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The countdown to Cheltenham
began in earnest nearly a year ago. In that time furlongtogo.co.uk
tried to pinpoint you, the way of some winners... now the waiting is
over
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2002
Well its finally arrived!
After the frustration of last season's abandonment, mainly due to the foot-and-mouth outbreak, but also because of indecision on the part of Cheltenham's
executive to commit themselves to rearranging the festival, our period of enforced cold turkey is almost about to end.
The Cheltenham Festival, held at what most people believe to be the home of jumps racing in England, is about to hold one of the greatest racing festivals in the world. The following three days include renewals is set to be a great clash between chasers from the UK, Ireland, plus a small but stronger challenge from France, and Germany. Every race is of a high standard, and how many of this year's winners could be about the greats like Gold Cup winners Red Splash, (1924), Easter Hero (1929 & 1930), Golden Miller (1932-36), Prince Regent (1946), Cottage Rake (1948-50), Mill House (1963), L'Escargot (1970-71), Arkle (1964-66), Dawn Run (1986) and the beloved Desert Orchid (1989), as well as the Champion Hurdlers; Hatton's Grace, Bula, Sea Pigeon, Comedy of Errors, Lanzarote, Sir Ken, Persian War and See You Then, and of course Istabraq, who attempts to make his own record this season
CHELTENHAM ... IT'S HISTORY
Cheltenham and its surrounding area is some of the most beautiful parts of this country.
An Anglo-Saxon settlement, Cheltenham - possibly from Celtenhomme, 'the town under the hill' - was the site of a monastery as early as 803. Alfred the Great wrote admiringly of the peace of the settlement on the banks of the River Chelt, and by the 13th century Cheltenham was noted for its fairs and markets.
In 1716 the town's sudden rise from obscurity began when - according to legend - a flock of pigeons discovered a spring on the site of what is now the Ladies College. The locals, noticing that the pigeons seemed to thrive, tried the waters for themselves and found that they eased many of the disorders that afflicted 18th century man. Local entrepreneurs soon realised that there was money to be made from this gift of nature and started to develop the town in order to attract the wealthy and famous.
Amongst the early visitors to take the spa waters were distinguished people like Handel and Samuel Johnson. The event, which ensured the success of Cheltenham as a Spa town, was the visit of George III in 1788.
By 1798 the area of Cheltenham began to take shape. It was then known to run from what is now known as Kingshighway on the east and went as far as the City limits on the west end. Because of its locality to the River de Peres, it made a good area for settlements. In later years, immigrants were drawn to the area because they needed work. Factories sprung up with the mining of clay. The earliest and largest of the enterprises was the Laclede Fire Brick Company, which began in 1844. This quickly expanded rapidly with the coming of the railroad, which attracted Irish, Italian, German, and Polish immigrants came to work in the factories.
By World War II, most of the mines had shut down and the brickyards had closed. Subdivisions were built over the mines and pits.
After the Second World War, the town's fortunes picked up again with the establishment of the Government Communications Headquarters (G.C.H.Q) which has become one of the West's most important secret surveillance centres (while maintaining the fiction that it was just part of the Foreign Office).
Cheltenham continues to thrive, and its surroundings are popular amongst tourists ... and of course the occasional racegoer!!
THE COURSE
Cheltenham Racecourse has 15 days of racing in a season lasting from October to April. Apart from the National Hunt Festival in March The Open meeting (formerly the Murphy's Irish Craic) in November, it holds the Tripleprint Meeting, which attracts top class fields in December, as well as Pillar Chase Day in January, and its popular Hunter Chase evening in May.
Cheltenham has three courses; known as "the Old" and "the New" courses over regulation fences, as well as the increasing popular cross-country courses. "the Old" and "the New" will be used during the festival
THE OLD COURSE
The Old Course is oval and covers a distance of 1m 4f.
THE NEW COURSE
The New Course built on the outsides of the course is 1m 5f.
Both are undulating, and very stiff, with the accent very much on stamina. The uphill finish of 240 yards is one of the most demanding tests in the country, and the results of the race can changed dramatically as horses weaken up the final hill. The fences have been modified to maximise safety, however they don't take prisoners, and jumping at speed is still an essential requirement
THE PREVIEW
Hopefully this preview gives you a good insight to those horses we believe have good chances of success ... plus of course a few winners!!!
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