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Best Easter present ever…🐣🐤🐥
Just received notification that Newmarket will resume with Members and guests present on…
Saturday May 22nd
Friday Evening June 18th
Saturday June 19thEvery Members or guest visitor has to download a free E-Ticket and complete a Covid19 Compliance Form.
I know to start with coming back to racing will not be as it used to be and I will probably use my Paddy Power App to place bets instead of going to the bookie..but just to be get back to viewing the horses in the paddock, being close enough to touch them and meeting up with old friends will be bliss.
Has anyone else heard from their local course yet about returning to the racetrack?
Jac
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...I am not a member anywhere but had an email today from Epsom to say that it looks as though I will be able to use my ticket and attend this years Derby.
Great news as I have attended the last 30 odd. It was just not the same last year watching it from outside the fencing.
Just a shame I will not be able to attend the Guineas meeting this year.
I admire your enthusiasm Jac and I hope you enjoy your days at Newmarket.
My own enthusiasm would be significantly reduced after reading this Covid Code of Conduct on the Newmarket website:
Do not attend if you: –
have any Covid-19 symptoms (fever, cough, loss or changed sense of smell)
receive a positive Covid-19 test result
are required to self-isolate for travel or NHS contact and trace reasonsCarry out your own personal health assessment and make sure that you are fit and well to attend, considering your own age, health status and clinical vulnerability.
You are responsible for understanding and following the Government guidance in place at the time of the event regarding restrictions on attending, social distancing, gathering together in groups etc.
Check your travel arrangements are in place to travel to and from the racecourse you are visiting, refer to the latest guidance from public transport providers. We encourage you to use personal transport, walk or cycle to the event, where possible.
Know where your racecourse entry point is and, if an entry time is on your ticket, arrive in good time to go through all entry checks (health, identity, tickets, bag search, etc).
Your temperature may be taken on entry.
Ensure you maintain good hand hygiene at all times, use the hand sanitiser dispensers provided around the venue and avoid touching your face or any unnecessary surfaces.
You must wear a face covering at all times except when you are eating or drinking.
Avoid hugs, handshakes and any contact with people not in your household or support bubble.
Avoid face to face contact and when moving past other spectators, turn your back to pass others.
Do not have less than 2m contact with other people not in your household or support bubble.
Avoid shouting, singing or celebrating – this increases the transmission risk.
Follow all signage and instructions of stewards, staff or officials at all times.
Do not stand in circulation routes and make sure all corridors and doorways are clear to walk.
Do not enter any area if there is insufficient space to socially distance.
Do not try to access other areas of the racecourse that your ticket does not allow you entry to.
Minimise the amount of time spent indoors.
Observe respiratory etiquette – always cover your mouth if you need to cough or sneeze.
All payments inside the venue are contactless. For betting facilities only, contactless is recommended, but cash payment will still be an option
When it is time to leave the racecourse, avoid busy exit times, maintain social distancing and take care.We hope you enjoy your day.
I presume that last line is meant as a joke.
As, not to put too fine a point on it, I was never overly fond of any f****r getting within two metres of me, invading my body space, even pre-Covid, this code of conduct doesn’t bother me in the slightest!
Neither does being masked up.
This “new normal” promises to be Nirvana for the unsociable racegoer and I think my future day at the races could be immeasurably enhanced!
I attended a crowd pilot day at Larkhill point-to-point before Christmas and it was one of my all-time favourite days out!
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"200 at Monday afternoon meeting suits me! York October meeting was just about bearable back in 2019, but anymore crowded and ‘I’m outta here!’.
Reading the code of conduct above (which is similar to one I read for Chester), I doubt I will be going racing for a long time. Like some previous posters have said, I am not particularly sociable either! However, one of the enjoyable aspects about racing is just being able to wander wherever I want, particularly at smaller meetings. Having to stick to some prescribed route makes no appeal.
Having said that, I will be sad to miss this upcoming Thursday at Aintree. It is one of my favourite meetings of the year. Until it was abandoned last year, I had attended it every time since 1990. It will feel strange not going.
@chestnut
Glad you’ll be back on Epsom Downs enjoying the Derby this year Chestnut.
Like you I’ll be missing the Guineas for the 2nd year as it will be shown behind
closed doors once more, perhaps with a few owners present this time.
