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This is the time of year where the Racegoers Club asks its member to vote for the racecourse of the year.
It is always a difficult choice as the courses are so diverse and you aren’t comparing like with like.
My votes were actually for two neighbouring courses. Goodwood as best large course and Fontwell as best small course.
Goodwood has everything going for it, a fantastic setting, good quality racing and, considering its configuration, good viewing of the racing.
The smaller course is harder but with Fontwell it is probably governed by my heart as it is the course where I caught the racing bug far too many years ago. It is a lovely compact course with good viewing, but what really clinches it is, nothing in racing beats standing by the intersection in the centre of the course during a chase – you are so close to the action – even now it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
Honourable mentions to Wincanton – a great jumping track and Cartmel – OK rubbish viewing, but a fantastic atmosphere and all round day out.
What are your favourite courses?
I always go down to a fence to watch a steeplechase whenever possible, so any course that provides facilities for people to do this gets my vote – can’t undertand people standing in a bar or a stand all day – we constantly move from pre parade to paddock to bookies to last fence. I love Kelso because it’s so friendly and quirky and I hope no one ever ‘modernises’ it…
Will agree about Goodwood, simply because, for a major track with a relatively captive audience and huge assets with its setting, they still make sure that the true racegoer is well attended to. There is a nice attention to detail there
Fontwell i have still to visit…which is criminal of me!
Would also mention Doncaster for getting its development (largely) right
I think Windsor more or less cuts it as a small course. Again there is a nice attention to detail and they have maximised its appeal
Hello,
I now very rarely visit courses’ on Saturdays’, mainly due to the drunken antics of coach parties, stag parties etc., but the mid week summer meetings at Thirsk are an absolute delight. I believe Ripon is similar.
Therefore, if a "small" track prize is available, I would go for the well postioned track of THIRSK, literally a short walk from town centre and train station, and very welcoming & friendly…during the week at least!
regards,
doyley
Doyley
Agree with you wholeheartedly about the drunks / stag / hen parties – sadly they generate a lot of income for the courses so it is unlikely the courses will do anything to remove this cancer. A very strong analogy, I concede, which may upset some people. However it is an aspect of going racing I feel very strongly about.
It is also something I can see causing long term harm as genuine racegoers, like yourself, are detered from going racing. York is a fantastic course, brilliant infrastructure, decent racing – however the only meetings I now consider going to are the rare mid-week non-festival meetings. At the majority of the York meetings I have attended, the atmosphere has bordered on menacing, due to the number of alcohol laden racegoers at the course.
Ripon is indeed a delightful course and well worth a visit.
Regards
I have been racing 100 times this year and without doubt the most enjoyable day was at the Newmarket July meeting so I suppose my vote has to go there.
I visited Plumpton for the first time this year the day before Cheltenham, the Racing was tripe but I still loved the place so it must have something going for it. It gets my vote as small course of the year.
The problem with Goodwood is that there are too many messy finishes caused by horses rolling across each other towards the far rail.
What about Towcester? The facilities are modern, the views are excellent and admission is free. I have to admit that no horse would vote for it, though, because it’s the stiffest track I know of.
I have to admit that no horse would vote for it, though
…other than the glut of course specialists there over the years! Facetiousness aside, I know where you’re coming from – a gentle course it ain’t, notwithstanding the easy fences. I love the place to bits for all the reasons you mention, though, plus the fact it’s only an hour’s drive away.
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.
Towcester is top quality and was I quite impressed with Carlisle when I made my first visit yesterday. White-elephant-wind-tunnel-karzee Ascot surely won’t
receive a single vote.I too was very very impressed with Carlisle after my visit yesterday (perhaps you saw me Mounty – I led up Low Reactor in the 3.00?). The facilities a tremendous – modern, clean and well kept. The stable staff hostel and canteen are lovely. Really enjoyed my visit…
And to top it off my boy finished a very surprising 2nd!!Towcester is also my local course and provided the weather is clement it is a good day out, although it can get crowded at times..
I must admit I do miss the old grandstand – yes I know it was a death trap and the council safety officer didn’t like it – but it was a lovely stand nonetheless.
What has annoyed me about the redevelopment at the course is the course executive conducted a survey to find out what racegoers wanted, then did very little for Joe Public, after promising a stand designed for the customer. The new stand is great if you are a corporate or are using the restaurant. If you are a regular racegoer then you are at the mercy of the elements, left with uncovered tiered viewing at the lowest level, although with the configuration of the course it is not as big a problem as it could be.
The cynic in me says the free admission has more to do with them realising they have scored a own goal with the facilities and by offering free admission it makes it harder to protest.
