Cheltenham punters battered by 50mph wind and rain as ‘St Patrick’s’ climate takes a flip
Torrential downpours and 50mph gales couldn’t crush the St Patrick’s Day atmosphere at Cheltenham. Course officials opened the gates ahead of schedule as thousands of revellers poured onto the racecourse.
Many struggled to maintain their grip on umbrellas in the fierce winds. Entrepreneurs Kate and Rich Grant, from Stroud, Gloucs, insisted the conditions wouldn’t spoil their experience. Kate, 60, declared: “The rain will not affect us one bit. I’ve got this big Guinness hat – hopefully that will keep the rain off.”
Rich, 62, added: “It’s going to be a great St Patrick’s Day.” Fiona Cormack, 42, from Exeter, Devon and her mate Lauren Palij, 39, from Market Harborough, Leics took refuge beneath brollies, reports the Mirror.
Fiona remarked: “We come to St Patrick’s Day every year. It’s going to be great fun. We won’t let the wind and rain dampen our day.”
Jenna Bate, 32, from Wigan exclaimed: “I can’t believe this weather. Let’s hope it doesn’t affect the racing.”
Cheltenham officials ordered some of the more fragile temporary installations to be dismantled for safety purposes. The indoor bars at the venue were heaving from 10.30am.
Former and possibly soon-to-be next Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is bracing himself for his momentous day tomorrow as he holds the favourite in the Gold Cup.
When asked how he and Sandra would celebrate if The Jukebox Man clinches the Gold Cup, Redknapp said: “We are so tame, you couldn’t make it up. We’ll probably go home, get to Chez Fred – a fish and chip restaurant in Bournemouth – and have a bit of fish and chips.
“It would be great though. It really would be lovely, but I’m not counting my chickens. I’m just hopeful. It’s a dream to have a horse to run in the Gold Cup and go there with a chance.
“I’ve had an awful lot of horses, still got an awful lot, but this one has taken us to places that you only dream about as a racehorse owner. He’s my dream, he’s not for sale and he wouldn’t be for sale at any price.”
A horse named DoddietheGreat will be running in honour of rugby icon Doddie Weir. Any winnings will be donated to his Foundation.
The weather, however, might not be any better as the Met Office claims: “(An) Atlantic frontal systems passes close to or across the UK at times. These will bring spells of rain and showers, most frequent and heavy in the west or northwest, and perhaps accompanied by strong winds.
“However, there should also be some drier interludes under transient ridges of high pressure, with longer dry periods most likely in the south and east, though even here some wet weather is possible at times. Temperatures will be near average for the period as a whole, but with some shorter-duration colder interludes at times when frost and hill snow will be possible.
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