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‘Morning,
Here’s a quick question to the floor. On a visit to Uttoxeter last week, I noticed (having walked straight past them for years previously!) that a couple of walls are adorned with plaques declaring Uttoxeter as;
Best Small and Rural Racecourse national award winner
which it evidently won every year between 1990 and 2002 inclusive apart from 2001.
Inevitable questions sprung straight to mind;
– is the award still given out every year?
– if it is, what are the specific criteria for a course to be nominated?
– is Uttoxeter still eligible, or is it regarded as too big to be a “small racecourse” now?
– if it is still eligible, what lies behind the failure to win in any of the last seven years?
I know more regular attendees such as Moehat have pointed to, for example, the propensity for certain meetings at the venue to be the preserve of drunks, but there were fewer finer places on Earth than this little corner of Staffordshire last Wednesday.
Cheers in advance,
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
GC,
Presumably these are the annual awards made by the Racegoers Club, based on a vote form their members.
The club have never revealed total numbers voting, but at a guess, it wouldn’t be tens of thousands!
Cheltenham have been regular winners of the top award in recent years, but I’m not sure who currently holds the national small course award as the website fails to say which of the regional winners came out on top.
However, Uttoxeter have lost their previously dominant position as the winner of North Midlands area award to Market Rasen – I presume that Bangor, Nottingham and Southwell are the only other runners, so not the most competitive contest!
No doubt that Uttoxeter won so regularly in the 90’s as the change there genuinely did seem revolutionary, from the quality of racing to the quality of the toilets! It would be imposible to describe how awful the place was (in common with most country tracks) back in the 80’s.
AP
Noted with thanks, AP – that all makes a lot of sense. Less a case of other small courses needing over a decade to catch up with Sir Stanley’s reforms, then, but perhaps more one of it taking that long for the lustre of those changes to wear off to any extent?
There were one or two areas that were starting to look just a wee bit careworn on my visit last week, namely the lower car park (between the level crossing and the biscuit factory) and the Railway Carvery, and whilst I’ve certainly seen worse this year I wonder if these are the sort of things counting against it.
Well, that and not having a Sticky Toffee Pudding shop next door, natch.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
GC,
Presumably these are the annual awards made by the Racegoers Club, based on a vote form their members.
I’m a member of the Racegoers’ Club and I don’t recall a vote for ‘Best Rural Racecourse’. Awards go to Best Racecourse and Best Small Racecourse in each area.
Award winners for 2009 were:
Region – Racecourse of the Year (Best Small Racecourse)
Scotland & North East AYR (Perth)
North YORK (Ripon)
North Midlands CHESTER (Market Rasen)
South Midlands & East Anglia CHELTENHAM (Stratford)
South West NEWBURY (Ffos Las)
South East SANDOWN PARK (Fontwell Park)I suspect Uttoxeter’s ‘award’ might be ‘award to self’.
Rob
Some strange regions…
I went to Uttoxeter to watch Kikos run first time up this season where he duly won. The staff could not have been nicer or looked after us any better. Lovely track.
Pleased to hear that you liked the place, gc; made me ponder on my change of feelings towards it. Years ago when it was a little gaff track I loved it..possibly because it was the first racecourse that I ever went to, and I can still picture it; a summers evening..the sight of real racehorses walking from the car park to the stables was so exciting. There was a horse running that was a son of Mill Reef; didn’t win and probably never won a race in it’s life, but I just kept gazing at him thinking about his illustrious sire. Then there was the time that The Duchess of Westminster was wandering around, and I was awestruck yet again. It then got smartened up. Sir Stan used to be there saying hi to everyone, there were the parades of stallions and old favourites including Red Rum. The quality of the runners improved as well and I felt I was getting value for money
. But then the entry fee remained the same but the quality went downhill. My most recent memory is of arriving to find men peeing in the car park, and a bookie totally blanking me because I asked him if he took small bets; I think I actually lost my temper with him, which is just not me at all…I’m pretty non confrontational, so he must have really upset me.The only time I’ve ever left a racecourse not feeling that I’d just spent a few hours in the company of some of the best people in the world. Have been tempted to go to the mid week racing as I get the feeling that P Nicholls tends to use the place to introduce some of his horses
and it’s good to see Kim Bailey doing well there. I love the way that the train stops just next to the track, and it’s great having the last fence so close to the stands. I always stand by the last fence whenever I can. When I can get reduced train travel and reduced entry fee I’ll start going again. Perhaps it’s because I’m so incredibly fond of the place that I’m so critical of it?
it’s great having the last fence so close to the stands. I always stand by the last fence whenever I can.
