You can save up to 21% on your Cheltenham Festival tickets if you purchase before 10:59am on Monday 2nd December.

The most prestigious and unmissable Jump racing event of the year. The Cheltenham Festival is a bucket list event that captures the nation and produces extraordinary moments to last a lifetime. 

The Cheltenham Festival welcomes the finest horses, jockeys, owners, and trainers to battle it out for the highest racing honours, their reputations and over £4.5 million of prize money.

Enjoy an extraordinary day out with friends and family. From shopping, to live music, to a variety of bars and restaurants available, we are sure you'll have a day to remember while watching world class racing and history being made. 

www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets

We live in a very weird world, and that's not to mention anything to do with politics. Just this week I found myself defending the presentation of The Swan's pie on twitter to a "chef" who told me that the mash should have been quenilled [sic] with a little jus around the plate and some fresh watercress. I told him he was very wrong, and it's not the 90s anymore. Nobody puts watercress on top of food nowadays do they?
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It's been a couple of years since I visited The Swan and lots has changed in that time. Most importantly it has been taken over by Sam and Georgie Pearman, the original founders of The Lucky Onion, with pubs like the brilliant Chequers at Churchill which they still own and the delightful Wheatsheaf at Northleach which they don't. 

The pub has changed a bit too. Thinking back it was slightly disjointed but certainly not unpleasant. There was an odd little room if you entered the pub through the door on the road. That has gone has become an extension to the bar area with a few nice tables. The dining room which once had outlandish green walls, green wallpaper, and lots of flowers (the former owner was an interior and floral stylist) now boasts more subtle blues and looks more like a restaurant than someone's living room. There was a roaring fire in the other bar surrounded by the best seats in the house and a lovely room, perfect for celebrations and shoot parties leading out onto the courtyard garden which I imagine would be a nice spot in the summer. The pub has a warmer feel throughout.

It's very rare I order bread, or ever bother to talk about it when I do. However, the Chipping Norton sourdough came with horseradish and dripping butter which is very much worth shouting about. 

I'm always torn between dishes and usually leave up to the waiter or waitress to decide for me. It was between the BBQ native prawns, English peas, Chipping Norton nduja and mussels. Without any hesitation, the prawns won. They were huge, messy (the water bowl and napkin both turned the colour your fingers go after eating a packet of Wotsits) and brilliant. I've never had peas with prawns before but it worked, and the nduja-fueled juice at the bottom of the copper bowl was incredibly good to for dipping the spelt toast in. 

I wasn't torn for my main. It was 3 degrees outside and I wanted a pie. Chicken and leek or ox cheek and smoked bacon, and choosing the latter wasn't a difficult choice. It arrived standing wonderfully unpretentious on a bed of mash and gravy. It was a thing of beauty and yes Mr Angry Twitter Chef stuck in a different decade, there was no need for spooned mash or watercress. If anything, it could have done with an extra small jug of gravy as the mashed soaked it up like a sponge. The side of squash and cavolo nero, curly kale to you and me, was a decent addition.

This was some of the best pub food I have eaten in quite a while. I have a lot of time for places who have a one main menu fits all for lunch and dinner too. 

The Swan will lure locals (there's a special menu in the bar with a £10 dish on every day ) and Londeners alike (there's a station in Ascott where one train a day stops from The Big Smoke). There are also 8 rooms at the pub for anyone wanting to make a couple of days of it which we would obviously highly recommend.

www.countrycreatures.com/the-swan

Food pictured is;

​Ox Cheek and Smoked Bacon Pie
Crispy Cacklebean Egg
Triple ‘Ham’ Burger, Savoy Slaw, Toffee Apple Sauce, Blue Affine, Tabacco Onions, Alabama Fries 

The International Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse is the perfect to entertain clients, friends, and family on the build up to Christmas.

Friday 13th December and Saturday 14th will see Cheltenham celebrating Christmas Jumper Day and encourage all racegoers to don their festive jumper throughout The International meeting.
  
