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Ok. I’ve been to Aintree obviously numerous times (GN Thursday, Ladies Day countless times and once this year on Saturday) with it being 10 minutes away in the car and Haydock last month which are very good.
Just wanted to ask from others experience whats the best Race meeting to go to or track?
I’ll split this in two categories.
1. Your average ordinary everyday meeting
2. A big festival e.g. Cheltenham Gold Cup, Glorious Goodwood, Epsom Derby, St Ledger@York, Royal Ascot, KGV@Sandown and all the others etc
Currently leaning towards Glorious Goodwood for a festival (2nd August) and Newbury for the average days racing. But there hard to get to from Liverpool.
So where’s everyone had a good time/enjoyed a days racing in particular?Been told by a few regulars Cheltenham is very good
Hello,
Depends if you are driving.
But YORK fits both bills.
A Friday meeting like tomorrows will have a good card, reasonably priced and about 2 hours on the train from Liverpool.
Chester is on your doorstep!
For Saturday, Sunday, weekdays and evenings.Again, easily accessible by car this time, WETHERBY, up the A1 is an excellent venue for a Jumps meeting.
In fact once onto the A1, you have a pletherer of chioce, Thirsk, Ripon, Catterick plus there is usually a nearby Travelodge where a room can be booked, in advance, at £19.00 a night.The meetings that are a distance from your home, consider the Travelodge option. There site is excellent.
Select a course, then find the nearest T/Lodge, or Premier Lodgeregards,
doyley
For "average" meetings the runner-up is Cartrmel just because it is a lovely setting with a fantastic atmosphere, although you don’t get to see that much racing.
First has to be Fontwell – if there is such a place a heaven than tis is it. Great viewing, fantastic atmosphere and go to the "crossover" during a chase and you will be as close to the action as you can without actually competing yourself.
For Festivals that is really difficult – Cheltenham for the quality of the racing has to be up there, Punchestown for atmosphere, however I think all the festivals have something going for them and they are all so different as well. I would say get to as many different ones as you can.
Anything at Kelso, Musselburgh, Perth or Hamilton is enjoyable for me as an average racing day.
Best Festival is distinctly parochial in my case, but it’s got to be the Perth Festival in late April. It occurs at the same time as some minor jumping festival in Ireland apparently!
Rob
obivously living in Ireland………
the Christmas Meeting At leopardstown is very good and situated where it is is very easy to get too,the new Luas tram goes right by it now so you can have your few beers the miller race evening’s during the summer are also very good.
The Galway races are great crack at night in the city but race days can be very overcrowded.
and if you want a nice day out with a few small bets the Laytown races on the Beach are also good.
i was at the gold cup at Cheltenham this year and although we had a good day i found it was very overcrowded and took an eternity to get a drink in the end we gave up trying and stuck to our vantage point at the winning post
For the average everyday meeting, I would suggest Sandown. I would imagine that everyone is well aware of the qualities of the course, but aside from that, there arent many cards throughout the year which are devoid of at least a couple of genuinely interesting races. And jumps at Sandown is something special
Same could be said of Newmarket,. Not everyones cup of tea (although i think most criticisms go too far). You can turn up at any meeting there and see some quality.
I wouldnt put you off Newbury although some midweek cards there are suprisingly stuffed with poor races
As for festivals. by far the most pleasant experience is Goodwood, whereas Cheltenham is easily the most atmospheric (and most uncomfortable). Ascot, Epsom (although been a while since i was there) and Aintree are worth seeing i suppose,but you might not feel the urge to rush back
For everday racing, Lingfield Park has to be one of the prettiest tracks there is, there is no queueing and you can watch horses in the pre parade ring and the parade ring. Its very clean and a picture to the eye.
I only ever went to Cheltenham to watch Kauto Vs Denman and even though I didnt back a winner all day, it just captured me, from the moment I walked in to the stands, it is as though you can feel the auroa of the place (if that is the correct word) also most of the people that go are real racing people that are there to watch racing and not to go for a day out. It is also amazing how the course looks compared to when you watch it on television. A very long, slow rising hill from the bend quite a way out. With the price I paid though I think it was justified.
I love Epsom too, and with it being my closest track, oaks and derby days have become a tradition, but there are too many non racing people there for me (I struggled for a good veiwof the derby in the walton enclosure because a group of people decided to set up camp on the rails and didnt even watch the racing!)
For an average day meeting i’d suggest Sandown and Cheltenham, Galway and the Ebor meet.
If you’ve got 1 week or more i’d suggest any of Keeneland, Saratoga or Del Mar. Keeneland definitely if you touring stud farms, Del Mar if you like racing and the beach. Saratoga if you like racing, watching horses work and the possibility of drinking in bars until 5am
For an average weekday then maybe a midweek jumps meeting at Warwick or Carlisle would be ideal as you will see some decent novices running from the big stables and the early season around October is when you feel al geared up and ready.
Regarding a big festival i did the Whitbread in April at Sandown for the first time and loved it, Top class racing under both codes and saw Denman parading with his stable mates plus Sandown is everything Haydock should be and i say that being a Haydock member.
Also i would not rule out Wolverhampton, I say this as a jumps fanatic but if you want to move about at your own pace, have decent food for a fair price and very easy parking although i dont drive then its a good afternoon out but only go if all NH is abandoned
Leaning towards Sandown/Wetherby here.
Is that in the Midlands?
Sandown is in sarf London (Esher) and Wetherby is about 12 miles east of Leeds, on the A1
Sandown’s Tingle Creek meeting in December is excellent, as is Wetherby’s Christmas meeting, though very crowded.
Personal favs for a quiet, relaxing afternoon are Hexham (Northumberland), Market Rasen (Lincs) and Pontefract (West Yorkshire)
Fav Flat festival is Doncaster St Leger; and NH the Perth April 3-dayer.
As you may have gathered from the number of different courses mentioned on this thread, most have something to offer – vive la difference
enjoy treading the turf
Anyone going to Ireland could do worse than visit Bellewstown for their Festival meetings.
For me it’s got to be the Ebor meeting at York. I’ve been every year since 1995 – excellent racing and, in my recollection, the sun always seems to shine (although I’m sure it doesn’t really).
For an more run of the mill meeting I always enjoy Ripon on the flat and Market Rasen for jumping.
Chris
York is the best track I’ve been to, Epsom the best day out and Southwell the best ordinary meeting – with Doncaster a close second.
Not been to Sandown or Ascot yet.
Fontwell for an ordinary meeting. It’s a long way for you but a good one to tick off your list. Standing in the middle of the chase course is wonderful. I love goodwood too for any meeting.
http://www.napit.co.uk/viewus/infobank/ … krcourses/
Good website this. Explains how to get to all the courses
At the moment purely because you just go to London on Virgin trains and get a short and simple overhead to either of the two, I’m considering Kempton & Sandown. Do fancy the Coral Eclipse on the 5th July at Sandown. The **** is most of my mates aren’t into the horses as much as me so unless its a ******* well known event there not as keen so might be going solo for one of those two.
Trying to get a mate to come to the Ebor though (20th August), which might be tempting for him, and I’m encouraged by what I;ve heard off lads on here.
For Saturday, Sunday, weekdays and evenings.
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