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Punchestown racecourse have announced they will be putting back the race times for the first four days of the 2009 Festival of by hour. Which means race times on Tuesday – Friday will now be 3:45 to 7:15 and 3:45 to 7:45 on the Friday
They claim it is to adapt “to the current economic challenges .“
Having spoken to the race sponsors Punchestown arrogantly announce “Punchestown can reveal that all are in favour of the alteration as it will increase brand exposure and facilitate the needs of their corporate guests and clients. Racing industry bodies such as Horse Racing Ireland, the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association and members of the racing press are all in support of the initiative based on the positive effects it will contribute to the industry.”
Well bully for them – have they asked racegoers what they think?
I have booked day trips to the first four days of the festival and, with the original times, everything fitted in perfectly– now with the later finish times it means I either miss the last two races each day or miss my flight.
Fine if they want to change the times but from next years festival – not three weeks before the event when racegoers have already made their travel arrangements.
Thanks a bunch Punchestown.
Funnily enough I was going to start a thread on this but praising the decision!
There was an article in the Irish Times during the week about this and a lot of the decision was in order that the big races will be shown at prime time on RTE and gain maximum coverage.
Contrast this with the BBC’s attitude to racing.
I see where you’re coming from Paul but there’s not many that fly over and back the same day surely.
I see where you’re coming from Paul but there’s not many that fly over and back the same day surely.
There are many who make the day trip David – admittedly they tend to do just one of the days.
Certainly on all the flights last year there were plenty of Racing Posts and bins in evidence.
I can see the reasoning behind the decision – it is the timing (excuse the pun) I cannot comprehend.
Personally I welcome this decision. The 3:45 start time suits me great because I won’t have to take as much time off work in order to get to the track on time. It should also hopefully help to alleviate some of the traffic that builds up around places like Kill and Sallins but I won’t hold my breath on that score.
The later finish time as well is very convenient for punters heading back into Naas afterwards for a night on the porter!
Obviously it may present problems for some of our visitors from over the water but you could say the same things about the changes to the Cheltenham schedule in recent years. Plenty of Irish punters no longer attend the full festival thanks to the extra day and the earlier start times this year made things a lot more difficult for Irish punters flying over in the morning before racing starts.
I accept your own argument though Paul. Surely this decision could have been made public far earlier or the implementation of this new schedule could have been delayed for a year for the benefit of visiting racegoers who have already booked flights, ferries etc.
Overall though, this new schedule gets the thumbs up from me.
Paul,
I don’t know if you’re flights are with Ryanair and badges already paid for – if so, then there’s salt being added to your wound.
In his racing diary in the Times today, Alan Lee reports that Ryanair will be doling out 5,000 free Punchestown admision tickets to passengers on their Dublin flights.
Is it being too much of a conspiracy theoriest to suggest that the two may be linked? Ryanair will no doubt make a very nice packet from all the flights that need to be binned and rebooked, while Punchestown is getting shot of badges that they were struggling to shift anyway.
Having talked to someone at Punchestown to express my own dismay – booked on a 7.30pm flight on the Wednesday, the main race is now 6.05pm, therefore pointless even turning up – I get the feeling that badge sales so far have been catastrophic. The corporate packages seem to have been particularly bad, so Alastair Down may finally have to retire the Lunchestown joke this year.
Without shifting the times so that people could come after work and still see the main race, they might have been playing to half-full houses all week.
It’s a decision that does smell of panic, a bit like our bank bailout!
Hasn’t gone down well with the local traders here in Naas either as pissed racegoers will be staggering back into town after 9pm….An hour (1.30 max) throws your plans out that much? Jesus you were not taking into account traffic delays or others problems etc….it could work the other way if your flight is delayed getting into Ireland.
Just leave before the last….no big deal…
Really this thread should have read "Punchestown screwls UK racegoers flying back on the same day and who booked their flights with little or no room for other delays".
Carvill, I am really surprised you have heard that. Everyone I have spoken to in Naas is thrilled as it means most people will come into Naas before the racing to have a bite to eat, shop etc rather than crawling out of their beds after a hangover the night before and just making it to the races.
I am just going to cut my losses and not bother going.
As Mr Frisk suggests Ryanair must be laughing all the way to the bank.
I am just going to cut my losses and not bother going.
.Thats fair enough, bizarre planning but fair enough your decision.
I am just going to cut my losses and not bother going.
.Thats fair enough, bizarre planning but fair enough your decision.
What is bizzare about my planning?
I am just going to cut my losses and not bother going.
.Thats fair enough, bizarre planning but fair enough your decision.
What is bizzare about my planning?