Racegoers will have the chance of winning on the spot prizes for the most fun and festive jumper and prizes will include a pair tickets to any of the forthcoming race meetings including The Festival™, presented by Magners.  
  
Two great days of racing are scheduled to warm the cockles with seven races each day in what will no doubt provide some thrilling action on the course. 
  
It's always a festive Friday at The International as racegoers are treated to the finale of the Crystal Cup. The race concludes a series of unique races across Europe which encapsulates and celebrates the rich heritage of the sport. The 2018 running saw the Jamie Snowden trained Fact Of the Matter win The Glenfarclas cross Country Handicap. Last year’s winner has been over to Waregem this summer where he finished a gallant 5th in the Belgian Grand National, the 6th leg of the Crystal Cup series. Patrice Quinton has been the leading trainer of the series for the past five years, and looks set to take the title again in 2019.  
  
As racegoers return on Saturday, December 14, they will be greeted by Midlife Choir-Sis who will be singing Christmas carols to maintain the festive mood plus there will be performances The Hip Cats around the racecourse.   The feature race of the fixture is the Unibet International Hurdle and stands as a hugely significant race in its own right. It’s also one of the leading trials for Unibet Champion Hurdle in March.   Another highlight for are the two feature races, the Unibet International Hurdle and the Caspian Caviar December Gold Cup. 
  
Alongside the racing, racegoers will also get the chance to browse the stands in The Shopping Village, useful for those last minute Christmas presents. 

Gates open at 10am on both days, with the first race at 12.10pm. 

www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/the-international

Series 3 of the hugely popular BBC comedy This Country will be aired in February 2020. 

The mockumentary following the lives of cousins Kerry and Kurtan Mucklowe, played by Daisy and Charlie Cooper is filmed in and around the town of Northleach here in the Cotswolds. 

​Charlie said to us this morning "We've just finished the editing on series 3 which we think might be the best yet. We can't wait to for everyone to see it when it launches in February. Expect more of the same nonsense from Kerry and Kurtan as well as a few new characters!"

You can catch up on the first two series and "aftermath" on the BBC iPlayer by clicking HERE.

Arizona four-piece Jimmy Eat World are the first headliner announced for next year's 2000 Trees Festival at Upcote Farm near Cheltenham.

The multi-ward winning festival will take place on the 9th, 10th and 11th July 2020. 

You can buy early bird tickets with a discount by clicking HERE.

The Cotswolds man whose short Christmas film "Love is a Gift" went viral last year has released a new film for 2019.

Phil Beastall made "Love is a Gift" for just £50 and followed a man on the countdown to Christmas up to the big day where it becomes clear that his late mother has left him a message to listen to for every Christmas.

This year, "Made for You" follows a long-distance relationship with video messages shared throughout the year leading up to Christmas day. 

You can watch it for yourself below.

www.anzara.co.uk

Following an inspection this afternoon, racing will go ahead tomorrow at Cheltenham for BetVictor Gold Cup Day. 

The racecourse have released a statement explaining that the third last hurdle and fence will be omitted to ensure that horses race on the best possible surface. 

The cross-country course has also been given the green light for the rearranged race on Sunday.

Gates open at 10am on Saturday with the first race at 12.05pm and 11am on Sunday with the first race at 12.45pm. 

You can read the full statement below.

www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/the-november-meeting/

Cheltenham Racecourse have announced new race times for Saturday and Sunday of The November meeting after the Friday Countryside Day was abandoned due to the weather. 

The Ballymore Novices' Hurdle moves to become the first race on Saturday while the Cross Country becomes the second race on Sunday. 

There will be an inspection at 3pm on Friday to determine whether racing goes ahead.

www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/the-november-meeting/

It feels like the season has got properly underway now and I'm really looking forward to getting back on the course this weekend.

I went over to Ireland last weekend to watch some of the pointers, some of which will be going to the sales next week. I went around with Richard Pugh, an auctioneer with Tattersalls which was a great experience and we learned a lot.

