Since this meeting is generally all about gleaning any tips and form for the forthcoming Festival I decided to spend most of the day drawing in the Tattersalls - the main betting ring in front of the Grandstand. This meant I could also get under the cover of the stands should the weather turn, as I fully expected it to do.
This is a view from the near end of the Grandstand across the betting ring with Cleeve Hill in the background. The light was initially quite bright and the weather clear if blustery.
All the best characters - like this lady wearing several different animals - are to be found in the Tattersalls where the punters monitor the changing prices on the horses before putting their money on. Each betting company operates a 'pitch', which consists of an electronic board and sign mounted on a stand, to which is attached a small staff and a collection of boxes, bags and trolleys to set the thing up and take it home at the end of the day. Each bookie has a man or woman sitting at the computer set up behind the pitch, presumably to keep the odds updated (above). Below, this casually-dressed punter collected a sheaf of notes from this bookie so had obviously had a good win:
Above: this lone punter kept his eyes on the second race from minute one and only gave up towards the end. Below are two drawings that didn't quite come off as the subjects decided to shift off too soon:
Some of the bookies have traditional names - some very old - and others opt for puns such as 'Spread Ex', above. This bookmaker was really a kind looking fellow. Some betting-ring characters, such as the gentleman below, seem to have no discernible function - he hovered around the same pitch all day without ever seeming to do any work or place any bets:
Below, this priceless granny was huddling against the cold - or perhaps her bets weren't coming off:
Above, I thought these chaps looked quite distinguished, but I didn't get their colours. The chap in the hat was wearing a striped puce and emerald suit (natch) while his friend was more casually attired in a navy coat and open shirt. Like something out of John Le Carre, I thought.
It started to get cold so I moved under the grandstand for protection. Above we are looking over the betting ring to the winning-post.
If I had a favourite horse, it might well be The Giant Bolster, who stayed on well to win the fourth race, the Argento Chase over 3 miles 1 furlong. He is a Gold Cup regular but generally overlooked despite finishing runner-up in 2012 and fourth in 2013. These two punters had backed him but, confusingly, appear here to be standing in mid-air in front of the big screen.
Another excellent granny; evidently a day out for all the family, and some dead animals too.
You wouldn't have known it, but in a minute or two the heavens are going to open...
... in the second spectacular thunderstorm to hit Cheltenham races this season. Sunny one minute, then the skies darken and a flash of lightening precedes an enormous clap of thunder. Hailstones and gale-force winds then proceed to blow over most of the bookies' umbrellas, destroy several food stores, loosen some fences and send debris and some unlucky punters everywhere. One of the bookmakers even lost his electronic board and had to put up a plastic whiteboard instead. I drew this mostly from memory as the storm can only have lasted five minutes and most of this time I spent looking on anxiously.
And, indeed, you wouldn't have known it had happened at all from the expression on this old boy's face, who was back to his form study as soon as he realised the worst was over. Doubtless he's seen it all before.
Finally, some more bookmakers. They perch about a foot higher than everyone else to better project their incentives and accept bets. Below: it is now gone 4 and the light is fading; I wanted to capture the orange glow projected onto this bookmaker's face from his electronic board as he accepted some last bets on the final race:
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