Racecourse A-Z Part One

On one of the racing forums there has been a debate about the relative merits of our various racecourses, having been to every UK course on at least three occasions I’m probably in a good position to compare them.

So here is the first of a three part blog with my thumbnail sketches of our racecourses, welcome to racecourses A-F.

(If I happen to annoy any racecourse managers – it’s nothing personal, I’m just giving my impartial view)

Aintree

One of the courses known to non-racing fans. A massive site it has a buzz at the national meeting but at the other meetings it has a forlorn feel as when only 5-6,000 attend they seem lost in the vast acreage.   “Ladies Day” at the National meeting is one of the most terrifying  experiences known to man.

Viewing of the Mildmay course is good but terrible on the National course, even with industrial strength binoculars.

Visit the National meeting once to experience the place, otherwise best avoided. 4/10

Ascot

Controversially redeveloped I was one of those initially anti the changes, now I’m probably its biggest fan.

The amphitheatre parade ring has to be amongst the best in the world, even Longchamps.   

Viewing is good, especially if you have Premier tickets. It can be oppressively crowded at the Royal meeting though and it isn’t that cheap, although they do have a free day in the spring.

The racing is generally  of a good quality.

It can get boozy and intimidating at some of the big meetings. 9/10

Ayr

Ayr is a funny course. They have spent vast sums of money refurbishing the inside of the stands but externally it looks tatty. It’s another of those courses where there is a buzz on the big days but can feel quite forlorn on the quieter days.

Viewing of the racing is good but for me it’s a “take it or leave it” course.  4/10  

Bangor

The course which famously does not have a grandstand, which isn’t a problem on a nice sunny day but a big disadvantage if the weather is inclement.

Viewing is from sloping banks and, unusually, the finish is down the side of the course relative to the enclosures.

Having said that there is a good atmosphere and you can see the racing.

It would be a lot better if it switched from left to right handed  and have the finish in front of the enclosures but that’s being picky.  7/10

Bath

The highest course in the country and don’t you know it as it is almost always windy there. It also had no irrigation system so the word firm invariably appears in the going description, although with some fantastic turf management they manage to take the sting out of the ground.

To me it’s a schizophrenic course.

The midweek meetings can be a real delight with moderate crowds and a good atmosphere. Weekend meetings can be hell on earth with boozy coach parties descending from across the Welsh border,where the course can be overcrowded and intimidating.    Midweek 6/10  Weekend 2/10

Beverley

It has to have the narrowest enclosures in the country which can make the place feel more full than it probably is.

It usually attracts a decent crowd, even mid-week. It can get a bit lively at the weekend meetings. A good honest to goodness course. 6/10

Brighton

In days of yore it had a seedy reputation thanks to Graham Green’s Brighton Rock and it has to be said it still has a seedy feel to it. The Grandstand has certainly seen better days. There are some stunning views from its hilltop position with the Channel below.

It is also the only track with a housing estate in the middle of the course. It attracts good holiday crowds but I would only call it an OK type of course.  5/10

Carlisle

I think Carlisle is an underrated course. The topology does mean there are a couple of areas where racing cannot be seen with the naked eye.

It has an excellent, testing, jumps track and I prefer it as a jumps rather than flat course. The one “disadvantage” is it is located in the wettest part of the country which can result in testing conditions for both participants and racegoers. 7/10

Cartmel

Cartmel can be a Marmite course, you either love it or hate it – me I love the place.

In a beautiful setting the atmosphere is fabulous. OK the racing is moderate and there isn’t a single point at the course where you can see all the action but that’s not the point.

The crowd are in the centre of the course and the prime pitches next to the fences soon go well before racing.

Set in a delightful village it’s the place for a perfect day out 9/10

Catterick Bridge

What I would call a “bread and butter” course and that isn’t meant to be derogatory. The racing is moderate but there is a knowledgeable local crowd. It doesn’t get overly busy but there is generally a good atmosphere.

For a good no frills day at the races it is hard to beat 6/10

Cheltenham

The home of national hunt racing and its setting in a natural amphitheatre is one of the best in racing.

Home of the Festival it can also be a frustrating meeting with big queues everywhere, especially on Gold Cup day and moving around is difficult almost impossible at times.

It is a much more enjoyable experience at the other meetings, some of which can have racing as good as the Festival itself.

It is a course every NH fan should visit at least once. 8/10

Chepstow

It was once my local track and I was a frequent visitor but it’s a course I’ve never had a strong affection for.

The undulating straight track means viewing is terrible and it is a course which has a reputation for being boozy and having something of an edge.

