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It amazes me why people will pay £25+ to get in a racecourse then spend all day inside drinking overpriced booze and not actually go outside and see the horses and the races! Absolutely amazes me. Or when you walk through a grandstand after the feature race and see people sat eating their burger totally oblivious to what is happening.
Mike,
If they were last fence regulars, they were probably keeping a wide berth after the language I let fly when Cherrykino came down four out in the earlier 2m 4f novice chase. I was on at 10/1 and as he won his next six starts (all at 3/1 or less), I reckon I had a good chance of collecting. This was two months into my then fledgling full time punting career and the pressure was telling!
The bag was how I transported my bins, Sporting Life, waterproofs, sandwiches, readies etc. Just seemed a more practical solution than stuffing everything into coat pockets.
It amazes me why people will pay £25+ to get in a racecourse then spend all day inside drinking overpriced booze and not actually go outside and see the horses and the races! Absolutely amazes me. Or when you walk through a grandstand after the feature race and see people sat eating their burger totally oblivious to what is happening.
That’s what amazed me too. They were showing Holywell’s race on the tv, and there were loads of people ambling round, or sitting eating a burger showing no interest whatsover. There was one couple who sat on a bench indoors for the whole meeting. They paid 28 quid for that! They could sit on a bench in Knighton Park for free!
Nah, give me the thrill of the thundering hooves any day.
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.
I watched from near the last fence when I went to Taunton and for the fleet of foot it was possible to get across to the back straight to see them down that side. Sadly pulled up lame during the last race! Hereford had a great view overlooking the last, just a pity they let the facilities go downhill.
Same here on my circuit, like watching from inside the course by the last fence at Perth, near the last fence/hurdle at Musselburgh and sometimes down by the last fence at Kelso. Got a good view of Holywell’s victory yesterday from by the last fence.
I walk the course at Kelso before the meeting and I walked the entire circuit of the chase course yesterday. It’s good exercise and gives a great perspective of the track. Musselburgh is common land so it’s normally possible to walk the track there if you get there early enough and Perth will normally let you walk the track pre-meeting on less busy days.
I just enjoy the whole experience of seeing the horses and watching them race.
Rob
Do you have to get permission to walk the course at Kelso? I’d like to do that. We did it at Punchestown one year before the Festival.
I’ve never actually asked permission though access to the course is controlled and I’ve never been stopped. As long as you look as if you know what you are doing, and you are well in advance of the start of the meeting then nobody objects. I know a couple of owners who are regulars so if anybody ever asks I’m walking the course for them!
Rob
That could be a problem. I don’t look as if I know what I’m doing even when I DO know what I’m doing
It amazes me why people will pay £25+ to get in a racecourse then spend all day inside drinking overpriced booze and not actually go outside and see the horses and the races! Absolutely amazes me. Or when you walk through a grandstand after the feature race and see people sat eating their burger totally oblivious to what is happening.
Its the same people who will cheer when a horse falls during a race, these people really annoy me as they obviously couldn’t care less about horses and just there for the booze.
I remember being at Sandown 20+ years ago when the previous year’s Whitbread winner Eulogy suffered a fatal fall, no-one cared less and just went back to the bar but I had to leave as I was distraught.
Do you have to get permission to walk the course at Kelso? I’d like to do that. We did it at Punchestown one year before the Festival.
We walked Kelso’s course during our holidays last summer moehat. The gates were open and we didn’t see a soul to ask permission apart from a few golfers.
It was a non racing day though.And if all the +100 or so p!ssheads and non racing fans all stood at the final fence???
A bit like Ricky wanting ATR off the road, all the races would block up RUK.
Leave them to it I say, less is more.
Blackbeard to conquer the World
I’ll be stood by the winners enclosure on March the 10th at Cheltenham boss with camera in hand.
Blackbeard to conquer the World
It is estimated that some 90% of attendees at racing neither bet nor watch the races. It is a day out with friends in the fresh air with access to food, drink and toilets.
It is estimated that some 90% of attendees at racing neither bet nor watch the races.
“It is estimated“?? By whom?
Mike
Going to the races is just an enjoyable day out for me. I never bet seriously, don’t really bother studying any form and just have a couple of tenners in most races. I only ever go to minor meetings, Cheltenham being an occasional exception
All about being close up to the action and as I virtually exclusively go in autumn, winter and spring, it’s enjoyable to get some bracing fresh air (within reason!).
Mike
Agree with the majority. Love a day at the races for all the things it is to a horse racing fan!
Seeing the horses in the paddock pre-race, pretending you know what you’re looking for.
Seeing the jocks come out and mount their horses.
Watching them go to post.
Back up along the bookies searching for the best price and placing an actual cash bet with an on course bookie…Amazes me these days how many just place bets on their phones, i-pads etc….certainly takes one of the most fun aspects of the races out of it for me..
The thrill of the actual live race, seeing them go past in that final furlong.
Going to the winners enclosure and applauding jockey/horse win or lose, then going through that same process 5 or 6 times…
Often say to my racing mate you could put 6 sellers and claimers on at York (nearest top track to me) on a Saturday and you would still get a packed house. It’s why I don’t like going there, too busy, too many non racing people there. Give me a reasonably quiet midweek meeting any day of the week!!
Exactly! I love to see them from paddock to winner’s circle. It interests me to see how they’re led up, how smartly they’re turned out etc. At Leicester there was a horse quite high up in the betting, but it looked really tatty in the parade ring. It didn’t look like it had had a brush down that day certainly, and I wasn’t at all impressed. Sure enough it came in tailed off last. May have been a coincidence, but that lack of attention to detail said a lot I thought.
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