Brits in Benidorm loved a day of Cheltenham enjoyable because the beloved Spanish seashore resort basked in wonderful sunshine .
Because the horse racing in Gloucestershire reached its dramatic climax, sporting followers on the Costa Blanca donned their greatest jockey costumes to benefit from the scorching 23 diploma warmth on the fourth and closing day of the pageant immediately.
Whereas organisers on the horse races had sought to make beer extra inexpensive after criticism final 12 months, decreasing the value of Guinness to £7.50 a pint, Benidorm’s supply of £1.70 a pint seems too good to show down for 1000’s of Brits.
It is not simply a budget booze that has enticed followers to embrace Benidorm moderately than Cheltenham. Entrance to bars on the strip is free, whereas a ticket for the day at races will price between £47 and £180.
As a consequence of these elements, it has change into a rising custom lately for Brits to journey to the Spanish city to look at the races, with resort bookings rising by a staggering 225 per cent.
And Brits appeared to have voted with their ft over the affordability of per week within the solar – as a whole lot of Brits gathered round giant screens in sun-kissed bars to benefit from the day’s occasions.
With clear blue skies overhead the climate alongside the mediterranean was remarkably hotter than in Cheltenham the place temperatures didn’t rise above 10 levels.
In the meantime, 1,300 miles north of Spain, the races drew to a dramatic shut with Gaelic Warrior and his jockey Paul Townend taking residence the Gold Cup.
Because the horse racing in Gloucestershire reached its dramatic climax, sporting followers on the Costa Blanca donned their greatest jockey costumes to benefit from the scorching 23 diploma warmth
A pair punters dressed up as a horse and a jockey in Benidorm. Brits have flocked to the Costa Blanca to look at the races lately with resort bookings rising by a staggering 225 per cent
Brits get pleasure from booze within the solar as they benefit from the closing day of the races. Whereas a pint of Guinness will set you again £7.50 at Cheltenham, Benidorm provides £1.70 a pint
Gaelic Warrior was the joint favorite 11-4 to win the race alongside Jango Baie – who completed second.
Whereas the 2025 winner, Inothewayurthinkin, got here third and Harry Redknapp-owned horse Jukebox Man completed eighth.
Mr Townend additionally received the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday racing with the horse Lossiemouth.
Talking after the victory, Gaelic Warrior’s coach Willie Mullins advised ITV: ‘What a efficiency and what a efficiency from the proprietor. The primary time an proprietor has received the Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup in the identical season.
‘The dominance of Gaelic Warrior towards subject on paper – incredible for all of them.’
Cheltenham offers Benidorm a operating begin to St Patrick’s Day (March 17) a usually hectic time within the space the place vacationers benefit from the vacation.
Brits reportedly make up over 40 per cent of Benidorm’s guests over the course of a 12 months. Practically 900,000 UK travellers visited town in 2024.
This 12 months, Cheltenham bosses battled to spice up attendances after final 12 months’s figures dropped at an alarming charge.
A gaggle of Brits dressed as jockeys and a horse on the Benidrom strip. Cheltenham offers Benidorm a operating begin to St Patrick’s Day (March 17) a usually hectic time within the space the place vacationers benefit from the vacation
A person downs a pint at a bar in Benidorm. Brits reportedly make up over 40 per cent of Benidorm’s guests over the course of a 12 months. Practically 900,000 UK travellers visited town in 2024
Horse racing followers watching immediately’s races. Over 1,000 miles north of Spain , Cheltenham drew to a dramatic shut with Gaelic Warrior and his jockey Paul Townend taking residence the Gold Cup
In 2025, 218,839 individuals flocked to Prestbury Park – a lower of greater than 10,000 on the earlier 12 months when simply south of 230,000 attended.
Final 12 months’s Girls Day noticed simply 41,949 come via the gates – the bottom crowd determine for a single day in 1 / 4 of a century.
Many punters blamed the rising prices of attending and having fun with Cheltenham as the primary issue for no-shows, with a pint of Guinness in 2025 virtually on the £8-mark at £7.80.
And in response to all the above, the value of a pint of Guinness at this 12 months’s Competition was slashed by 30p to £7.50. In the meantime a half-pint is £3.75 – 15p lower than final 12 months.
That full-pint value discount, spearheaded by chief govt Man Lavender, means the favored alcoholic beverage is similar value it was in 2022.
Talking in September about that now-ratified resolution, former MCC chairman Lavender mentioned: ‘The value of a pint of Guinness is a peculiarly emotive concern for many individuals, however it’s vital.
‘You’ll be able to’t benchmark it, Cheltenham is its personal occasion however it was fairly clear that this was one thing individuals cared about. Subsequently, my view was that we must do one thing about it.
‘Moderately than put their costs up, which I anticipate each different venue to do, I felt we should always scale back these costs and carry these prices ourselves. That is a call we have taken to implement for the entire of the season.
Brits having fun with a pint within the Spanish solar on the fourth day of the races. Entrance to bars on the strip is free, whereas a ticket for the day at races will price between £47 and £180
‘In the event you take a look at different sports activities and occasions, I feel there might be only a few which might be matching that value level. It is a deliberate, purposeful transfer in direction of delivering higher worth for racegoers. It is not about promoting extra pints, it is a sign of intent that we’re responding to the challenges round worth. I hope it’s going to be nicely acquired.’
In addition to Guinness, there have been many different value adjustments – albeit small – in comparison with final 12 months.
Guinness 0.0 is cheaper too with a pint now £7.30 and a half-pint at £3.65 barely lower than final 12 months’s costs of £7.40 and £3.70.
For many who want to get on the spirits, there may be excellent news too with 25ml of Morgan’s Spiced, Smirnoff, Gordon’s Gin and Gordon’s Pink Gin all lowered by 20p to £7.
A 330ml bottle of premium lager or a 500ml can of Doom Bar are nonetheless the identical at £7.40 and £7.80 every. A 25ml shot of Jamesons can be nonetheless £7.30.
Nonetheless, for individuals who want to drink an alcohol free lager they face inflation by 10p with a 330ml bottle now as much as £4.10. Wines have additionally elevated by 30p to £10 for anybody fancying a home white, home purple or home rose.
