At The Foot Of Neptune

This photo was my other choice for theme day. I don't normally drag the theme out but I really liked how this shot turned out. Its a close up of Neptune's Fountain at the end of The Prom. I've posted on the fountain a couple of times before, click here for a full view and Neptune's history.

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Green Light

I've been meaning to photograph this light for ages. It hangs, along with half a dozen others, in the window of Jones' Shoe Shop on The Prom. The lights are so unusual. They serve no purpose, other than decoration, but they just make a display of shoes, laid out in the shop window, simply interesting.

I have two prominent memories of Jones's shoe shop. One - going there as a kid to get fitted for school shoes. We had to go upstairs to the children's department, where they had a rocking horse. Always good fun! Two - my dad coming home one Christmas Eve with a bag of Christmas table decorations that came from the window display of Jones'! He was passing by and saw them packing up, ready for the sales on Boxing Day, and asked if he could have them! Well, if you don't ask you don't know!

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Going For Gold

Today is the last day of racing at Cheltenham racecourse and the race everyone is waiting for is the Gold Cup. Martin & Co jewellers in the town centre displays the array of cups and trophies available to the winners in their window. I've got a feeling that this Gold Cup is a replica of the real one, as the photo I've seen of the real one has engraving on it. The Gold Cup is the highlight of the National Hunt season and the winner is guaranteed a place in racing history. In the past a few horses have won the Gold Cup several times, the likes of Best Mate and Arkell spring to mind, and last years winner Kauto Star is looking to join them in the Hall of Fame today.

Did you follow my tip yesterday? If you did, congratulations on your win!! Yes, that's right. Master Minded won in the Queen Mother Champion Chase!
Marley's Daily Top Tip - Kauto Star or Denman in the Cheltenham Gold Cup at 3.30pm. Best of luck!

I'm away to The North for the weekend so come back on Monday for something Irish! Have a good weekend.

Ladies Day

Today its Ladies Day at The Cheltenham Festival and if you are lucky enough to be going there is the added bonus of seeing extra races. Yesterdays racing was cancelled due to the strong winds and the postponed races are being held today and tomorrow. This is the second Ladies Day held at Cheltenham Racecourse with awards given to the ladies with the best outfit, best hat and best accessories. An award is also given to the lady who has given an Outstanding Contribution To Jump Racing. Last years prize was given to Heather Atkinson who has been the Senior Nurse at the Jockey's Hospital at Cheltenham Racecourse for more than 30 years. The photo shows the window display of Marks & Spencer on the High Street. Even the big chain stores get in on the act during race week.

Now time for Marley's Daily Top Tip. Today I'll give you two tips! You lucky things!

Yesterdays tip - Master Minded in the Queen Mother Champion Chase now at 2.20pm today and - Don't Push It in the Racing Post Plate at 4.05pm.

Now, I know I'm not having much luck with this giving tips business (what with stopping horses and high winds) but I've got a good feeling today. Fingers crossed!

Outlandish Advertising

As I said yesterday, everyone is promoting or selling something in Cheltenham this race week. The Festival is a big money spinner and the pub above must have got something in return for sponsorship like this. The Midland Hotel (which is a pub not a hotel) is situated by the train station and has been renamed The Betfair Arms for the week. Betfair is an online betting company and all these sort of businesses make huge amounts of money, so paying out for a bit of advertising is just a drop in the ocean to them. Even the footbridge (shown below) across the tracks in the train station has been used for advertising this week. As soon as racegoers get off the train they know what its all about - Money.

Now its time for Marley's Daily Top Tip - Master Minded in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at 3.15pm. If you followed my tip yesterday then I apologise. Sizing Europe pulled up in the home straight and came in practically last! Better luck today!

UPDATE...
...Today's racing has been cancelled due to the high winds and the worry that the tented village might take off!!

First Past The Post

The National Hunt Festival starts today at Cheltenham Racecourse and its all about the winners. The four day meeting is one of the biggest in the horse racing world, only out done by The Grand National. The event brings 230,000 people to town, wagering £600 million, eating and drinking more goodies than you can imagine. It it big business for the town - every bar, pub and restaurant has boards advertising their offerings, with marquees attached to buildings to accommodate the crowds. The Festival provides the Cheltenham economy with millions of pounds and helps some businesses survive the year. You can't go anywhere in town without the races cropping up, whether its the traffic, the crowds or the atmosphere. The place is buzzing.

I've not been to the races before and unfortunately can't go this year, but to help all you punters out there here is Marley's Daily Top Tip - Sizing Europe in the Champion Hurdle at 3.15pm. (I take no responsibility if you bet your life savings and it falls at the first jump!)

Come back tomorrow for more of The Festival.

Centaur Stage

Following on from my Theme Day post of the Cheltenham Racecourse, here is an unusual sculpture of a Centaur, made from what looks like chicken wire, at the front of The Centaur building at the racecourse. The building was opened at the turn of the new millenium and is one of the towns largest venues for holding events like conferences, banquets, stage shows and exhibitions. At the moment you can see the Chinese State Circus performing there, and in the past has featured the likes of Sting, Dame Judy Dench, Cats The Musical and Jools Holland. I've only seen the outside but by all accounts its big inside (2,600 m2) and has impressive facilities.

The chicken wire Centaur is obviously a representation of the creature from Greek Mythology, part human part horse.

Theme Day - When People Think Of Cheltenham...

...they think of the Gold Cup.

Cheltenham Racecourse holds "The Festival" every March, this year it runs from Tuesday 11th to Friday 14th and will attract 230,000 race-goers over the week. The event culiminates in the Gold Cup which is the most prestigeous race of the season. Winners include Arkell and Best Mate, who have both won several times. Over 5,000 staff are employed to deal with all the punters, and these punters drink their way through 18,000 bottles of bubbly and 214,000 pints of Guinness (we get a lot of Irish visitors!). The Gold Cup Festival is worth over £50 million to Cheltenhams economy and is one of the largest annual sporting events in the country. I am ashamed to say that I've never been to the Racecourse to see any horse racing, but its something that I'd love to do. The atmosphere is apparently electric and I know I'd enjoy a bottle of bubbly too!

Take some time to visit these other Daily Photo Blogs taking part in Theme Day

Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Jackson (MS), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Terrell (TX), USA - Terrell (TX), USA

Horsing Around

I don't normally post more photos of previous posts but I had several that I really liked of Neptune's Fountain, so here they are! The photo above shows more detail of Neptune, taken through some of the plants surrounding the fountain. In the background are Jack's Caff and part of the Ladies College. Below is a photo of the four horses around the base of Neptune's shell plinth. I think they represent the crashing waves of the sea, of course I could be completely wrong!

For some of the fountains history see yesterdays post.