Red Fountain

Last Thursday was Bonfire Night and on Saturday night a group of us went to the racecourse to see the annual fireworks display. This is a photo from last year, as you can see - no tripod, but it was much the same but colder! At least it didn't rain until the end of the display this year, unlike last year when we all got soaked. Thank goodness for the pub afterwards!

Fireworks

On Saturday night we went to the Cheltenham Racecourse to watch the Round Table Fireworks display. This annual event raises thousands of pounds for charity. I went armed with my camera but, due to the torrential rain, didn't take my tripod. That was my mistake. I took lots of photos but this is the only one that turned out even half way near decent. It will have to do to highlight the fact that today is Guy Fawkes Day (or bonfire night.) Basically all the fireworks and bonfires are to celebrate the failed attempt of Guy Fawkes to blow up Parliament in 1605.

If you are reading this before 8am GMT check back later. Today I'll be posting twice. I'm hoping that my second post will be celebrating the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States of America. If it has all gone horribly wrong then who knows what I'll post! Tear stained tissues maybe?!

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Bookworm Heaven

The 59th Cheltenham Literature Festival is taking place in and around town at the moment, with authors, journalists, famous faces and bookworms coming out to play. The event was started in 1949 by a small group of friends and was the worlds first literature festival, it is now one of the worlds biggest celebrations of writing, attracting tens of thousands of visitors. Over the festivals 10 day run there are 350 events featuring debates, interviews, readings, book signings and workshops. This years festival has former BBC journalist Kate Adie and Rebus author Ian Rankin as Guest Directors, responsible for the programme of the weekend events.

I'm not a very book-ish person, I prefer non-fiction books filled with useless facts, so I have never been to anything to do with the festival. Until this weekend. Phoebe and I went to The Centaur, at the Racecourse, to see Doctor Who re-inventor Russel T Davies and John Barrowman, who plays Captain Jack in the series. It was a really entertaining evening, they were both interviewed and talked about their respective books, and then answered questions from the audience. Neither of them were giving anything away about the upcoming Doctor Who specials in 2009 but it was still an insightful evening.

Most of the festival takes place at the Town Hall and in these tents behind the building, in Imperial Gardens. This large tent is a temporary Waterstone's bookshop and also the venue for book signings, a great place for celebrity spotting. The festival draws some big names, this year the famous faces include James Bond star Roger Moore, former London Mayor Ken Livingstone, Hollywood legend Tony Curtis, Nobel Prize winning author Toni Morrison and Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He opened the event last Friday, glad he wasn't busy sorting out the financial crisis! He has got a book to sell, perhaps he needs a few extra quid in these hard times!

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

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Gunpowder, Treason and Plot

Yes, I know its not a photo of Cheltenham, but I forgot to take the camera with me to the South West biggest fireworks display at the Cheltenham Racecourse on Saturday night. The fireworks were excellent, but you'll have to take my word for it! As its the 5th November it is, of course, Fireworks night or Bonfire night or Guy Fawkes night. They all mean the same thing - the night we celebrate the failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill the King and law makers of Britain in 1605. Now you understand the link to the photo! Took this photo from the London Eye in March this year. I'm away for a few days visiting family, so check back on Friday for the next post.