Oooh, best give it a while then, Moe, as this has been ripped out of the ground whilst repairs to the racing surface continue! That’s made for a very long run-in over the last few meetings, as well as 2m4f chases with just 14 fences in them a la Market Rasen.
Not that its absence stopped people lining the rail where it usually is. Well, for "lining", read "relaxing on chairs and tables moved up to the rail from the nearby Pimms tent". Inspired!
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Crumbs;; you’ll tell me the station has moved next. At least I could put a deckchair where the fence was and sit there sipping me cherry brandy and using my imagination. In fact, I could take up residence there, like the old lady that used to live in Alan Bennett’s garden.
I loved Uttoxeter & went regularly but to me the alterations have changed it for the worse.
You could watch the race from the stand, gallop down the steps & you were directly across from the winners enclosure. Now, unless your Usain Bolt you have no chance of getting to the enclosure (now part of the parade ring) until the horses have been unsaddled & what’s worse I like to be up close & personal, not for them to be metres away & give them the odd pat if they lean their heads over etc. In that respect take a bow Bangor & Ludlow!
There also seems to be a lot more inebriation than there used to be especially the women, probably named Edna!!
Oh for the halcyon days of Jimmy Miff & Lucy Lastic!!That’s how the winner’s enclosure is at Kelso; you stand right next to the horses, and I was lucky enough to be there when Ballycassidy won. It was by the bit at Uttoxeter between the paddock and the winners enclosure that I all but fell over The Duchess [she wasn’t very big; bit like The Queen]. On the subject of Kelso, is anybody going to the Border’s National? I’ve booked some time off work so I can go. Hope they haven’t changed Kelso since I last went..I missed all of last season. Probably find they’ve built a Tescos there.
Yes the Duchess used to be at Bangor a lot with Captain Forster. She was petite but had one heck of a gruff voice when she spoke! Adored her NH racing & win lose or draw always the same.
On the subject of Kelso, is anybody going to the Border’s National? I’ve booked some time off work so I can go. Hope they haven’t changed Kelso since I last went. I missed all of last season. Probably find they’ve built a Tescos there.
Heh-heh, heaven forbid they do that! On my maiden visit up there last Arc day it didn’t look as if anything much had changed about the place for a good few years (in the nicest possible sense, that is), so I don’t think there’s much to worry about on the Tesco front.
The Borders National is the meeting on Sunday, December 5th, isn’t it? I’m seriously tempted to take that one in myself, too, and then double up with Musselburgh the following day. Plan hatching…
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Forgot to mention, QC – as a fellow big softie you’ll enjoy as much as I did not just the fact the horses are close enough to touch in the winner’s enclosure, but also that they usually get awarded with a big bag of carrots whilst they’re in there. A really nice touch!
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Never been to Musselborough, and of course it could be snowing by then as well, but we can’t leave the dog for that long, even though she does sleep for about 12 hours after a run on the beach. We’re travelling up on the Saturday afternoon and going back Tuesday. Bamburgh lights should be on by then as well. Spare room if you need somewhere to doss down, gc.
LOL Mr Pilsen. Yes, it’s one of those courses that continues to make some play of its "ruralness" despite being increasingly built on, next to and all around!
See also Hereford, dwarfed on one side by a sodding great B&Q, and also the big distribution warehouse for Fox’s Biscuits right next to… oh, Uttoxeter. Barely a stone’s throw away from the sign proclaiming it "the finest country course in the land", too!
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
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