How many race tracks have you been to:

...I'd agree about York. It would have to be up there... they call York the Ascot of the North. I'd prefer to call Ascot the York of the South. ;)

A fair wide galloping track where the best horse typically wins. And the rest of the place is none too shabby either.
 
York is ok but every great trrack should have a fine paddock (and accessible) and york doesnt
 
Very good point, Clivex. Most tracks have had bits and pieces bolted on over many decades, their lay-outs often leaving a great deal to be desired now that racegoers' requirements are rather more sophisticated than back in 1890 and way past that in many cases. Some are quite shambolic - I always think the trek back and forth at Sandown from seeing the returning horses to getting back to the front is a real pain in the posterior. Plumpton's road (not rail) entrance brings the public straight into the saddling-up area and pre-parade ring, so at least one person is needed on duty to stop them mingling rather too freely. Loads of really badly thought-out, or perhaps not thought-out at all, areas. Now that today's public includes far more wheelchair or mobility scooter users, the 'viewing areas' are also abysmal. I only realised two meetings back that Lingfield's parade ring Disabled viewing spot isn't raised, meaning that the user's eyeline is directly in front of the railings - how on earth planners (?) don't understand that someone sitting down isn't at the same eyeline as someone (even short) standing up, I don't know.

I thought that Great Leighs was going to be the first course actually showing off how a purpose-built affair would be, but once it put its viewing area in the middle of the course, meaning you had to run round in a circle to see your horse race in the flesh...

I hope Ffos Las really has been planned properly for the comfort and ease of all users?
 
Blimety Krizon, I was going to suggest that Pre parade, winners, paddock, course at Sandown is one of the best! But on not so busy days maybe

I like to paddock watch and a decent (and accesible) paddock makes a difference Paddocks at newmarket are great (especially seeing them gallop off on the july course) Windsor is a really nice setting as is ripon and goodwood is excellent

But York is one of the worst
 
I'm happy when I can see Group 1 horses performing to their ability, without excuses... I don't know of a better course than York for this.
 
clivex said:
Blimety Krizon, I was going to suggest that Pre parade, winners, paddock, course at Sandown is one of the best! But on not so busy days maybe

I like to paddock watch and a decent (and accesible) paddock makes a difference Paddocks at newmarket are great (especially seeing them gallop off on the july course) Windsor is a really nice setting as is ripon and goodwood is excellent

But York is one of the worst
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Agree Clive and I like Sandown's parade ring as well but as an overall place to go and watch racing the York (Ebor meeting in particular) is my favourite.
 
"But York is one of the worst"

What is it about the York parade-ring that you don't like, Clive?

Only visited the once, and that was some time ago but I was quite happy with it.

If you go to the steppings on the racecourse side all you have to do is turn around and you can watch them go down to the start, seemed ideal to me.
 
Too crowded. A trek from Grandstand (but great if in owners and trainers bar , which i was once) and a bit functional and even slightly worse for wear

Been a while though and its not something i lose sleep over
 
simmo said:
Ayr and Hamilton. I have no intention of going to Perth. Or Musselburgh, although I am assured that the Edinburgh Cup was "brimming with totty" the other week.
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I have no idea! Was too busy watching all my friends (who have never been to the races) pick loads of winners while I came home with zip. Had much more luck on the Friday :)
 
Clivex - you've misunderstood me - it's the walking from the viewing of returning horses to the front of the course (grandstand) at Sandown which is not so user friendly. The parade ring, etc., per se, is fine, it's the layout of the course which many less nimble or disabled racegoers find very tiresome.

I rate Goodwood very highly for that reason - very easy for all levels of racegoers to go from one side to the other without escalators, barging crowds, tunnels, etc.
 
Can add:
Punchestown
Folkestone
Garthorpe
Kingston Blount
Guilsborough
Chaddesley Corbett

All since my original post.
 
Booked tickets for York's last meeting in October - only for the Saturday so looking forward to going there for the first time.

Also planning to go to Brighton on the 28th - which is the best enclosure for watching? Hoping its a good card!! (Or at least not all sellers?!)
 
Ballydoyle - Premier Enclosure for Brighton. It's a low-grade course, but in a beautiful setting. Our best races are during the 3-day event over August 3, 4 and 5. Why, you might get to meet at least two or three august forumites, like Irish Stamp, Minsterman or Gamla Stan, should they deign to visit. Did you and I not meet a few years back at Lingfield, or was it someone else??
 
