ED CHAMBERLIN: Cheltenham should transfer with the occasions to remain particular

The clock is ticking and my pleasure is constructing. We are simply over per week away from the perfect 4 days in sport.

The Cheltenham Festival is an occasion like no different and might be sensational as soon as once more.

There is an excellent insanity to this time of yr. I do know Cheltenham is shut when my mates pepper me with messages, asking for information and ideas. The solely different time they do that’s forward of the Grand National.

I’m on James Martin’s Saturday Morning purely to speak in regards to the Festival. Yes, it’s that massive — and I make no apology for being so obsessed with watching the drama unfold in that unbelievable amphitheatre.

Someone, someplace will go this yr and be so smitten with what they see that they are going to come again once more, many times.

Yet you hear fixed murmurings of unhappiness inside racing. How can the place the place everybody desires to win be alienating ardent racing followers? Big sporting occasions want three components to succeed: a top-notch product, a reference to the area people and buy-in from the core viewers.

It’s why Cheltenham is at a crossroads. I’ll make a comparability with Manchester United. It’s all very nicely being a monetary juggernaut however in case you take your eye off the product and develop into complacent, you might have a serious drawback.

The Glazers watched with glee because the steadiness sheet acquired higher and their dividends acquired fatter, however the workforce declined and Old Trafford grew to become tatty. The greatest membership on the earth have been overtaken by home rivals, all of whom now have multi-purpose, twenty first century stadiums. Sir Jim Ratcliffe has an almighty job on his fingers to revive order, on and off the pitch. 

Cheltenham is in impolite well being however the warning indicators are there. Once Everton transfer to their new dwelling in August 2025, Cheltenham might be one of many few nice sporting arenas to nonetheless have pillars in its predominant seating space. Nowadays, spectators shouldn’t go to prime occasions and face obstructed views.

So a brand new predominant stand is required. To transfer with the occasions, an on-site resort and higher transport connections are wanted, too. Train journeys to and from the Festival aren’t nice and sooner or later I envisage a quick line to London, departing from the present steam practice station by the north automobile park.

Cost is Cheltenham’s greatest enemy. That’s why ticket gross sales have been sluggish this yr. These are robust monetary occasions and other people need worth for cash. Even Cheltenham fanatics are baulking at the price of entry and foods and drinks on website.

The worth of a pint of Guinness (greater than £7) is certain to be plastered throughout social media. That’s earlier than you take into account the ludicrous price of lodging on the town (some chains are disgracefully charging £650 for an evening), which the Jockey Club can do little about.

They can, nonetheless, present they care. Imagine the goodwill a free racecard with a complimentary drinks voucher would garner? It’s important to be seen to be listening to the shopper and to care. They shouldn’t be taking sandwiches and fruit off spectators in bag searches.

Then there’s the product: it has to stay the perfect. Cheltenham is turning into a sufferer of its personal success, as a victory in any race — for some — will do. It has led to horses being re-routed to probably the most winnable contest fairly than the one they need to be in.

There are too many choices, enabling trainers to duck and dive. The novice chase division is a main instance this season, because it’s rammed with high quality animals. 

There must be mouthwatering clashes — think about Fact To File taking over Ginny’s Destiny, Grey Dawning, Corbetts Cross et al? Yet the modern-day dilution means they’ll attempt to keep away from one another with 4 choices — the Arkle, Turners, Brown Advisory and National Hunt Chase.

Small fields are inevitable, which is the most important turn-off for all followers, who’re fretting about Constitution Hill’s attainable no-show resulting from a virus.

Tweaks might be made: a two-mile and three-mile championship race, plus the return of a two-and-a-half-mile Novice Handicap Chase, would remedy this drawback at a stroke.

We have to react to there being too many races and too few good horses earlier than the product loses its enchantment.

Manchester United sat nonetheless for too lengthy. Cheltenham is flying excessive however should transfer with the occasions. Lose your core viewers: end up the lights.

Ed Chamberlin is a Sky Bet ambassador