Let’s take “A Brief History of the Cheltenham Festival in the UK” Although the Cheltenham Festival can be traced back more than two centuries, it has undergone various incarnations and has not always been held in such great esteem. In fact, it has not always been held at the same location or even with the same name. Looking back, it is almost unfathomable how an event with such a rocky start could evolve into something as grand as the Cheltenham Festival is today.
As one of the UK’s most prestigious sporting events, it is highly anticipated year after year, right up there with Wimbledon, the British Grand Prix, the British Open and the FA Cup Final. If you had lived back in the early years of the 19th century, you would never have imagined just how popular it would one day be. So then, why don’t we start with a quick look at what to expect in 2023 whilst working our way backwards in time.
A Shocking Reduction in Spectator Capacity
As of last year, spectators felt lucky if they could be one of at least 70,000 in attendance daily. However, in an attempt to make the experience more enjoyable for racegoers, the decision was made to cap capacity at 68,500 per day. If you had your hopes up of scoring a ticket to this year’s event, your chances might be slim if you’ve waited this long.
However, there are numerous online casinos where you can place your bets and that is something they obviously didn’t have back in the day. In fact, the radio hadn’t even been invented yet! Another thing they didn’t have would be the numerous free bets at Cheltenham Festival like you can find today. With the internet as strong as it is and with several popular online casinos that take sports bets, you can find ways to double, triple, or even quadruple your £10 bet. Can you see a bookie in years gone by offering to add free money to bets being placed?
Those Early Years of Feast or Famine
Historically, the first races were held on Nottingham Hill in 1815 and they were flat races. With little having been written on those early years, we do know that in 1818 the races moved and were held on Cleeve Hill. It was such a success there that construction began on a grandstand where the elite of society met to watch and place their wagers. The ‘common folk’ met on the side of the hill where a fair was held and celebrated by all.
The next few years saw trials and tribulations and by the year 1829 an Anglican Rector began expounding the ‘evils’ of gambling and racing and aroused his followers to set fire to the grandstand which sadly burned to the ground. Even so, this would not discourage racing enthusiasts and the races continued after a pause to regroup and reconvene. The year after the burning of the grandstand on Cleve Hill saw the races continue but this time in Prestbury Park.
On Again, Off Again
Also, during those early years there were periods where flat racing was taken out of the event. It would be on again off again, but it was understandable because of the weather that caused many horses to be seriously injured. Some never recovered. Even so, racing fans wondered why flat racing was any more dangerous than steeplechasing with its many jumps, but for whatever reason, flat racing would be reinstated. Could it have been in response to the consternation of fans?
What we are seeing today is much like the post-war days in the 1950s onward where fans were anxious to have the war and bombings behind them. They were happy to get out amongst the crowds to cheer their horses and jockeys on as they rode race after race. We are seeing that again today in the post-covid years, but sadly, this year the racegoers will be reduced by 2,500 each day.
Even so, today we have sports betting online and large flatscreen televisions where we can watch the entire four-day event. Maybe you prefer sitting with a mug at your favourite Cheltenham pub waiting to see if you called it right. If there is one thing that history has shown us, it would be that Cheltenham Festival will survive even against all odds.
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