds are coming back in todays announcement. Wont be much use to most of us for this, but it'd be a very big step in the right direction especially with vaccinations starting to be rolled out in Dec/Jan. Still a long odds on for meaningful crowd numbers at the festival, but there's amsll glimmers of hope at least. This is the rumoured brave new World from Dec 2nd:

Tier 1
4,000 spectators/ 50% capacity for outdoor events, whichever is lower, and 2,000/ 50% capacity for indoor

Tier 2
2,000 spectators/50% capacity outdoors, whichever is lower, and 1,000/ 50% indoors

Tier 3
No spectators

That would be a good start. Be interesting to see how they manage people from certain tiers travelling to other areas for sport.

[Istabraq]

Rumours doing the rounds that crowds are coming back in todays announcement. Wont be much use to most of us for this, but it'd be a very big step in the right direction especially with vaccinations starting to be rolled out in Dec/Jan. Still a long odds on for meaningful crowd numbers at the festival, but there's amsll glimmers of hope at least. This is the rumoured brave new World from Dec 2nd:

Tier 1
4,000 spectators/ 50% capacity for outdoor events, whichever is lower, and 2,000/ 50% capacity for indoor

Tier 2
2,000 spectators/50% capacity outdoors, whichever is lower, and 1,000/ 50% indoors

Tier 3
No spectators

That would be outstanding if true Jorvic...

[charlie]

Today is the first day I feel very fractionally more positive re March.

The Pfizer vaccine was and is a complete red herring re spectators in march as they physically cannot store anyway near enough of the vaccine at -70 degrees for this to remotely impact the numbers we need.

The Oxford vaccine on the other hand, can be stored in a normal fridge and they have 100m ordered, so it's far more positive.

As opposed to the woeful mishandling of testing by private companies like Serco, it looks like the Gov are going to empower local authorities/GP's/NHS services to administer the vaccine, which will expedite it's rollout significantly.

These two things coupled with realistic aims to get fans back leave me 90/10 on without vs with spectators for March (vs 99/1), but its inching in the right direction.

Personally, I'd like to see racing grow some bollocks and press the Gov on why 200 people inside at Spoons is less dangerous on December 2nd than 2000 people scattered outside on a racecourse? It makes zero sense that at the moment we are being encouraged by the gov to go outside, exercise, get fresh air. Ok, so what about race courses with vast swathes of open space? Close all indoor areas, bring in outside toilets - but do something. To me it seems like the easiest sport on the world to get some sense of normality back.

[Kevloaf]

That would be outstanding if true Jorvic...

The RP just sent out the push notification with the story, so that's a good sign...

[Istabraq]

The RP just sent out the push notification with the story, so that's a good sign...

Yep, the BBC have a link up too now.
Brilliant news, I feel like I've had a yankee up, will be going on a racecourse beano all December, have missed it so much...

[Kevloaf]

Yep, the BBC have a link up too now.
Brilliant news, I feel like I've had a yankee up, will be going on a racecourse beano all December, have missed it so much...

I am sure you aren't the only one who feels that way.

Genuinely delighted for you, let's hope the good news keeps coming!

[ryanh97]

Yep, the BBC have a link up too now.
Brilliant news, I feel like I've had a yankee up, will be going on a racecourse beano all December, have missed it so much...

I wouldn't plan a beano Ista. It's gonna be members and hospitality first, won't be many tickets left for general public surely?