@apracing
LOL ap yes I am enthusiastic to get back to the Rowley Mile and July Course and that Covid Code of Conduct didn’t phase me at all, in fact I speed read through the whole lot and clicked Agree. I would imagine that every single lad or lass, jockey, trainer and owner that passes through the gate has had to comply with the rules and I’m happy to do so and I will enjoy my day because I’m out in the fresh air again and not sitting on my sofa watching it on the TV or on my phone through the App.Honestly Ian, Paul and rob I’m with you on the anti social side as I don’t mind going racing on my own and just being free to wander about watching the horses and putting a few bets on. The usual suspects are always there for meeting up over coffee to discuss our bets and then we all disperse to do our own thing maybe meeting up at the paddock and then after racing to discuss how we all faired. I just hope everyone is back safe, have to wait and see for that one. I do stay on sometimes for the concerts after racing as they’re included in my Annual Badge and sometimes stay to the end (but not often) but this year most of them are being cancelled and rescheduled for 2022 so again it will be a lot different on the July Course this year..Q-u-i-e-t
@Cork All Star
Cork I wouldn’t let the Code Of Conduct put you off going back to racing. I’m sure you will still be able to wander about but just in a more orderly manner i.e. staying to the left or right. I’m sure the prescribed route will give you good access to the paddock or getting down to the track it will just mean entering one way and exiting another. Anyway it’s worth dipping your toe to see if you like it or not and then decide whether you stay away or not. If you really love being at the races then just go.I know it’s not going to be as we all remembered it but please come back here again, if you can, when you have been racing after Lockdown and let us all know how you got on…I will.
JacThings turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Booked my Doncaster St Leger tickets after email from them be nice to get back don’t see problems as long as your sensible and follow protocol set out
I suppose I will head back on track eventually but I doubt it will be this year.
I have not really gone racing much in the UK in the last six years, since I finally got to Ffos Las and completed the set.
I do not find it as enjoyable as before. I was at Thirsk one Saturday and a pop group was playing “music” in between racing at ear splitting volume. You could even hear it by the paddock. Not good for someone with issues around loud noise. I had to leave with two races to go. Other courses (Warwick is one) now play loud music over the tannoy between races.
And Plumpton, once my favourite, has taken to employing a race day presenter who yaps away between races. He does not even know what he is talking about. At one point he recommended an each way bet in a four runner race!
Most of my racing in the last few years has been in Ireland. A much better experience. Cheaper admission prices, better racing, better food and fewer people just there for a booze up. I hope everything gets back to some sort of normality soon because I still have 11 tracks to go!
I’m not overly social either but do love viewing the horses in the paddock
would have happily drove to Cheltenham to just see Shishkin in the flesh take a couple of photos and drive home
booked my ticket for the Wednesday of Cheltenham next year already and will happily go Taunton, Exeter, Wincanton, Newton Abbot and Newbury in the mean time.Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Was hoping to go to Redcar at some stage, one to tick off my list with the added advantage of being accessible via train which is crucial for me. Not sure I fancy going before the 21st June though, these restrictions do rather spoil the enjoyment of being able to move around the racecourse. None of my friends are into racing, so either go alone or with my dad when I’m back down south – so not missing any great social aspect at least.
Agree with Cork All Star that racing in Ireland is a much better experience. I did all of Galway 2016 and been to Roscommon & the Curragh (mid-redevelopment, but I still enjoyed it). Never feel like some self-important employee is about to chastise me for not wearing precisely the correct attire. I enjoy going to York, but do feel the drinking gets worse and worse everytime I go. Everyone I see around my own age (20ish) seems near paralytic by the 4th race and it becomes an increasingly skilful art to swerve the carnage.
Now I live up north, I might not make any Newmarket cards this season (which would be unheard of). Might try and make something very late in the season.
Well done getting to Roscommon, Krypton Factor. I had booked to go there and to Kilbeggan in May last year but that obviously did not happen!
My last visit before the world changed was in October 2019 when I went to Gowran Park and Tramore. By booking in advance both only cost 10 euros to get in.
Like the sound of all the traveling around to different racecourses, I have been to Leopardstown as part of a trip to Dublin and wanted to go to Down Royal when we were in Belfast but there was no meeting that week.
Very impressed Nathan that you already have your ticket for Cheltenham next year and hope you get to see Shishkin and take some good photos.
Agree Cork about the annoying music when you are at the racetrack, Newmarket do have all that but after the races in a beer tent.
The only course I never want to return to is Ascot for Ladies Day it was the worst experience ever, it was so jam packed, I didn’t get to see one horse until after the Gold Cup had run and the Queen had gone home for tea.
JacThings turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Looking forward to getting back to Newmarket, shame won’t be able to go to Craven meeting though, always a favourite.
Hope will still have time to wander between pre parade ring and course between races, with the added restrictions and circulation routes!The Craven meeting is always greatly anticipated llavim as to me it signifies the real start of the flat season and pointers to the Guineas and Derby are often found.
With the first Saturday back at the Rowley Mile course after lockdown being May 22nd the Guineas Meeting will have been run behind partially closed doors for the second year and I was so looking forward to seeing Sky Lantern and Frankel’s filly Snow Lantern run in the 1000 Guineas and getting some pictures of her.
Having said all that I’m still very excited about returning to Newmarket and happy to comply with the social distancing requirements to be back amongst the horses again..
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...
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