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mine is pontefract a course that seams to attract real racing people who love the sport and are very friendly,you also see some half decent horses too and they charge a reasonable price for decent facilitys and you can see all the action from any enclosure even including the 3rd cheap ring.it must be one of the best supported tracks ,even monday meetings get well attended and the friday nights and sunday cards you cant stick a pin in.if youve never been ,get yourself there,i cant wait only 2 month left to wait
Large Racecourse – Haydock
Small Racecourse – Plumpton
Foreign (Jumps) – Auteuil
Foreign (Flat) – Saint Cloud
Point-To-Point – WhitfieldSpecial mention for Dieppe too which is picturesqe with a beautiful, small grandstand – though I half expect to see a row of bookies on the lawn in front of it
I’ve visited almost all the British tracks and the vast majority have something to recommend them though I’m not a big fan of Windsor if I’m being honest.
I think for the overall experience Sandown Park gets my vote though I’m a big fan of Lingfield having been a Member there a few years back.
Elsewhere York is superb and I can see why it wins awards. A fine sunny evening at Goodwood having backed a couple of winners is pretty close to heaven and I love the Scottish tracks, especially Kelso and Perth.
Of the larger tracks Cheltenham and Sandown.
Of the smaller ones, Ludlow and Wincanton.
I also like Leicester.
Having almost killed myself a few years ago by walking up the biggest hill in Britain, but then going through the card with all six winners, I will always have a soft spot for Hexham.
Wetherby is fantastic.
I like to go in the middle of the course and over to the back straight. Watching horse pick the fences on the far side of the course is superb viewing.
Although I remember Valley Henry falling about 8 years ago, when odds on and carrying a rather large sum of Blunkett’s money on it. Horrible fall too.
Ponty is tremendous for an evening meeting.
Least favourite track is probably Doncaster – since the revamp. Hitler-esque stewards who don’t let you breathe, bad viewing areas, and full of drunken Yorkshireman.
Of which sometimes I include myself!
Can’t speak for anywhere north of Aintree (terrible viewing) & Haydock but…
For raw atmosphere, Cheltenham – a natural amphitheatre.
For views, Goodwood takes some beating (haven’t been to Hexham).
I recommend a Saturday afternoon at the Newmarket July course as the racing is usually half decent and theres space (avoided the Friday music nights).
Of the "gaffs", found Ludlow, Fontwell & Towcester good fun.
If ever you get to Hong Kong try a wednesday night at Happy Valley.
I would say Kelso, small and friendly and you get a great view from standing on the roof. As for bigger tracks, it has to be newmarket for me although one I haven;t visited but looks good is York.
I’ve done 30 so far, Plumpton is my favourite of the smaller tracks. If I was taking someone for the first time I think Goodwood is a good idea, on a nice day you can’t fail to be impressed with a day out there. Carlisle and Yarmouth my least favourite so far!
Even though it’s always teetering on the verge of being closed down, and it’s a shadow of its former self, Laurel Park is my favorite racecourse. It’s celebrating its centennial this year.
I think Barbara Livingston’s photos show why http://www.drf.com/blogs/visiting-laurel-park
Honorable mention to the adorable half-mile harness track at the Shenandoah County Fair. Nothing like eating heart attack-inducing fair food, listening to rockabilly and watching farmers and their kids race the family trotter/pacer for a couple hundred bucks and bragging rights. It’s one of the last tracks in the country that still races in heats. Gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains too.
Wetherby is fantastic.
I like to go in the middle of the course and over to the back straight. Watching horse pick the fences on the far side of the course is superb viewing.
Although I remember Valley Henry falling about 8 years ago, when odds on and carrying a rather large sum of Blunkett’s money on it. Horrible fall too.
Ponty is tremendous for an evening meeting.
Least favourite track is probably Doncaster – since the revamp. Hitler-esque stewards who don’t let you breathe, bad viewing areas, and full of drunken Yorkshireman.
Of which sometimes I include myself!
Whats worse than drunken Yorkshiremen? Drunken scousers and thats why i cant put Aintree as my number one. So it has to be Wetherby. You must remember that Doncaster is in South Yorkshire where you cant tell the difference between sober and drunk.
Small track: KELSO never failed to have an enjoyable time there & as has been said previously the view from the roof is outstanding.
Large track: flat YORK atmosphere always great
Large track: jumps CHELTENHAM couldn’t really be anywhere else once you have experienced the festival meeting there is just no where else like it.
NH: Cartmel, Ffos Las, Hexham, Market Rasen, Southwell, Towcester.
Flat: Goodwood (quieter meetings only), Pontefract, Ripon, Southwell.
Pointing: Dingley, Hackwood Park, Horseheath, Lower Machen, Marks Tey, Whitfield.
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
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