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With every one hopefully vaccinated by mid Feb that needs to be, there will then be no justification whatsoever for keeping anything shut. In theory very few will then die if they catch it which is basically the position we are currently in with the common flu. Finally there is light at the end of this long tunnel. Clearly the vaccine program needs to go as planned but by having this Lockdown they will have every chance. With the festival being mid March time is on Cheltenhams side. I think the odds of limited spectators being at the Fez has suddenly got that much better. Everything crossed.
They've only got so many little bottles though !
They've no chance of vaccinating even half the target.
They're full of shit.
With every one hopefully vaccinated by mid Feb that needs to be, there will then be no justification whatsoever for keeping anything shut. In theory very few will then die if they catch it which is basically the position we are currently in with the common flu. Finally there is light at the end of this long tunnel. Clearly the vaccine program needs to go as planned but by having this Lockdown they will have every chance. With the festival being mid March time is on Cheltenhams side. I think the odds of limited spectators being at the Fez has suddenly got that much better. Everything crossed.
This is incredibly optimistic and misplaced with due respect. The plural of anecdote isn't evidence but pals who are doctors have said that the age profile of people needing hospitalisation is getting younger and younger. The govt has already bodged the vaccine roll out changing the delivery programme. My dad is currently doing chemo and he won't get a vaccine by Feb. Covid also has long term consequences that are nothing like influenza. Further, despite billions we still don't have a functioning test trace isolate scheme - zero covid is the real way out.
I admire your confidence Lobos but there is zero chance of spectactors. Id highly doubt the pubs will even be open
With every one hopefully vaccinated by mid Feb that needs to be, there will then be no justification whatsoever for keeping anything shut. In theory very few will then die if they catch it which is basically the position we are currently in with the common flu. Finally there is light at the end of this long tunnel. Clearly the vaccine program needs to go as planned but by having this Lockdown they will have every chance. With the festival being mid March time is on Cheltenhams side. I think the odds of limited spectators being at the Fez has suddenly got that much better. Everything crossed.
Phase 1 consists of levels 1-9 with 1 being residents in care homes (most vulnerable) and 9 being the over 50s. I was pleasantly surprised to have it confirmed this evening that I am in level 4 so should be part of the 1-4 levels that receives a first shot of vaccine by mid-Feb. I flag this to say that I think the government will want to get down to levels 5-9 before things really start opening up although it also depends on rate of infections.
With every one hopefully vaccinated by mid Feb that needs to be, there will then be no justification whatsoever for keeping anything shut. In theory very few will then die if they catch it which is basically the position we are currently in with the common flu. Finally there is light at the end of this long tunnel. Clearly the vaccine program needs to go as planned but by having this Lockdown they will have every chance. With the festival being mid March time is on Cheltenhams side. I think the odds of limited spectators being at the Fez has suddenly got that much better. Everything crossed.
Jesus Christ Lobos, I want what you're smoking. Anyone interpreting that news as better for spectators being at Cheltenham is delusional.
I wrote off being able to attend months ago, nothing at all pointed to anything other than a tiny amount of people on course at most, so today's news isn't really news on that front, more a confirmation.
All i've held hope out for was the thing going ahead at all, which I suspect it probably will. There was no mention of elite sport being halted and it isn't the case in Scotland for which we already have a bit more detail.
From a betting perspective, at least all things remain consistent. There's no real knowing the true affect a large crowd has on individual horses, but it surely must have some positive/negative impact on plenty?! They've been running all season with none or very few and they'll go to the festival with none or very few. A small and somewhat trivial positive but one nontheless, in my opinion.
Mr Jorvik’s point seems to be the only one of any sense so far and is well made - WE ALL want to attend Cheltenham because those of us that attend every year absolutely love it. It’s our sporting highlight of the year. But surely we’ve all known for many, many weeks that we were not going be able to attend this year. Surely, surely we knew this?
All I wanted to learn this evening, and I’d like to hopefully believe most of us were, “Is elite sport still going to go ahead?”.
Surely, surely that’s all we really hoped to learn for as a confirmation from our government??
Thankfully, the question has been answered in the affirmative and that would lead us to believe Irish horses travelling to England in 10 weeks time looks very increasingly likely,
Thankyou Mr Jorvik - it’s the only logical thing we were all looking out for.
