Racecourses

[AustrianAndyGull]

Which racecourses have any of you been to? Anywhere in the world it can be. Which is your favourite and which is your worst. Also any horrific experiences of a day at the races then please tell.

I've been to Doncaster, Pontefract, Ripon, Newcastle, Southwell, Market Rasen, Towcester and Yarmouth.

I liked Market Rasen, on a nice summers day there is plenty of room for a picnic and it's scenic. Yarmouth was fun too.

Newcastle full of rednecks with hooped chav sweaters shouting 'whack the cnut' to the horses, Donny I just hate as it's Donny and a dump and I've been a million times before.

I bought trainer George Margarson a bag of chips at Yarmouth.

THE END

[Scott Brehaut]

I've been to Epsom, Sandown, Newmarket and Doncaster.

Of the four, my favourite is Sandown - good memories there....I once got six of the seven winners on the card one day. Had a rather good evening that night!!

The worst - Newmarket. I know, I know, home of racing and all that. I just felt that the viewing area was sh*t and also that day I had had a massive bet on a horse (Rock of Gibraltar) in the Dewhurst Stakes - it went off at 4/6 and the result was a photo finish - I have never felt so sick. The photo showed that there was pretty much a sheet of bronco between the two and the Rock only just won.

I have never bet big since!!!!

[Southampton Gull]

I've been to Epsom, Sandown, Newmarket and Doncaster.

Of the four, my favourite is Sandown - good memories there....I once got six of the seven winners on the card one day. Had a rather good evening that night!!
The worst - Newmarket. I know, I know, home of racing and all that. I just felt that the viewing area was sh*t and also that day I had had a massive bet on a horse (Rock of Gibraltar) in the Dewhurst Stakes - it went off at 4/6 and the result was a photo finish - I have never felt so sick. The photo showed that there was pretty much a sheet of bronco between the two and the Rock only just won.

I have never bet big since!!!!

Until you got into bed and found more than you expected on your "escort"

[AustrianAndyGull]

Haha! I remember I went to Ripon for my 18th and planned to go around Donny at night when we got back and i'd done £200 at the races, put all I had left (£100) on Harbour Dues fav in the last and if it had lost i'd have gone home early. It won and I was saved!

Also backed a 12/1 at Yarmouth on holiday this April, only because it had a german name! Der Blauer Reiter and it won on debut! Paid for a few meals and beers that week!

[happytorq]

Newton Abbot, Exeter, Cheltenham, Sandown, Haydock, York, Goodwood, Chepstow

Belmont Park over here.

Goodwood was my favourite - from the stands you can see pretty much everything as they come down the hill. Cheltenham is fun simply because it was the Festival and the atmosphere is incredible.

[ferrarilover]

Animal rights extremist spends time at event where the premise is for dwarves to beat mostly blindfolded horses with sticks to make them run fast.

Curious.

[chunkygull]

ive been to newton abbot and exeter but only for car boot sales. :~D

i have heard from many though that going to the races to see the horses live in action is quite an experience. i would really love to try it sometime as i think horses are a fantastic, glorious animal and would actually like to see them do their stuff. would give newton abbot a try if anyone reccomends it.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Doncaster, Wetherby and Garrison Savannah, Barbados!

[AustrianAndyGull]

Animal rights extremist spends time at event where the premise is for dwarves to beat mostly blindfolded horses with sticks to make them run fast.

Curious.

Haha Matt, not quite. Horse Racing is well regulated and i'm not going to go into the welfare issues as I believe there isn't a great deal of problems with it. Greyhounds on the other hand can be bought, run and burned on bonfires without any recourse and I leave them WELL alone. THAT is cruel.

I'm not an extremist, I just look at what is best for the animal in a certain set of circumstances and although a horse would live an ideal life with some other horses in a field going out on a regular hack and having an owner that loves them and cares for them, racehorses by and large live a good life. I do agree that trainers who have horses should ensure that they are found homes after racing and a lot do, they contribute to horse rescue. This could be so much better but it's working I think at the minute.

I can't say the horses themselves ENJOY racing because it is a horse, it can't speak and tell me if it wasn't. All we've got to go on as humans is the behaviour and physiology of the animal and I am led to believe that horses have been used for various working tasks throughout history, used for jumping and transport and the like so i'd guess they wouldn't be too inconvenienced by running around a racecourse a few times a month. Sure there is am issue with whip use and I would prefer it if the whip ban which was overruled would be enforced again but the impact the whip has on contact is believed to be minimal and is regulated by the RSPCA. In addition, the whip is used for correction which helps the horses momentum, direction and posture. It isn't necessarily used to make the animal run faster. On many occasions you will see a horse being administered 'reminders' with the whip only for it to have no impact.

Animal experimentation is interesting and i'm against it but not to the detriment of my health. If I or anyone I love needs a drug to survive or to lead a normal life then until we find a better way of doing things, experimentation is the only option. It is deeply upsetting but a necessary evil at this moment in time. We should get rid of some of the knobs who work in these establishments however who seem to think it is amusing to cause more pain and distress on already suffering animals by f*cking about like kids and mistreating them. If I were their boss i'd sack them on the spot and give them a f*cking good hiding in the car park whilst the animals watch and record it on their mobiles laughing. It is the lack of care and compassion within these places that is endemic and is totally wrong. We just have to try and reduce the numbers of animals used in testing and seek alternative ways. I'm not holding my breath though, what could be cheaper and more reliable scientifically than a thousand rats?

I do whatever I can for animals wherever possible and that means giving up my time and money and like to think i'm fairly well educated when it comes to making decisions about my involvement with them. (and I don't mean doggy sex! )

There are a lot of interesting debates to be had like the badger cull and also wildlife. If we see an injured bird that has fallen from it's nest or been attacked by a larger bird / animal then many would take it to a vets for treatment. If humans weren't around then that bird would have still fallen or been attacked but will have perished because no human was there to aid it. This is nature. So should we be intervening in what would happen anyway? The world of nature going on around us. Or Gaia. Lovelock.

[Gullscorer]

I've absolutely no interest in racecourses, horses, or racing. Sorry Andy. Boring, boring, boring..!!

[SuperNickyWroe]

I've absolutely no interest in racecourses, horses, or racing. Sorry Andy. Boring, boring, boring..!!

thanks for that........

why not sod off to another thread then................

[westbaygull]

Been to Epsom, Sandown, Kempton, Windsor, Salisbury, Newton Abbot and Wincanton. Would like to go to Exeter and Taunton but they will keep having race meetings when I'm at work, dammit.

Favourite is Windsor, when I was up North, I often went there as it was only a 20 min drive. Salisbury has lovely scenery.

[EmetEdadsBeard]

I've absolutely no interest in racecourses, horses, or racing. Sorry Andy. Boring, boring, boring..!!

I concur, as my granddad's no1 sport was horseracing (he was training as a jockey as a young man) and as kids we weren't allowed between him and the black and white telly on Saturday afternoon, so I always hated the racing and to this day won't go despite Mrs Beard going to the St Leger every year.

Did visit York racecourse once though, played rugby for Wath Grammar school agains't York Grammar, lost about 70-0 so not a good memory (oh and I've been to Donny for a school photoshoot).

[lucy6lucy]

Been to Haydock several times(5 mins away from my house), Chester, Wetherby, Aintree(again so close from home) and Newton Abbott. Best is Newton Abbott, as it signifies I am on holiday plus my daughter had her photo with AP MCoy. Chester is a very nice compact course. Wetherby is small but god damm it I never had a winner in my 2 trips.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Wetherby is tricky to find a decent value winner as is Catterick. Not been to Wetherby despite it being just up the road from where I was brought up.