With record amounts of rainfall, and flooding being widespread in the region on the run up to the Cheltenham Festival this year, there were serious concerns about how the car parks would cope for the busiest 4 days of the year. As the meeting approached, emergency meetings were held, contingency parking areas were sourced, gravel tracks improved, additional roadways added and 100’s of panels of trackway put on standby. Thankfully the last 9 days of the run up to the festival were dry, and the land began to drain. When Race Days finally arrived, the unseasonably warm weather along with a light breeze helped dry off the last areas of land and it was with much relief that the parking areas all returned to normal and the traffic was absorbed into each of the areas without a hitch. The Gold Cup was a race of high drama, as the finish was one of the closest in Gold Cup history as Lord Windermere, On His Own and The Giant Bolster all burst for the line accompanied by second favourite Silviniaco Conti who eventually claimed fourth.
A Few Cheltenham Festival 2014 Statistics for the Geeks Amongst Us!
3,825,000 - The amount of prize money in pounds sterling on offer at The Festival 2014 - the most of any Jump festival in the world. 1,050,000 - The amount of prize money in pounds sterling on offer on Cheltenham Gold Cup Day. 67,500 - The maximum capacity of the Cheltenham Racecourse spectator facilities on Cheltenham Gold Cup Day (when all temporary facilities were open). 32,000 - cars parked by SEP over the 4 days 12,320 - The amount in yards of running rails surrounding the track. 10,745 - The number of bottles of house Champagne sold at The Festival. 10,000 - The number of Irish racing fans who travelled to Prestbury Park to watch The Festival each day. 8,000 - The number of sticky toffee puddings eaten during The Festival. 4,500 - The number of staff employed over The Festival. 150 - The amount of money, in millions of pounds sterling, bet on The Festival every year. 27 - The number of National Hunt races run at The Festival. 1 - The number of tons of British beef eaten during The Festival. { Statistics courtesy of http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/26583472}