One I wouldn’t be too upset if I never visited again. 3/10

Chester

I’m probably going to ruffle a lot of feathers here but I abhor Chester and if it were to close down tomorrow I would not shed a single tear.

The course itself is so tight many results are decided by the draw rather than ability, although that would not bother most who attend as they don’t seem interested in the racing.

The course seems to be frequented by patrons who are more interested in pouring as much booze down their throats as they are in watching the racing.

I have long said they could stage three legged donkey races at Chester and 90% of the crowd would be none the wiser.

It’s the most expensive over-prices course in the country but amazingly they still manage to sell out most meetings. 0/1 0

Doncaster

Doncaster is, in my view, the Cinderella of courses – it has so much potential but it’s not allowed to achieve it.

There is a brand new Grandstand but with what is effectively a woods in the centre of the course, viewing is very restricted for round course races.

Being part of ARC prize money is kept to a minimum and that results in generally moderate racing. Take away the St Leger, Lincoln and possibly November handicap and there isn’t much left.

It’s a shame as with some serious investment in prize money Doncater could become the premier track in the north. 6/10

Epsom

An anomaly of a course. I often say if Epsom applied to be a new course today it would never be granted a licence by the BHA with the nature of its track, yet it is home to, arguably, the most fanous flat race in the world.

Built on common land they have a problem that people can watch racing for free in the centre of the course.

The Derby meeting is a fantastic experience, especially on The Hill. Sadly other meetings lack atmosphere and quality.  

Epsom have moved to the concert format which means they can charge £35 admission and then put on absolutely dire racing. Derby Meeting 8/10 Other meetings 4/10

Exeter

What I call a locals course and a course which can attract some decent runners. Unfortunately being high on a hill it also attracts swirling mists which can ruin a potentially good days racing.

Having said that an enjoyable course to visit. 7/10

Fakenham

Unless you happen to be a local the course is miles from anywhere. However wherever you do live the course is worth a visit.

Compact it always feels busy and although the crowds are only around the 2,000 mark it always feels fuller.

The course has a strong, loyal local following – it must be the only course which seems to have more members than paying public. The crowd is knowledgeable and welcoming and I would call Fakenhan a proper NH grassroots course. 9½/10

Ffos Las

If Fakenham is the most difficult course to get to in the east then Ffos Las must hold the same accolade in the west. It seems to take forever to get to, even once you leave the M4.

Facilities are basic but the course itself is good and viewing is good.

Mobile phone signals are hit and miss at the course. 6/10

Fontwell

I’m going to have to declare an interest here – this is where I first attended a live meeting.

Fontwell is quirky with its figure-of-eight chase course but, for me that adds to its charm. There are fewer better placed to watch racing than in the centre of the course in a chase at Fontwell.       

Another course with a good local following, if I could only go racing at one course this would be the one. 10/10

Disappointment On The Downs

Well another Derby weekend comes and goes and I have to admit I’ve come away from the 2013 renewal feeling slightly flat and deflated.

It wasn’t all bad, of course, the horrible weather of the previous few days  finally relented and the sun shone on the Downs. The crowds were healthy, 120,000 on the big day itself but those large crowds bring inherent problems as an annoying minority seem to be unable to control themselves after a few drinks.

Friday didn’t get off to a good start as it finally saw the return of Frankie Dettori after serving a six month ban after being caught with traces of cocaine in his system after a drug test in France last September.

With the delays in the returning of his licence I was beginning to find the whole affair more than tiresome.

Of course when he finally did return the frenzy in certain parts of the media was frankly nauseating and one of the worse offenders was Channel Four.

You would think we were witnessing the return of some long lost hero – we weren’t.

Let’s get this straight Dettori was banned after taking a drug which it is a criminal offence to both possess and use. This is not the action of some immature youngster this is the action of a supposedly mature and responsible 42 year old man, father to five children – what a wonderful example to set to them.

He then moves the Dettori PR machine into overdrive claiming it was a moment of madness, a one of mistake. Towards the end of a ban he agrees to the softest of soft interviews with Clare Balding, who by her own admission has been a friend of his for years – so  no danger of a Paxmanesque interrogation there then?

Also, let's not forget Dettori has previous when it comes to cocaine .... he must be a very unlucky person to have only had the drug twice and to have been caught both times. 

Remember Dettori is a shrewd PR operator – switch on the TV cameras and he is the jolly chirpy Italian jockey, away from the cameras and the big meetings the story is different.

I have witnessed, first hand, the other side of Dettori and frankly I think he is an objectionable, obnoxious individual.

For me, after all the fuss about his return, I was actually two of his three mounts came home last.

