Brolly good show for the racegoers
Cheltenham opener hit by gales
THE Cheltenham Festival got off to a wild, wet and windy start yesterday as Storm Gareth had racegoers holding on to their hats. Gale-force winds and downpours battered the Gloucestershire course but did not dampen spirits at the first major event of the 2019 social season. Unsurprisingly, a sturdy umbrella was the top accessory, while some horseracing fans strapped plastic bags on their feet as the going became decidedly soft to heavy. It was also dirty going for the mud-spattered jockeys, including Robbie Power.
TV presenter Carol Vorderman, 58, made a stylish entrance at the four-day festival in a green dress paired with a fur-trimmed cream jacket and a classy hat. Presenter Nick Knowles used his coat to shelter from the elements while royal regulars Zara and Mike Tindall shared a large brolly.
Chaos
Ex-England footballer Jamie Redknapp and Dancing On Ice star Brian McFadden also braved rain. Worsening storms with forecasts of 50mph gusts could threaten today’s ladies’ day and officials are preparing for “challenging” conditions.
Meanwhile, Storm Gareth, the second major storm of this month, brought chaos to many parts Britain yesterday.
Winds of up to 80mph crippled roads, transport links and power lines while parts of north-west England and Scotland were flooded. Severe flooding hit the M6 in Lancashire, the Severn Bridge linking Monmouthshire and south-west England was closed, flights from Cardiff Airport to Edinburgh and Belfast were delayed and nearly 2,000 homes, shops and offices in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset were without power. There is a yellow weather warning in place for rain in northern England tomorrow and Friday.