LATER than usual, I contacted Bryan Gault this week about gaultstats.com ahead of the Cheltenham Festival and learned that this year’s charity is North Down Samaritans and that for the first time he has recorded a podcast.

For anyone who may not know about Gaultstats let’s start off by saying that each year Bryan produces a mountain of information on the Festival.

Each race has its own page where there are headline stats, a summary paragraph, a 10-year honours board and loads of evidence to support the conclusions.

Then there are stats on jockeys, trainers, how Willie Mullins is no respecter of stats, stats on Pricewise, course winners, momentum theory, stats on the Festival favourites, stats on horses who were beaten favourites last time out. You name it, Bryan has probably researched it.

“I spend up to six weeks every year updating the site,” revealed Bryan. “There’s lots in it but people seem to enjoy it.” One of his favourite reviews is that ‘it has more nuggets than a KFC warehouse in a chicken glut’.

Last year over 14,000 different phones, PCs etc accessed gaultstats.com in the run up to the Festival.

For the 2023 Festival, Bryan has recorded a podcast – “I promise there will only be one a year” – and there is a Festival quiz for a bit of fun. Importantly, there is a Justgiving link for site visitors to donate to charity.

Support a cause

“Every year I try to support a worthy cause,” says Bryan. “In 2023 I am asking for donations for North Down Samaritans as this is the 50th anniversary of the founding of the branch.

Each branch needs at least £30k a year to function and all that must come from donations; there is no government funding. I’m aiming to try and raise at least £2.5k for them.

“The Samaritans is an organisation that covers all parts of the UK and Ireland. The next call/email/message picked up by a volunteer could be someone who needs help and may have suicidal thoughts. That person could be from Bandon or Banbridge, Exeter or Aberdeen.

“I hope people enjoy the site and that it helps make a punting profit. Donations can be either euro or sterling.”

ON the local racing front, Down Royal are advising that hospitality tickets are selling fast for the track’s Bluegrass Horse Feeds St Patrick’s Day meeting with the Moscow Flyer Racing Lounge already sold out.

Further into the future, all hospitality for the Randox Ulster National meeting at Downpatrick on Sunday, April 2nd is sold out although Punter Packages are still available as is the early bird general admission offer.

In partnership with the race sponsor, there is a competition for Randox and Downpatrick products on the track’s Facebook page.

DOWN Royal’s contribution to local tourism and its work in enhancing the profile of the area was recognised at last Friday’s Lisburn & Castlereagh City business awards evening which was held in association with SERC.

The black-tie event in the La Mon Hotel & Country Club celebrated the high-performing and diverse range of businesses across the Council area with 14 awards being presented in total. Down Royal won that for Best Tourism business.

“It’s a real honour to have been awarded the Best Tourism Business Award,” said Emma Meehan, chief executive at Down Royal. “We are thrilled to have been recognised for our hard work and dedication to ensure racegoers continually have an authentic, exciting and memorable experience when they attend Down Royal, all while enhancing the profile of our local area and showcasing what the region has to offer tourists.”

Alderman Amanda Grehan, vice-chair of the council’s Development Committee, said: “A huge congratulations goes out to Down Royal Racecourse as they win this year’s Best Tourism Business. It’s fantastic to see local businesses like Down Royal thriving within the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council area.”