One of the biggest smiles about his overblown return actually came courtesy of Channel Four.

Emma Spencer, clearly employed for her supposed good looks rather than her racing knowledge, interviewed Neil Callan the winner of Resurgent  and then proceeded to ask him about his “ride” in the next race on Sri Putra – a ride where he had been jocked off by one L Dettori.

He soon put Ms Spencer in her place but how ironic that one of the star presenters of Channel Four was unaware of the jockey change, when the broadcaster she is employed by were having the broadcasting version of an orgasm over Dettori’s return.      

Racing in Friday was good with the aptly named Talent winning The Oaks giving trainer Ralph Beckett an amazing 1-2 in the race, although not in the order expected and it gave Richard Hughes a second classic win in a few weeks.

Saturday dawned and the two feature races were starkly different.

In the Coronation Cup we had St Nicholas Abbey looking for an unprecedented third consecutive win.

With around £9.5k on offer for finishing fifth it was disappointing to see only five runners, especially when two of the five were simply in the race as pacemakers. With trainers complaining about the lack of prize money you would have thought more would have had a pop, even if it were for the decent place purse.

In the end the script worked out as planned with St Nicholas Abbey coming home, barely breaking sweat, followed home by Dunaden.

He can only beat what is put in front of him but with almost £5m in winnings he has been a credit to connections.

Before I turn to The Derby I must mention The Dash over the fastest five furlong course in the country.

Ryan Moore gave Duke of Firenze a sublime ride. I 9^th place and behind wall of horses a half-a-furlong from home, he weaved through rivals to go on and record a neck victory.

Even more impressive was the run of the runner-up, Smoothtalkinrascal, under  Daniel Tudhope, who was as far back as 14^th at the half furlong pole.

Well in the big race itself we had a well touted favourite in Dawn Approach. I have to admit he is a horse I have long admired and I really wanted him to do well in The Derby – as we now know it wasn’t to be.      

I think it's the worse Derby I can remember, a very messy race and I can't recall the last time there were six stewards inquiries into a single race.

Poor Kevin Manning didn't stand a chance in the race - Dawn Approach ran as if a pot of mustard had been shoved up his backside, he took off like a horse possessed and it would have been no surprise if Manning had not returned with arms six inches longer than when he had set out.

Full credit to Ballydoyle who employed perfect tactics, in not employing a pacesetter  they played on the perceived weaknesses of the favourite. Although looking at Dawn Approach I think he would probably have blown up whatever tactics had been employed.

French raider Ocovango probably would not have won but would have been possibly been placed were it not for him getting mullered twice. I wonder  would a jockey with more experience of Epsom have done better on him?

Mars, fancied in some areas, didn't get the best of runs either.

OK The Derby is always a rough race but this one just didn't seem right at all.

Did the "best" horse win - possibly but even that is open to debate.

It was a fantastic day for Ryan Moore though.

Moore often gets slated for “not having a personality” but I would rather have him ride a horse of mine than the coke snorting showman Dettori.   

Not A Bowl Of Cherries

Since my last blog I’ve had a few people ask me about my comment regarding coverage of Royal Ascot, hopefully this will clarify things.

As the website has developed over the past five years so has the emphasis of the coverage. Initially it was a web site concentrating exclusively on reviews of racecourses and a beginners guide to racing.

Indeed the racecourse reviews are still and always will be an integral part of the site.

One area that has changed is the coverage of racing. Initially concentrating on race reports the emphasis has changed over the past years to also concentrate on paddock reporting as well, to this end the site also provides a Twitter feed, concentrating on paddock reports.

As well as the reporting the aim is to also add some colour to the meetings, particularly at the big festival meetings. At most meetings providing the paddock comments is relatively straightforward, it’s just a matter of popping down to the parade ring to see the runners and, if it is a particularly busy meeting and the crowds are ten deep, my press badge allows me access inside the paddock so I can still see the runners, although my preference is always to watch them from outside.

Now when it comes to the festivals it is a different matter. Due to the demand from “the media” there has to be some control and that I fully understand.

The number of people who say they are envious about me attending all these big meetings is huge, and yes it is a privilege to see all the great performers however it isn’t all a bed of roses.  

Basically there are five big Festivals in the UK and each have their own challenges. The first four all have separate arrangements in place for the media.

The year begins at Cheltenham. This meeting has a two class media set-up, the lucky ones get in the main press room, the remainder of us are in the temporary media centre in the Guinness Village.

Friday Crowds At Cheltenham

Only the chosen ones in the main press room have a vantage point from which to watch the racing with their own balcony, the remainder of us have to fight to find a vantage point to watch the racing – in reality the only option is to pay for a seat in the Guinness stand and that’s a furlong from the finish.