Perhaps I am a southern softie but if it is lashing down with rain I would like somewhere with a bit of shelter to watch the racing, there isn’t anywhere at Towcester.
Paul, you have touched on one of my big bugbears about new racecourse developments, namely the tendency to build stands with little or no canopies to protect racegoers from the elements – at least, those who aren’t lucky enough to be in corporate boxes and restaurants. Sometimes they combine this without enough terraces (or "steppings" as they call them nowadays). Newish stands on the Rowley Mile, Stratford, Windsor and Towcester are all guilty of this. What’s so bad about having a roof to keep the rain off?
Have to agree about the new stand at Stratford- for such a compact little track the view should be exemplary… it’s a poor view with no elevation making it impossible to see over the buildings/ obstructions in the centre of the course… and hardly any cover…
Of the big courses, York gets it right more often than not. Market Rasen is one of the best small courses I have visited, even the Silver Ring get access to the paddock there…
Towcester is top quality and was I quite impressed with Carlisle when I made my first visit yesterday. White-elephant-wind-tunnel-karzee Ascot surely won’t receive a single vote.
Agree unreservedly with you on Towcester and Ascot. It’s been five years since I’ve been to Carlisle (for last Monday’s meeting, as it happens) and I quite liked it, though the viewing could have been a touch better. Has this been redeveloped to any extent since then?
Notwithstanding that, I’ve been increasingly impressed with their commitment to the jumps in the last few years, from really pushing the graduation and intermediate chase concepts to running the Easter Saturday meeting as all-chase since 2005. I’m very keen to go back there sooner rather than later.
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)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.
Perhaps I am a southern softie but if it is lashing down with rain I would like somewhere with a bit of shelter to watch the racing, there isn’t anywhere at Towcester
Not likely to see you race-reading a point-to-point halfway up a Welsh hillside with me any time soon, then!
The "own goal" aspect of Towcester’s offering free admission is something I must say I hadn’t considered before. Maybe one could argue even further that as a Proper Jumps Track where Proper Jumps Racing is watched by Proper Jumps People, something which laid those Proper Jumps People open to Proper Jumps Weather really wouldn’t register as much of an inconvenience (as two of my other fave tracks are the completely exposed Bangor and Cartmel, I’ve long since regarded bad weather as an accepted occupational hazard).
On balance, though, I think I’d still place most store in Towcester offering the free admission in the bounden belief that the money would be recouped through food / beer outlay, corporate parties and the hiring out of it as conference facilites. I’ve not yet seen or heard of any financial figures that would indicate this belief has proven ill-founded, and as a lover of the place I hope I don’t!
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)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.
Have to agree about the new stand at Stratford- for such a compact little track the view should be exemplary… it’s a poor view with no elevation making it impossible to see over the buildings/ obstructions in the centre of the course… and hardly any cover…
Market Rasen is one of the best small courses I have visited, even the Silver Ring get access to the paddock there…
Agree unreservedly. Summer jumping nut or no, there are very strong reasons why, in the last five seasons, I’ve been to Market Rasen around 11 times and Stratford only once. You’ve just hit on the main one.
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.
Hello,
I now very rarely visit courses’ on Saturdays’, mainly due to the drunken antics of coach parties, stag parties etc., but the mid week summer meetings at Thirsk are an absolute delight. I believe Ripon is similar.
Therefore, if a "small" track prize is available, I would go for the well postioned track of THIRSK, literally a short walk from town centre and train station, and very welcoming & friendly…during the week at least!
I agree. I give up going on Saturdays it’s a nightmare. Last time went to york after being stuck in traffic for 2 hours i got hoarded in a corner trying to battle my way through everyone with their pints. They just look at you then carry on with their conversation not attempting to move! One group of lads decided to stare down my top, and when i say stare one of them was literally on his tip toes leaning over to get a good view! Took it in good humour but gets very very wearing when you have to battle through it all day.
At one point during the big race a group of women stood in front of me (who’d not stopped talking during the race) turned round and started having a conversation with me! I missed the finish almost.
They’re obviously not there for the racing. And is a shame for those who work during the week and can only go at weekends.
I mean, it was the people in wheelchairs and the elderly who’d come out for a good day i felt sorry for.
HOWEVER York on a weekday is amazing, i rate it very highly. Good catering and toilet facilities and of course good viewing!
Ripon would top the small course for me for facilities but not too great on the viewing front – however has a built in screen so gets away with that. and i do like Thirsk also – except that i hate the way they allow credit card sellers in. The last thing you want when you’re having a day out is them horrible women with clipboards coming up to you offering you all this and that. Don’t think it should be allowed, the bigger courses don’t do it so why Thirsk allow it is beyond me.
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