I love The November Meeting at Cheltenham. It's the first multi-day meeting of the season, and one where I have happy memories. I rode my first ever Cheltenham winner aboard Palmers Hill in the Conditional's race on the Sunday last year for Mr McManus and dad. 

I'm not sure who I will be riding on Friday. Maybe L'Air Du Vent of Colin Tizzard's who is entered in the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle 2m5f trial. I won his bumper in Bangor last year and he's a very nice horse. So if he goes there it would be nice to ride him. He's very much a work in progress but he could be something really nice.

Saturday, we have Prefontaine running in the Grade 2 JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle. He's a bit of a monkey. He unseated me in his first run and was quite sloppy in his jumping on his second time at Fontwell. He really got his act together at Kempton the next time in blinkers that sharpened him up and won quite nicely having made the running. The horse that came second that day has gone out this week and won, so the form looks good which bodes well. This however is a big step up in grade and we will know where we are with him after the race.

Pop Rockstar is also in on Saturday in the 3m3f Grade 3. He's an interesting horse who is on the way up. He has won his last two races at Carlisle and Chepstow and he's a good strong stayer who jumps very well. He could either go for this race or wait until next weekend at Haydock. He's in great form and dad will make a decision with owner Laura Day later this week. He could have the Welsh National in the back of his mind if he goes well in the next couple of weeks. 

I was at Cheltenham on Tuesday morning with Richie (McLernon) schooling over the cross-country fences. The ground was pretty soft and I imagine the main track will also be relatively soft which is to be expected. It could definitely suit Pop Rockstar.

On Sunday, we have a couple of entries in the conditional race. It's a pretty special race for me and it would be amazing to try and win that again.

I'm really looking to getting going again with hopefully no hold ups and a clear run through the season, touch wood" 

Lionel Richie is the first headline act to be announced for Nocturne Live at Blenheim Palace in June 2020.

​The multi-award winning singer, known for hits Dancing on the Ceiling and Hello, will perform on Saturday 20th June. 

Tickets on sale Friday 15th at 9am.

Visit www.nocturnelive.com for more information.

Cheltenham Racecourse have announced that Jack Whitehall has added a matinee performance to take place before his sold out evening show on Tuesday 26th November. 

The earlier performance will start at 5:00pm in The Centaur at the racecourse and tickets will be on sale on Monday 11th November at 10:00am. 

Visit www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/events-tickets/jack-whitehall for all information.

With The November Meeting at Cheltenham just 10 days away, we have found the best places to go after you leave Prestbury Park. 

​See the full guide HERE.

After an extensive four-year-long renovation, The Harcourt Arms in in the charming Oxfordshire village of Stanton Harcourt has reopened its doors to the public.

Headed up by Olivier Bonte, former GM of No.131 and Alan Gleeson, previously Head Chef of The Lucky Onion’s No.131 and No.38 The Park, The Harcourt Arms will offer exceptional pub food using the finest produce, ingredients sourced through long-standing relationships with ethical suppliers.

​The drinks menu will feature beer and wine from small but talented producers across the world with amazing brands such as Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc, William Chase Rose and Chateau Musar alongside Hook Norton Beers, Butcombe and Timothy Taylors Landlord. They will also be serving up delicious cocktails such as Negroni with a twist, proper Espresso Martini and their very own Bloody Mary, allowing guests to order an old favourite or try something new.

Since the renovation, there are an additional 10 individually style en-suite bedrooms, making this 17th-century pub with rooms ideal for both leisure and business needs.

With the local community at its heart, The Harcourt Arms have created The Harcourt Stores, which will offer luxury, artisan produce alongside healthy everyday essentials. A one-stop-shop for locals, there will be fresh coffee, cured and smoked produce,sweet treats and everyday essentials.

The ultimate village pub with a home away from home feel makes it the perfect place to visit.

www.theharcourtarms.com