[dashingcustomer]

The Goliath is an 8 selection bet consisting of 247 individual bets comprising:-
28 doubles
56 trebles
70 fourfolds
56 fivefolds
28 sixfolds
8 sevenfolds
1 eight fold accumulator

Now, if you made 9 selections and wanted to cover them via Goliaths, then there would be 9 Goliaths requiring 247×9 = 2223 bets.
However, you asked about selecting 30 horses, which would require 5,852,925 Goliaths which is 1445,672,475 bets.
Making 40 selections does not bear thinking about!
An alternative way of looking at the problem if you wanted, say 32 horses, is to choose 8 specific races and select 4 horses in each race. You could then cover all 32 selections using 65,536 Goliaths, but this is still a formidable 16,187,392 bets.
Has that put you off the idea?

[dashingcustomer]

Is there any evidence left of Hurst Park? It seems so recent that it existed, but can it really be over half a century?
http://www.greyhoundderby.com/Hurst%20Park%20racecourse.html
Interest has been rekindled with the Injured Jockeys Fund advertising 4 books on the subject of Lost Racecourses, see the link below:-
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
Do people know of others?

[dashingcustomer]

Managed 5 more matches of Chapter 9 of ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ last night in which each of today’s racecourses is matched against a nearby former course, Match 31 is Goodwood v Gatwick, Match 32 is Gowran Park v Carlow, Match 33 is Hamilton v Lanark, Match 34 is Haydock v Newton-le-Willows, Match 35 is Hexham v Rothbury.
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
More tomorrow when I get that far.

[dashingcustomer]

That is an amazingly ambitious project, but fair play to you if you are able to pull it off. Have you read all of the books on the Grand National produced by John Pinfold? He has written:-
Aintree:The History of the Racecourse
Gallant Sport:The Authentic History of Liverpool races and the Grand National
An Aintree Dynasty
The Velka Pardubicka and the Grand National.
Which of these, if any, will still be referred to in 100 years time?
I know that John has a close working relationship with Mick Mutlow and they are able to tap into each other’s databases. I think that the greyhoundderby.com website owner also liaised with them before producing his history of the Grand National. It might be worth emailing the owner of greyhoundderby to get a link with Mick.

[dashingcustomer]

I have just finished another 5 matches of Chapter 9 of ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ in which each of today’s racecourses is matched against a nearby former course, Match 26 is Fairyhouse v Baldoyle, Match 27 is Fakenham v Hethersett (which I visited last year but could not see evidence of the course), Match 28 is Ffos Las v Haverfordwest, Match 29 is Fontwell v Chichester and Match 30 is Galway v Loughrea.
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
More tomorrow when I get that far.

[dashingcustomer]

I have just bought a copy of the Beverley and York book on your recommendation and di not know of its existence, so thanks for that.
There have been a number of supportive messages for Chris Pitt’s ‘Go Down to the Beaten’ recently, as well as a number of other recommendations. Keep the views coming and I will update the list as various recommendations come in:-
1. A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt
2. The Derby Stakes/The Oaks by Michael Church
3. Seabiscuit; Three men and a racehorse by Laura Hillenbrand
4. Men and Horses I have known by George Lambton
5. Eclipse; The horse that changed horse racing forever by Nicholas Clee
6. McIllvanney on horse racing
7. Arkle by Ivor Herbert
8. Brigadier Gerard by John Hislop
9. A Jockeys Life by Dick Francis
10. Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow by John Slusar
11. Queen of the turf by Quintin Gilbey
12. Mr Darley’s Arabian by Chris McGrath
13. Neck or Nothing: The extraordinary life of Bob Siever by John Welcome
14. Horsesweat and Tears by Simon Barnes
15. Frankel, edited by Andy Pennington
16. Dawn Run by Anne Holland
17. Go Down to the Beaten by Chris Pitt
18. Masters of Manton by Paul Mathieu
19. Mince Pie for Starters by John Oaksey
20. Winner: My Racing Life by A P McCoy

[dashingcustomer]

Thanks for the update on Selkirk and for suggestions of other former courses in Scotland. I know that many have fond memories of Rothbury (see link below) and I am surprised, given Hexham’s continued success, that Rothbury was not also sustainable.
http://www.greyhoundderby.com/Rothbury%20Racecourse.html
Interest has been rekindled with the Injured Jockeys Fund advertising 4 books on the subject of Lost Racecourses, see the link below:-
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
Can anyone point me to others I could visit?

