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Festival to go green on St. Patrick's Day11th March 2010
Anyone attending The Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse on Wednesday, March 17, who is unaware it is St Patrick’s Day, will be left in no doubt of that fact by the time racing gets underway thanks to a number of activities taking place to mark the occasion. The racecourse has combined with Horse Racing Ireland and Tourism Ireland to celebrate the day by giving a distinctly green tinge to proceedings, which will include 36,000 St Patrick’s Day Rosettes being handed out to racegoers as they arrive at the course.
In addition, all racegoers who fill in the 'Free Racing in Ireland' competition form, which are available throughout the racecourse, can get a free ticket to one of 14 fixtures, including a day at the Listowel Festival in September, Group One 2,000 Guineas day at The Curragh in May and Grade One John Durkan Chase day at Punchestown in December.
Irish bands will be playing in the Guinness Village, the Centaur and in the Sales Arena. There will be Irish dancers and pipers providing entertainment in the paddock between 10.45 and 12 noon, plus special Irish guests on Cheltenham Radio and even the podium in the Winner’s Enclosure will be decked out in green.
Tamso Doyle, PR Manager for Horse Racing Ireland, said: “We couldn’t let the first St. Patrick’s Day at The Festival for a few years pass by without celebration, so we’re delighted to have teamed up with Cheltenham and Tourism Ireland to mark the day in appropriate style. It will be even better if we have a few Irish-trained winners to celebrate too!”
Communications Manager at Cheltenham, Andy Clifton, added: “Racegoers from both sides of the Irish Sea love the craic when St. Patrick’s Day falls during our big week and I’m sure this year will be bigger and better than ever, thanks to our friends at HRI and Tourism Ireland.”
Irish punters will revel in the St Patrick's Day atmosphere next Wednesday