Fans shrug off false start to find Festival spirit

Rain and wind do not deter Cheltenham’s odd blend of racegoers, reports Tom Morgan

With the sport still reeling from the equine flu crisis and an ugly recent brawl at Haydock, the annual Cheltenham roar was more a sigh of relief yesterday for racegoers at Prestbury Park.

Fate has conspired against organisers in recent months and luck initially showed little sign of changing as swirling winds, rain and a false start marked the opening moments of this year’s Festival, with cheers momentarily turning to groans amongst the throngs.

Hardy punters who failed to find room to warm up in the packed bars huddled together beneath umbrellas and cardboard boxes ahead of the first race.

However, shivers under the heavy grey skies soon turned to jigs of delight thanks to the crowd-pleasing exploits of Ruby Walsh. Half the massed bunch in front of the busy Arkle Bar, where beer and champagne had been flowing for three hours before the first race, were shrieking “go on Ruby” as the Cheltenham recordbreaker powered home in the first race.

Martyn Friar, a 39-year-old London accountant in a soakingwet sky blue suit, said he had been concerned his sixth Cheltenham extravaganza in nine years was at risk from the 40mph winds. “You can throw what you like at us – horrendous weather, fighting drunks, it doesn’t matter – the purists are here, Ruby delivers and it’s the best week of the year,” he said. “I have been for the last decade and Cheltenham is magical every time.”

“It’s the Ruby-factor,” said another Irish gambler when asked to explain why he was skipping through the throngs towards the busy Guinness Village.

The full colour of the crowd and their finest glad rags were hidden by heavy winter overcoats, but this was a Cheltenham crowd like any other in recent memory. A 60,000-strong showing, full of enthusiasts, purists, and no shortage of celebrities and hedonists. A typical smattering of celebrity faces mingled among the crowds. Elizabeth Hurley, Princess Anne, Zara Tindall, Sir Alex Ferguson and Carol Vorderman were amongst guests seen in the VIP area.

The four-day event is now worth £100million to the Gloucestershire economy, with the cash machines on site expected to see £2.3million worth of withdrawals. The most expensive Festival experience comes with a 16-seat box with member seats for £575 each. Entry into the VIP Marquee is £345. As the beer flowed, scenes appeared mostly good-natured throughout a dramatic opening day, a blessed relief to police, who had been briefed on the mass brawl at Haydock last month. Officers with sniffer dogs scoured the site on the look out for drugs, but there were no early reports of arrests.

The more boisterous young men at the Festival are now compared by locals in Cheltenham to extras from the television drama Peaky

Blinders. “They come here every year with bottle in hand and flat cap and cause havoc,” said one driver waiting in the taxi rank at Cheltenham Spa station.

The night spots of Cheltenham town centre were making plans for their busiest week of the year. Again, concern has been raised over an influx of pop-up strip clubs. A local Christian organisation, Trinity Cheltenham, was last night handing out leaflets to racegoers warning that erotic dancers could be victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking. The Rev Gareth Dickinson told

Telegraph Sport that his team would be handing out doughnuts on Portland Street and encouraging men to avoid using the businesses, which navigate local planning rules outlawing permanent strip clubs by applying for 24-hour licences. “They are targeting the men with their money and one of our concerns in Cheltenham is these women are being exploited. Anecdotally we have been told of pop-up brothels too. There are real concerns that trafficking is taking place.”

For the organisers, it has been just one of a series of issues to tackle after a winter blighted by equine flu, boycotts, a bookmaker suddenly voiding bets and confusion over two lollipops at Sandown. Whatever the weather, organisers can at least pat themselves on the backs for getting this juggernaut up and running.