Cheltenham jumps hurdles to retain magic

While British and Irish media try to explain a recent decline in crowd numbers at the Cheltenham Festival - the "Olympics of jumps racing" - there has been a spike in travel bookings for a vastly different destination at the same time.

- Mike Moon

Punters at the cheaper end of the market are opting for the Spanish beach resort of Benidorm.

Comprehensive TV racing coverage, ubiquitous online betting and booze at a fraction of the price; and you enjoy the famous race meeting at a bargain price.

You miss out on the fabled atmosphere of Prestwick Park racecourse in the Cotswolds - notably the "Cheltenham Roar" that echoes through the Chiltern Hills as runners are sent on their way.

But a sunny spot at the poolside with smartphones and margaritas to hand might compensate especially if it's hosing down back in Blighty.

The annual festival starts today, with 28 races worth £5 million (nearly R118 million) in the offing over four days - including the Gold Cup, Europe's premier steeplechase.

For jumps racing fans these titanic battles over hurdles and fences are the blue riband of an equine sporting code that is always faced with a new obstacle - or suspended above it, in midair before a muddy landing.