The time has come - it's the Cheltenham Festival 2014! I was there bright and early, well, at least in time not to miss anything significant. The first thing I noticed were the massive crowds and the fact that my parking badge is now useless so I had to pay £6 to park at the Pump Room. When I got to the racecourse I realised that the drawing was going to be a bit different from the quieter race meetings so far this season:
Punters queue to enter the Centaur as the doors open at 10.30am and the Cheltenham Festival 2014 is underway! From the top to the bottom of the town the streets are full of racegoers 'preparing themselves' for the week ahead. This time last year, there was threat of snow on Champion Day, but today the sun is out and the air is clear, though cold.
Punters observe the first horses to come out into the Parade Ring for the Sky Bet Supreme Novice's Hurdle, won by Vautour, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Ruby Walsh, frequent winners at the Festival.
Photographers congregate around trainer David Pipe and connections, after Western Warhorse's victory in the Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy. The Festival is one of the sporting media's biggest events of the year. My friend Gavin James in in there at the front, with the flash.
A groom from Nicky Henderson's yard leads Ma Filleule around the Parade Ring before the third race.
Ma Filleule came in second having led until the third-last fence; here she is being dusted off after the race and being observed by pleased connections.
Not a part of the racecourse is inactive during Festival race-days, even during a race. Here punters watch the racing from a Pizza stand.
A view of the Parade Ring and Grandstand during the pre-parade for the Champion Hurdle, the most important race of the day. This year's renewal is one of the most anticipated in recent memory as several fancied pretenders line-up against Hurricane Fly, winner of the race twice previously.
Claire Balding and Mick Fitzgerald perform interviews to camera after the Champion Hurdle, won narrowly by Jezki ahead of champion jockey A.P.McCoy's ride My Tent Or Yours.
Racegoers exchange betting - or possibly fashion - tips before the fifth race. The course was so crowded that I found it harder to concentrate on individual racegoers than at previous meetings.
The run up the hill into the fading sunlight at the finish of the seventh and final race of the day. I did this drawing and the other two large drawings on a watercolour block which is far better than sketchbook work although it is just under A3 and also a pain to remove and store the drawings after they are finished as they need to be cut away from the tape.
Tomorrow is Ladies Day - now it's time for some well-earned tea!
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