[dashingcustomer]

What a brilliant article. Thank you for sharing it.

[dashingcustomer]

Were you thinking along the lines of the website shown below; with maybe more stories to accompany the facts?
http://www.greyhoundderby.com/Aintree%20grand%20national%20homepage.html
Hope this helps

[dashingcustomer]

Managing to digest 5 courses a day of Chapter 9 of ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ in which each of today’s racecourses is matched against a nearby former course, Match 21 is Downpatrick v Ballymoney; Match 22 is Down Royal v Derry; Match 23 is Dundalk v Mullacurry; Match 24 is Epsom v Hampton (that are had a number of racecourses which included Hurst Park which many would have visited and loved); Match 25 is Exeter v Tiverton.
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
More tomorrow when I get that far.

[dashingcustomer]

That has been very interesting and helpful. Please keep the comments coming if you know of others.
I know that there is still significant evidence of Selkirk racecourse, and even some features of Harrogate racecourse remain. See the links below:-
http://www.greyhoundderby.com/Harrogate%20Racecourse.html
http://www.greyhoundderby.com/Selkirk%20Racecourse.html
Interest has been rekindled with the Injured Jockeys Fund advertising 4 books on the subject of Lost Racecourses, see the link below:-
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
Can anyone point me to others I could visit?

[dashingcustomer]

The newly published books ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ contains over 150 old Ordnance Survey maps spread throughout the 4 volumes showing the positions of former racecourses. The link below takes you to the map of Oswestry included in Volume 1:-
http://www.greyhoundderby.com/Oswestry%20Racecourse.html

[dashingcustomer]

The newly published books ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ contain many original Ordnance Survey maps showing the locations of the former racecourses. The link below takes you the map of Stockton/Teesside included in Volume 1:-
http://www.greyhoundderby.com/Stockton%20Racecourse.html

[dashingcustomer]

I am still enjoying Chapter 9 of ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ in which each of today’s racecourses is matched against a nearby former course, Match 16 is Chester v Tarporley, Match 17 is Clonmel v Cahir, Match 18 is Cork/Mallow v Cork Park, Match 19 is The Curragh v Phoenix Park (anyone have good memories of that track?), Match 20 is Doncaster v Chesterfield.
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
More tomorrow when I get that far.

[dashingcustomer]

Does anyone know if there is any evidence of Stockton/Teesside Park these days?
I remember Colwall Park in the Midlands and discovered some good pictures about it on:-
http://www.greyhoundderby.com/Colwall%20Park%20Racecourse.html
Interest has been rekindled with the Injured Jockeys Fund advertising 4 books on the subject of Lost Racecourses, see the link below:-
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
Can anyone point me to others?

[dashingcustomer]

Of course, there is Flokestone, will that ever re-emerge? Is there anything left at Aldershot? Twesledown still has significant evidence.

Interest has been rekindled with the Injured Jockeys Fund advertising 4 books on the subject of Lost Racecourses, see the link below:-

http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
Can anyone point me to others?

[dashingcustomer]

A very interesting article from some time ago which has recently re-emerged as a topic of interest with the Injured Jockeys Fund advertising 4 books on the subject of Lost Racecourses, see the link below:-
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
I know of at least 7 former courses where significant evidence still exists, namely:-
Bogside, Buckfastleigh, Haverfordwest, Lewes, Lincoln, Northampton, Oswestry
Can anyone point me to others?

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