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Anyone seen the 2009 fixture list?
Have York gone for another four day Ebor meeting or reverted to the three day format?
Chris
The Ebor Meeting will be a four-day event once again in 2009 and they intend to make the change permanent, having initially said it was temporary only. There’s a piece by David Carr in the Post’s cuttings library dated May 7, 2008 (search under "Ebor Meeting").
William Derby has been quoted as saying that there is "an appetite" for the meeting to be expanded but hasn’t said whose appetite it is.
It’s motivated by greed, of course.
I suspected we might get saddled with four days on a permanent basis.
Shame really. Was a really good three dayer. Why do they always have to take a good thing and spoil it. Four days are, as you say, just motivated by greed.
Sometime early last year I was also assured by the racecourse, on the phone, that four days would be just temporary, just for the one year they said. How there can be the "appetite" for this permanently when they’ve not even tried it once yet heaven alone knows.
Also when this year’s announcement was made, York had the brass neck to trumpet that the daily entrance was to be the same as last year and how they were doing the racegoer a big favour by holding their prices. Less keen to point out that we are down to six races a day. I make that a 15% increase per race watched.
Still there’s only so much money to go round and I suspect many will be looking to tighten their belts over the next couple of years. Discretionary spending on overpriced racecourse G&Ts and badges for race meetings of a diluted quality are probably going to be where I’ll be looking to make some cuts. As I said, a real shame.
Chris
The appetite is apparently that of the York board, according to today’s Post: "York chief executive William Derby has let it be known that his board has an appetite to continue with a four-day Ebor festival, and to further develop and invest in the race programme."
Given the inevitable increase in bar takings plus the fact that it will now cost racegoers who attend all four days £20 to park where a couple of years ago it cost them nothing there should be plenty available for investment.
They’ll gloss over Danum’s point about the reduction in the number of races each day.
Presumably the G3 Strensall Stakes, formerly run at the September meeting will now retain its new place in the four day Ebor meet. Shame, as that one-time two day September meeting was pleasantly quiet in comparison.
As an aside, a significant number of locals were hoping that the ‘new bend’ built for Royal Ascot at York would be returned to the Knavesmire common-land soon afterwards, but that too looks like being a permanent fixture. Fortunately it seems the traditional back straight from ~12-16f is going to be reinstated as common instead.
Knavesmire is part of Micklegate Stray, one of four such strays (common land/greenspace) in York deemed by statute "as an open space for the benefit and enjoyment of the citizens of York for all time"
And grand they are too
It is a very greedy thing for York to do and they are just following on from Cheltenham in going to 4 days.
The new bend which they had for the Royal Meeting is a good thing but i do wish they would put the Lonsdale back to its old 2m instead of the round one as it gave the horses a good 6f of pure straight galloping instead of being on the turn for 3f.
So it is now £200 if you want to go for all 4 days which is a huge amount of money unless you are from the Yorkshire Toffs and Snobs Society and after travel and food you need to back a few big price winners.
I like York as a course with its top quality racing and indeed its food and drink but £50 for 6 races WTF, at least with Cheltenham you get longer races and much more of an atmosphere when a winner comes in.
Mind you Glorius Goodwood could easily be a 3 or 4 day meeting because outside of the 4 telly races the others are just average and even the last race on the Saturday is an apprentice handicap.
So it is now £200 if you want to go for all 4 days which is a huge amount of money unless you are from the Yorkshire Toffs and Snobs Society and after travel and food you need to back a few big price winners.
As a comparison, £200 would buy you admission and a reserved seat for a whole year at Lonchamp.
There is a four day badge that can be bought for £170. Fortunately I can get in for free these days, but I’d urge anyone to consider the Grandstand and Paddock instead. You still get access to everything you need, it’s no more crowded than the County Stand, it doesn’t have the ridiculous dress code whilst a 4-day badhe can be purchased for £75. No way is the County Stand a £95 better experience.
The Ebor Festival has long since been my favourite of the year so I’m hoping it won’t feel diluted by the extra day.
Agreed, if you’re there for the racing there’s absolutely no need to go in the County Stand; it’s rank bad value.
Paddock, pre-parade, saddling boxes, winning post, a legion of bookies, and a portion of chips are all accessible on a Grandstand & Paddock (Tatts) ticket.
Agree DJ. Like a lot of "members" areas, its very overrated
As it happens a mate gets me into the trainers bar and stand most times
Now that is a nice spot
Next time im there ill wave to you
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