Fashions change, betting stakes increase and the weather in late winter fluctuates - but at Cheltenham Festival, many things remain largely unchanged.
Amid the sea of flat caps and tweed jackets in the Grand Stand, racing on Tuesday got off to the famous Cheltenham roar, sounding as exuberant and impassioned as ever.
More than 55,000 racegoers piled into the terraces that line the course to excitedly cheer as the favourite Kopek Des Bordes came first amid the heavy thud of hoofs on the soft turf.
The festival, which is the pinnacle of the jump racing season, was in full flow with racegoers indulging in seven races on Tuesday’s curtain-raiser Champion Day.
The event, now its 101st year, has faced its challenges in recent years. Misbehaving footballers, an empty racecourse during Covid and last year a seven per cent fall in attendance.
But under ex-British army officer and life-long racing enthusiast Jamie Lavendar, who took over the reins at the racecourse in January, the festival appears to have upped its game.
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With a focus on value for money, ticket prices were frozen from last year, with entry costing from £37, and £15 hot meal deals introduced.
That said, the cost of a price of Guinness was £7.80, up 30p from last year - although more than 350,000 will likely be sold over the four days.
A bottle of Moet champagne put more affluent punters back £110 while a glass of wine cost £9.70.
But the winning improvement for racegoers and bookies looked to be the expansion of alcohol-drinking zones, along the rails outside the Tattersall Pavilion and Best Mate Enclosure.
“We were always of the view that if drinking can be managed properly any issues could be handled without such as a draconian approach,” said Graham Thorpe, one of dozens of bookmakers who arrived this morning.
“People want to stay and enjoy a drink outside, especially when the weather is good, between races instead of going in and out of the Guinness Village. Plus, it’s potentially better for us, which could counter any fall in attendance this year.”
Michael Muldoon, aged 40, from Altrincham in Greater Manchester, has been coming to Cheltenham for 15 years. “It’s a sensible change as the drinking here is responsible in large,” he said. “It makes a difference as there’s no need to rush in and out to catch each race, and the queues don’t appear to be as bad.”
He added: “I love it here; the theatre, the buzz, the best horse racing and the best atmosphere.”
The bars have also seen an upgrade with the racecourse now boasting 2km of bar counters, with the longest, at Best Mate Enclosure, stretching 85 metres long.
And despite the cost of beer far surpassing the prices in pubs outside the racecourse, punters did not seem to mind.
Tom Barnes, aged 65, has come from Portsmouth with his son Josh, said: “Drink prices are fairly standard here compared to other sporting events - you just accept it as part of the whole package, it’s not enough to put us off seeing the racing here.”
The allowing of drinking in more course-facing areas came after a “significant amount of feedback”, said Mr Lavendar.
"This was primarily to allow racegoers who like to have a drink on course to enjoy their day without feeling rushed and we've been pleased with how the change has been received,” he told The Independent.
But the festival is not all about drinking. For many arriving through the gates, Cheltenham is the Olympics of horse racing with families, colleagues and friends turning the festival into an annual tradition.
Gillian Dunwoody was one of the oldest racegoers on Monday. The 93-year-old from Oxfordshire has been visiting the course for 90 years.
"It’s always a good first day. The first race always has the roar, and you know Cheltenham was on. It’s fantastic.”
The youngest at the opening day could have been 12-week-old Connie, wrapped up warmly by mother Sophie Lee, who has come with her husband John and two friends.
Mrs Lee, from Cheltenham, said: “It’s the buzz of the festival, we absolutely love it.”
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