Regarding the parade ring now Cheltenham provide a viewing area for the press which is fine in theory but in practice is impractical as you have to fight your way through the crowds to get there, bad enough on the first three days and impossible on the Friday.

The media centre is well equipped but there is a big disadvantage with it being in the Guinness Village – the band.

Now I quite like Irish music but when you hear the band, located right outside the media centre, rehearsing at 10:00 every morning then playing their entire set four times a day every day it gets tiresome – especially when the marry ragegoers start stamping along on the metal infrastructure.    

Next up is the Grand National meeting in early April and one I cannot comment on. Aintree has a large press room /media centre but it isn’t big enough for all the demands. Unlike most of the  other Festivals Aintree don’t provide overspill areas for the media. One thing that is clear with Aintree is that if you are working for any online media outlet then you can forget getting any accreditation for the Grand National meeting. Actually that’s not quite true, you can have access to the course but no access to the media centre.

Now to provide coverage of a race meeting I carry a bag of equipment weighing around 25lbs. Now Aintree expect me to use this equipment to provide updates either sitting on a bench outside, if I can find one and it’s dry or, if it’s wet sitting on the floor of a bar and getting kicked and tripped over.

Needless to say I don’t bother with the Grand National meeting any more.

Early June brings The Derby at Epsom.  Now Epsom has a very small press room so a media centre is built for the meeting. Well-equipped and, usually, well located (this year it was inside the course which caused problems of its own as there were issues crossing the course). The press are given a viewing area in The Queen’s Stand (exempt from the strict dress rules). Now at Epsom access to the parade ring is severely restricted, however they do provide an easily accessible viewing area for all media, so paddock inspections are relatively easy.

All in all Epsom is the best festival to cover from a working perspective. There is no segregation within the media and everyone is treated equally and it works.

This brings us onto Ascot. No surprise there is segregation at Ascot, defined by the colour of your badge. The chosen ones have a red badge which allows access to the main press room on the second floor. Although not guaranteed holders of the red badges get access to the parade ring as well.

Us lesser mortals have the blue badge, it doesn’t mean we are disabled but we may as well be.  Blue badge holders are based in the media centre, or as we call it “the dungeon” a windowless,  cramped room in the bowels of the Grandstand.  The most frustrating part is just outside the media centre is a courtyard besides the parade ring but we are deemed unworthy to enter that hallowed ground because our badge is the wrong colour.         

The powers that be at Ascot have the view that blue badge holders have no need to see the runners in the parade ring or that if we do need to see them then we can stand with the crowd.

They are not in the real world – take day one tomorrow. By the time I have written my report on Frankel winning the Queen Anne and uploaded the report it will be around 14:50 – I am then supposed to go outside to a parade ring twelve deep with racegoers and carry out a proper paddock inspection – it ain’t going to work. That’s why there are unlikely to be any paddock updates this week. Very frustrating when there is a near empty courtyard just yards away.

Another interesting thing to note is with Ascot being such a large site there is a lot of walking involved – one of the days last year I wore a pedometer and it worked out I had walked six miles by the end of the day.

The final festival of the year shows why the other ones have special arrangements, namely Goodwood. At Glorious Goodwood there are no media restrictions – if you have an RCA press badge you can go in the press room and it doesn’t work. Despite being a large pressroom and Goodwood installing extra desks it does not work. Last time I tried it I arrived about four hours before racing and I ended up sitting on the floor bay the photocopier – my one and only day at Glorious Goodwood.

The other thing to bear in mind is the long hours, to get a place in the car park or media centre you need to be at the course early, any later than 10:00 am and you're in trouble. With the post race traffic it's often an hour after racing before you can think of getting away.  

So the media restrictions at the big meetings are a necessary evil, what does rankle however is how the places are divvied up. Many of those who automatically get the best badges are those who only seem to appear at the big meetings, indeed there are even some who turn up for the hospitality and don’t actually do any work. However those who attend the meetings throughout the year, come rain, come shine are effectively shunted out of the way.

It rankles, at Ascot for example, that I attend almost every meeting throughout the year, meetings most of the "glory boys" wouldn't be seen dead at, yet come the Royal meeting I'm not even allowed to stand in a courtyard to view the horses.

I do wish the courses would look at a more equitable system for the Festivals.

What happens is once you are allocated a colour or particular level then you are stuck with it, so if your needs change from when you first attended you are stuck with it and have to make do with your lot without complaint. On the other hand once you get the higher level access you have it for life, even if you no longer need the access given.        

