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If you are heading to Cheltenham and fancy meeting up for a pint or a cup of tea or just to say hello give me a shout.
<!– e –>david@theracingforum.co.uk<!– e –>
Already said hello – good to see you again David.
Let’s hope tomorrow is a little warmer
Coldest days racing ever; still thawing out. Missed you at Cheltenham but will be going to the next Kelso fixture
Was cold today but I’m sure it was even worse one day about 8 years ago, possibly day Greenhope won the Grand Annual.
Went to Leicester races today, which I haven’t done for a while, and it puzzled me, as it always does, why so many people don’t actually watch the race! There were quite a lot of blokes who stayed the whole time in the betting hall (admittedly it was bitter out). Not only that, but they had the other races from around the country on tv screens, but there were still people standing texting or reading the Racing Post anc paying no attention at all..
Even if you don’t get caught up in the fun of it all, and just bet, surely you want to see the race to see how the horses run to help with future bets.
SO WHY DO THEY GO TO THE RACES?Answers on a postcard please……
Yes, we know people that do that. Don’t understand it, either. We love walking down to the last fence at Leicester; in fact we tend to avoid racecourses where you can’t get to the fences.
That’s exactly what I did. It was an all chase card, so that made it even better. Bloody freezing though! I got through a whole bag of hot donuts
Is the hot beef bap guy still at Leicester. Always get one in but haven’t been for a few years.
Agree – standing by the last fence is great here and at Uttox – unfortunately the cross fence has gone because you used to get a great side on view of that with a pair of bins.
We were tempted by the smell of those baps as we went in, but they weren’t cheap so we made do with our sandwiches…must say the regular racegoers there were really friendly.
I enjoyed my visit there and you can’t beat stood down there by the last fence to get a real taste for the action.
I’ve always thought those who go to a racecourse for the drinking may as well just go into their local Wetherspoons and pop into the nearest bookies if they want a bet.
Is the hot beef bap guy still at Leicester. Always get one in but haven’t been for a few years.
Agree – standing by the last fence is great here and at Uttox – unfortunately the cross fence has gone because you used to get a great side on view of that with a pair of bins.
Yup he’s still there. The aroma was very tempting but the baps looked a bit big for an afternoon snack (says me with my 5 donuts
)There was a time when I used to hang on every second of the action at the races.
Nowadays I take the approach of the late Henry Cecil.
When asked once why he never wore binoculars at the races, Cecil replied: ”I don’t need them – I only watch the final furlong, it’s the only furlong that matters.”
I must admit I don’t get really interested in any race until they are approaching the last or, on the Flat, the furlong pole.
Why do I go at all?
I like the atmosphere but, more, you can often get better prices to more money (commission free) that on the exchanges.
Plus it’s nice to get out of the house.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Count me in as a fan of watching by the last fence, at Leicester and elsewhere. Hereford was a favourite, Wincanton, Newbury, Huntingdon (from the bank beside the course) and always at Taunton where the view from the stands was next to useless.
If you happen to have a copy of Chasers and Hurdlers 1991/2, there’s a picture of Ryde Again jumping the last at Leicester. In the background, I’m the one on the left of the four people watching!
Count me in as a fan of watching by the last fence, at Leicester and elsewhere. Hereford was a favourite, Wincanton, Newbury, Huntingdon (from the bank beside the course) and always at Taunton where the view from the stands was next to useless.
If you happen to have a copy of Chasers and Hurdlers 1991/2, there’s a picture of Ryde Again jumping the last at Leicester. In the background, I’m the one on the left of the four people watching!
Hang on a sec..Rough Quest…Royal Gait…Run For Free…Rushing Wild…Ryde Again!
So many questions Alan: Is that your shopping on the floor? Why don’t those other three want to talk to you? Where’s that bloke in the background going? Why was the old Ford Escort so popular?
Just reading the piece on Ryde Again and looking up his form, he seemed to never quite attain the heights that it looked he may. Timeform says this was down to back trouble, likening him to Gordon Strachan and Angus Fraser in that regard! He did go well at Leicester, winning a Hunters there as late as 1996.
He was a half-brother to the high-class pair of Celtic Ryde and Noddys Ryde whose careers were both ended by fatal injuries. I remember Noddys Ryde well as he used to tear into his fences. Here he is getting just beaten in the 1984 Arkle by the smart Bobsline:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSb-j0LpR38
Mike
I also love chatting to complete strangers at racecourses so if any of you get accosted by a dotty old woman it’s probably me
Apart from nice little meetings at Leicester and Bangor it’s also important to me the ‘be there’ when magic things happen; Istabraq’s third Ch H; ditto Best Mates Gold Cups. And, the best of the lot, Chief Dan George winning the handicap on Ch Hurdle day.
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