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Kempton Park, "change" and "tradition"

DO is spot on. Money is what it is ALL about. And i certainly dont buy this idea that if they move the five furlong race from Saturday or move the Coronation Cup or move whatever race to another day that it will entice people to go.
The plain and simple fact is that it does not matter what supporting races are run on the day, if people cant afford £55 (advance ticket) to get in (£85 on the day), or just refuse to pay that much, it doesnt matter what races are run that day, they just cant/wont pay. And bear in mind, they are the cheapest tickets apart from if you want to stand on the hill half a mile from home and pay £30 !! (o £40 on the day)

Racing thinks too highly of itself. That clown David Armstrong from the racecourse association is always churning out the same old line when asked why admission/drinks/food prices are so high at the tracks. He comes out with, "They are comparable with other major sporting events".
Racing is NOT, i repeat NOT, a major sporting event ! Grand National, yes. Cheltenham Gold Cup, yes, The Derby, yes, Royal Ascot too. But would you class Uttoxeter today as a "major sporting event" ? It wont even get a single line or a mention in many newspapers. Same as Wolverhampton tomorrow. And Fakenham on Sunday etc etc.
Racing needs to get its house in order and quickly and realise where exactly it is in the food chain. The upper class snobbishness will be the death of it.
 
Slim said:
"Lucky enough to have been a guest in a private box".

I've been in private boxes and theyvsre absolutely shit. You couldn't hand pick worse people to be stuck in a room with.
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I'll second that. And thats one of the problems. I had to hand pick ones to invite to the box on various occasions but my hands were basically tied. If it had been up to me none of them would have got in.

Again, money (habitual losers) talks.
 
Quixall Crossett said:
DO is spot on. Money is what it is ALL about. And i certainly dont buy this idea that if they move the five furlong race from Saturday or move the Coronation Cup or move whatever race to another day that it will entice people to go.
The plain and simple fact is that it does not matter what supporting races are run on the day, if people cant afford £55 (advance ticket) to get in (£85 on the day), or just refuse to pay that much, it doesnt matter what races are run that day, they just cant/wont pay. And bear in mind, they are the cheapest tickets apart from if you want to stand on the hill half a mile from home and pay £30 !! (o £40 on the day)

Racing thinks too highly of itself. That clown David Armstrong from the racecourse association is always churning out the same old line when asked why admission/drinks/food prices are so high at the tracks. He comes out with, "They are comparable with other major sporting events".
Racing is NOT, i repeat NOT, a major sporting event ! Grand National, yes. Cheltenham Gold Cup, yes, The Derby, yes, Royal Ascot too. But would you class Uttoxeter today as a "major sporting event" ? It wont even get a single line or a mention in many newspapers. Same as Wolverhampton tomorrow. And Fakenham on Sunday etc etc.
Racing needs to get its house in order and quickly and realise where exactly it is in the food chain. The upper class snobbishness will be the death of it.
Click to expand...
That's circa £30 to £80 entrance fees before you factor in travel costs and inflated food/drink prices on course, without even placing a bet.

They're totally pricing themselves out of the market, especially for potential new blood in their 20s , most of whom won't be earning big money.
 
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Quixall Crossett said:
I'll second that. And thats one of the problems. I had to hand pick ones to invite to the box on various occasions but my hands were basically tied. If it had been up to me none of them would have got in.

Again, money (habitual losers) talks.
Click to expand...

Oh my God. Your last line literally nails my experience of it.
 
Kempton for me is now a pretty soulless place. As soon as they ripped out the turf Flat course, I felt it became that. The JC have no interest in it whatsoever.

As for the Derby, I'd be all for making it a Super Saturday if you want to keep it on that day. The Derby, Oaks, Coronation Cup, the Dash, a 2yo group race and a top class 1m 2f handicap. And market the crap out of it. But also make the inner part of the course, a very cheap fun area with stalls, trade stands, entertainment - get those rows of open top buses back. If it's got to compete with other sports on that day, make it something that everyone HAS to go to.
 
jinnyj said:
Kempton for me is now a pretty soulless place. As soon as they ripped out the turf Flat course, I felt it became that. The JC have no interest in it whatsoever.

As for the Derby, I'd be all for making it a Super Saturday if you want to keep it on that day. The Derby, Oaks, Coronation Cup, the Dash, a 2yo group race and a top class 1m 2f handicap. And market the crap out of it. But also make the inner part of the course, a very cheap fun area with stalls, trade stands, entertainment - get those rows of open top buses back. If it's got to compete with other sports on that day, make it something that everyone HAS to go to.
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Yes. MARKET THE SHIT OUT OF IT!
Especially the Calandagan Masquerade Ball Rematch at the King George Stakes
 
Slim said:
"Lucky enough to have been a guest in a private box".

I've been in private boxes and theyvsre absolutely shit. You couldn't hand pick worse people to be stuck in a room with.
Click to expand...
You're not wrong - I've enjoyed a decent enough lunch and a decent view, but I often literally had to step outside and go for a walk because the alternative would have been confrontation with some random bloke - who was a tool when he arrived and an even bigger one after a drink - to the mortification of my host.
 
When the original 'Kempton closing' story started up, I seem to remember being in the minority on here in not really caring as long as the incoming money was used to promote racing across the board rather than piling more money in at the top end.

I'll admit to not having been for a few years now but featureless and bland would be my best description of the course. A nothing experience both as a paying punter and an owner.

In terms of the King George itself, I do think that there should be a right-handed G1 3m chase and either Sandown or Ascot would be fine. I would look at having the Tingle Creek meeting at Christmas and incorporating those races from Kempton that are worth saving.
 

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