Phase 1 consists of levels 1-9 with 1 being residents in care homes (most vulnerable) and 9 being the over 50s. I was pleasantly surprised to have it confirmed this evening that I am in level 4 so should be part of the 1-4 levels that receives a first shot of vaccine by mid-Feb. I flag this to say that I think the government will want to get down to levels 5-9 before things really start opening up although it also depends on rate of infections.
Does anyone give a chance to pubs being open?
I can't see the pubs being open with how things are going but i would love to be proved wrong, would prefer not to be watching in the house !
Mr Jorvik’s point seems to be the only one of any sense so far and is well made - WE ALL want to attend Cheltenham because those of us that attend every year absolutely love it. It’s our sporting highlight of the year. But surely we’ve all known for many, many weeks that we were not going be able to attend this year. Surely, surely we knew this?
All I wanted to learn this evening, and I’d like to hopefully believe most of us were, “Is elite sport still going to go ahead?”.
Surely, surely that’s all we really hoped to learn for as a confirmation from our government??
Thankfully, the question has been answered in the affirmative and that would lead us to believe Irish horses travelling to England in 10 weeks time looks very increasingly likely,
Thankyou Mr Jorvik - it’s the only logical thing we were all looking out for.
You are late to the party on this one EA. Jorvik's post is a good one, but these are things others have been saying for months and months on this thread.
It’s really disappointing but this virus strain spreads so quickly. Me and my wife have it at the moment and we know how we caught it and weren’t in the persons company for long and have since spread it to our neighbours and work colleagues not knowing we had as we were not displaying any symptoms for a number of days and when we did feel ill we had already spread it. It’s a nightmare to contain and I can now see why we need to stay in and keep our distance. We still both feel rough and we’re both very fit & relatively healthy for our age so you can see how it will hammer the old & weak. There’s no chance they’ll allow crowds at this years festival after the fall out of allowing huge crowds at last year when the country should have been in lockdown.
We will return to normality soon though but I think most of this year as a live spectator will have to written off again as the virus is still running riot.
Fear not though Ryan and co. The wonders of modern technology mean we can bubble up on zoom/teams during the week to enjoy the festival in the company of members on here. We can sort it out and make it an enjoyable experience
Stay positive mate, it will get better
Last edited by The King Pimm; 4 January 2021, 11:12 PM.
You are late to the party on this one EA. Jorvik's post is a good one, but these are things others have been saying for months and months on this thread.
Late to the party?
Boris only confirmed elite sport to be unaffected (and therefore real hope Irish horses will be travelling over to the festival) at 8pm this evening!!
And that was my only point. We ain’t bothered if we can’t attend - we’ve accepted that. We just needed to learn that sport will continue, as this wasn’t certain to be the case. Affirmation of this happened this evening. Ante Post bets still in check, for now.
Boris only confirmed elite sport to be unaffected (and therefore real hope Irish horses will be travelling over to the festival) at 8pm this evening!!
And that was my only point. We ain’t bothered if we can’t attend - we’ve accepted that. We just needed to learn that sport will continue, as this wasn’t certain to be the case. Affirmation of this happened this evening. Ante Post bets still in check, for now.
Yep. Many of us on this thread have been saying (like Jorvik's post) for months now that we wont be able to attend it 2021, so in response to the first line of your post we surely surely surely knew, and the news at 8pm last night simply confirmed it.
The great news is racing goes ahead. Last night may have been the nail in the coffin for spectators, but it was the green light Cheltenham will definitely be going ahead, all we need now is some news from HRI re plans on Irish horses travelling over and we are all set.
At the last two Festivals, horses trained in Ireland have accounted for 38% of all runners, a total of 180 horses in 2020 and 187 in 2019. Post-Brexit travel issues for horses or Covid-related restrictions on the staff who look after them (or possibly both) could lead to a drop in the numbers making the trip.
“We’ll continue to talk to the Irish and French and the authorities over here to do everything we can to ensure that the passage for Irish and French horses is as easy as possible,” Renton said on Monday. “People are precluded [from travelling] at the moment and I’m sure there will be significant issues even going into March that people may have to self-isolate when they return home, but I’m sure we will manage to get a number of the Irish participants coming over in March.”
I wonder what the contingency plans are in case the festival has to be cancelled.
If it had to be cancelled (unlikely, I know), wouldn't it be good if they moved it to October and made it a 19 races 3 day festival (get rid of the handicaps).
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