Striking A Duff Chord

In the past few weeks I have begun to wonder if I am a Racing or an Arts Correspondent as almost every race meeting I have attended seems to have a post-racing concert attached.

In the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to see a range of entertainers from international stars like Tom Jones and The Beach Boys through to tribute bands like Mowtown In Motion.

This coming Saturday sees what is fast becoming the Grand Daddy of the lot where Ascot have no fewer than ten acts from the 80’s performing after racing. Acts as diverse as Jason Donovan, Kid Creole and The Coconuts, Paul Young, Toyah, Altered Images etc. etc.

Undoubtedly these concerts are a success for the racecourses with gates increasing beyond the courses wildest dreams. It is interesting to note that courses also seem to be reluctant to release the attendance figures for their concerts.

Sandown usually attract around 3,000 for their mid-week evening meetings yet there were easily 12,000 at the meeting where Tom Jones appeared.

Newmarket’s Friday evening race meetings with concerts attract up to 20,000.

So you can see, even after paying the performers costs, why the courses are keen to have the concerts after racing as with such a captive audience associated catering and, especially, bar takings will go through the roof.

Also where the performer is a “name” it also gives the course an excuse to charge inflated admission prices . . . .at most courses where there is a big name entertainer performing after racing you will be looking at admission prices starting in excess of £30.

Therein lies the problem. Sticking a concert after racing and inflating the prices accordingly is going to alienate the regular racegoers.

With the notable exception of Newmarket, who do make an attempt to stage some half-decent racing on concert nights, many courses seem to program frankly appalling, low quality racing to accompany the racing. Indeed you are left with the feeling the racing is an irrelevance and the racing is staged to allow patrons additional drinking time before the concert begins.

Epsom seems to be the champion at staging sub-standard racing on concert days, take last Thursday when Blondie was performing after racing. By all accounts a huge turnout crowd wise, with tickets in excess of £30 but in terms of the racing the six races had field sizes of 5, 5,4, 6, 7 and 6 respectively.

Would any racing fan, not interested in staying for the concert, pay in excess of £30 to watch that racing?

More courses have, this year, clearly demonstrated that racing is of secondary importance to the concert.

Again Epsom is a prime example. If you do not know Epsom racecourse the land in the centre of the track is common land to which people have free access.

Canny locals turn up on concert nights and are able to watch the concerts for free.

To make life more difficult for these “freeloaders” who of course provide no income for the tracks, the Epsom management have this year turned the stage around so it faces away from the Downs thus depriving those of the centre of the course a free view of the concert.

That sounds reasonable but in doing so they have positioned the stage in such a position that racegoers in the stands are unable to see a fair chunk of the final furlong.

Even the commentary and press positions high on the roof of The Queen’s Stand have an obstructed view of the racing if the runners come stands side.

Epsom is not alone in the ill thought out positioning of stages obstructing viewing of the racing. There have, to my knowledge and experience, been similar complaints at both Doncaster and Newbury.

I have heard many complaints from regular racegoers about the adverse impact the concerts have on their experiences, yet the courses do not seem to care.

At Newmarket last Friday evening there was a boy band called The Wanted performing after races – the audience at the track was predominantly adolescent females. They had no interest in the racing but their presence made it almost impossible for me to work at the course. Indeed by the fifth race I gave up trying to fight through the crowds to get from the press room to the parade ring.

I can see, from a financial perspective, why courses have the concerts. They provide a welcome and no doubt substantial increase in income in these particularly tough times.

However in doing so the courses are risking alienating their core customer base, those racegoers who attend rain and shine, concert or no concert. I know of more than one racegoer who already have or intend to cancel annual memberships as a result of a courses policy with concerts.

The courses will undoubtedly retort the concerts will attract some new racegoers who would not otherwise have discovered racing. That may be true but are these numbers more than those who will be lost due to alienation?

It is interesting to see at least two courses this season Newbury (Rod Stewart) and Hamilton Park (Westlife) have been honest enough to admit the concerts are the cash cow and more profitable than racing. They held their concerts without having a race meeting attached, still attracted big crowds and everyone was happy.

Perhaps other courses should learn from their example.   

- - - - - -

Last Tuesday’s Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood was billed as the Duel On The Downs, in reality it turned out to be a Massacre On The Downs as it turned into a procession with Frankel putting in an awesome, imperious performance. Granted Canford Cliffs did not run to his best but even if he had there is no way he would have matched Frankel. 

We have been spoiled in the last couple of years. Many though Sea The Stars was a once in a generation horse, now it seems we have another great equine superstar to admire and watch open mouthed.