Firstly you planned a week of flying that is so tight that it does not take into account of a possible delay in getting to Dublin airport – leaving a racecourse let alone a festival like Punchestown is nearly always going to guarantee some sort of delay via traffic etc. I am surprised that your timetable is so tight in terms of flights etc that it did not take into account a possible delay of an hour.
Secondly seeing as you have booked everything I find it bizarre that you just dont come to the races and leave directly after the second last (thus removing the hourish delay)……if you did this you would miss a bumper on the Tuesday, an ordinary novice chase on the Wednesday, a bumper on the Thursday, a bumper on the Friday and yes another bumper on the Saturday. You would not miss a Grade 1 or indeed any black type race at all.
Not sure that having a go at Paul’s schedule gets away from the point that it is pretty thoughtless to say the least….
Not that its possible but imagine the outcry if cheltenham did the same three weeks before their festival….
I’ve been to Punchestown the last three years, staying in Naas for 3/4 days of racing. Really like the rhythm of the 1430 start, allowing you time for a couple of pints in Naas at lunch before going out to the course and getting back into town for a meal at 1930 or so. We usually walk to the course – down a long lane past the hospital – takes about 45 mins. Cracking day out.
The new timing leaves me with time in Naas at lunch that I don’t need and problems getting dinner before 9. What’s more in recent years you’ve just got back in time to watch the footy and that’s going to be screwed up too.
Biggest Punchestown disaster since the closure of Sarah Flood’s.
I’ve been to Punchestown the last three years, staying in Naas for 3/4 days of racing. Really like the rhythm of the 1430 start, allowing you time for a couple of pints in Naas at lunch before going out to the course and getting back into town for a meal at 1930 or so. We usually walk to the course – down a long lane past the hospital – takes about 45 mins. Cracking day out.
The new timing leaves me with time in Naas at lunch that I don’t need and problems getting dinner before 9. What’s more in recent years you’ve just got back in time to watch the footy and that’s going to be screwed up too.
Biggest Punchestown disaster since the closure of Sarah Flood’s.
So have an extra pint!?!? Seriously its not as if they are pushing it 5 hours back…either way its going to bump up attendances overall on what they would be and give the racing primetime viewing on RTE. Bigger picture here…if Cheltenham did the same thing I would fully agree.
And as for Sarah Floods…
Slightly tongue in cheek Aidan, but believe me when you’d just walked back from the course it was the first pub you got to, by which time you’d worked up a fair thirst, and usually just in time to watch some dodgy chase at Worcester or Towcester with a funny bunch of regulars.
Firstly you planned a week of flying that is so tight that it does not take into account of a possible delay in getting to Dublin airport – leaving a racecourse let alone a festival like Punchestown is nearly always going to guarantee some sort of delay via traffic etc. I am surprised that your timetable is so tight in terms of flights etc that it did not take into account a possible delay of an hour.
My original schedule did have contingency built into it, the new timings wipe out that contingency. I have been travelling to Punchstown on the same basis for the last two years and have only once had to skip a final race and that was due to a combination of the meeting was running about 10 mins late and not being able to get a "fast escape" parking spot.
I regularly do day trips to Irish racecourses and have timings off to a fine art, as well as at least three separate routes planned from the course to the airport – plus a sat nav so I can quickly re-route as required..
Secondly seeing as you have booked everything I find it bizarre that you just dont come to the races and leave directly after the second last (thus removing the hourish delay)……if you did this you would miss a bumper on the Tuesday, an ordinary novice chase on the Wednesday, a bumper on the Thursday, a bumper on the Friday and yes another bumper on the Saturday. You would not miss a Grade 1 or indeed any black type race at all.
That makes the assumption I am attending just to see the Grade 1 races – for me the bumpers are as important as the Grade 1’s, especially at meetings like Punchestown where they provide pointers for potential future winners.
Also leaving after the second last race would only gain half an hour back from the contingency, not an hour as you suggest. That would give the worse of both worlds missing the last race and also increasing the risk of missing the flight. Also interestingly, checking back on the race times for the last two years the races are actually 1 1/4 hours later than last year.
With all your observations do you have any constructive suggestion as to how I kill the extra hour I would have to have to waste before racing? and please do not suggest having an extra pint – not everyone drinks!!!
Anyway this is all by the by –the issue is announcing the changes three weeks notice, which shows utter contempt for those who have already made their travel plans.
I have no problems with the revised times per-se and I can see the reasoning behind them – had the times been announced, say six months ago, I would have had nothing to say about the matter. I could have booked my flights from a different airport which has a later return flight – albeit with the disadvantage of the only outbound flight being at 06:30.
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