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Good memory yes it was at Lingfield but there was only me and about 6 other racegoers!!!

Going to the 28th meeting as we (hubby and I) have the week off and thats a rare occurance during the week so we are going to try to go to Brighton then Epsom on the Thursday if I can get the energy up to watch Texas after racing!

Thanks for the tips re the course - will make sure Himsefl books the right one :)
 
I was in Leopardstown this evening. Great card and was lovely to be back there after a gap of two years. There was a concert on tonight so excesive drinking was to be expected. However, while watching the last next to the delightfull Hayley O'Conor (shameless name dropping, I know) a bottle of Heineken whacked my forearm from the upper stand. Had I been standing an inch forward I would have been split open. I understand it's a concert night and drink is involved but God bless a child that gets hit by a bottle falling from up stairs. Leopardstown should be ashamed of themselves.
 
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Cheltenham
Chepstow
Hereford
Worcester
Newbury
Ludlow
Taunton
Exeter
Newton abbot
Stratford


Curragh
Punchestown
Leapordstown
Tralee
Wexford
 
Gearoid - that's a serious business. You could've been hit in the head and badly hurt, or, as you say, a kid or toddler could've been beaned with horrible consequences. Please do email Leopardstown's manager and tell him what happened. There is no excuse for it - we banned all glassware being taken onto balconies, etc. at Lingfield and Brighton for this very reason, and we position security stewards there to ensure they don't go out with bottles or anything other than plastic drinks containers. The course could stand to lose its likker licence if incidents like that occur, so it's a serious business they should treat with concern. Honest - please do tell them - you might really be doing a small child a favour in future, or, in fact, any racegoer who doesn't want to be knocked unconscious/blinded/scarred for life. Being drunk is no excuse for being an idiot.

How is the adorable Hayley? She's a real gem in Irish racing - God knows there are enough worthy talking heads among the men. You lot should produce a few more lovely young women like her to drag Irish racing out of the creaky old geezers in raincoats era it still looks stuck in on tv. Gary O'Brien is highly professional, but not exactly zipping with fun - I think you need one or two lighter hearts fronting the game, and Hayley would be my choice. Of course, you might be a handsome divil yourself and camera-worthy - as long as you don't talk as fast as Kevin Manning, so us non-Gaels can understand you...
 
krizon said:
Gearoid - that's a serious business. You could've been hit in the head and badly hurt, or, as you say, a kid or toddler could've been beaned with horrible consequences. Please do email Leopardstown's manager and tell him what happened. There is no excuse for it - we banned all glassware being taken onto balconies, etc. at Lingfield and Brighton for this very reason, and we position security stewards there to ensure they don't go out with bottles or anything other than plastic drinks containers. The course could stand to lose its likker licence if incidents like that occur, so it's a serious business they should treat with concern. Honest - please do tell them - you might really be doing a small child a favour in future, or, in fact, any racegoer who doesn't want to be knocked unconscious/blinded/scarred for life. Being drunk is no excuse for being an idiot.

How is the adorable Hayley? She's a real gem in Irish racing - God knows there are enough worthy talking heads among the men. You lot should produce a few more lovely young women like her to drag Irish racing out of the creaky old geezers in raincoats era it still looks stuck in on tv. Gary O'Brien is highly professional, but not exactly zipping with fun - I think you need one or two lighter hearts fronting the game, and Hayley would be my choice. Of course, you might be a handsome divil yourself and camera-worthy - as long as you don't talk as fast as Kevin Manning, so us non-Gaels can understand you...
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It was a shocker Kri but this is Ireland and no one bar my company gave two fucks. Why should I point it out to Leopardstown, they should already have the procedures in place. They should thank their lucky stars the bottle fell where it did.
 
Some good racing there last night at Leopardstown - esp with the last and Laughing overturning the hotpot! (Had an interest in that as it was one of my picks from the time I went to Tatts with Blazing Walker and we have kept tabs on them all). Even better that it returned at 20s!!!
 
With regard to the bands yes thats partly why I dont enjoy the music nights - ones like Abba Tributes are fun because you know there arent hoards of people there just for the band but saying that when we went to Newbury a few years back and Madness were playing, despite the large amount of alcohol consumed during the day, everyone seemed to be behaving, there was even a "dance off" between one of our group and some others standing next to us!!! Got quite a crowd!
 
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