Author: shortcall

Goodwood, UK

Glorious Goodwood, in West Sussex, on the South Coast of England. And truly glorious it is. The majestic drive into the course over the rolling countryside, through the Goodwood Estate is a pleasure in itself.

Some of my earliest great racing memories are from Goodwood and from those meetings outside of the main festival meeting (which is held annually at the end of July) too. Glorious Goodwood attracts the international set, as well as being well supported by the locals. The other meetings are well-supported by the local contingent.

How to get there

If coming from overseas, the best airport is London Gatwick, where you can hire a car and drive to Goodwood in just under an hour. You can also get the train to Chichester (the nearest town to the racecourse) – which also takes just under the hour. From there you would have to get a taxi to the course.

Accommodation

Chichester has a few good hotels, but early booking is essential. There are a lot of outlying villages with good guesthouse/pub/B&B accommodation. Places you could look are Bosham, the Witterings, Fontwell and even Bognor Regis. Brighton is also worthy of consideration, depending on what you’re looking for nightlife wise.

Chichester itself has a super 900 year old Cathedral – St. Richard’s, which is well worth a look, time permitting.

Great range of eating places, which I hope to visit again in the near future and will update this piece accordingly with recommendations.

Racecourse

For the Glorious festival, there are 3 enclosures: the Richmond – access only for annual members during the Qatar Festival. For all other meetings outside of this meeting, this would be the premier enclosure. The other 2 enclosures are the Gordon and the Lennox. For those that like to graze, there is a picnic area – Trundle Hill where you can view the action for free:

Trundle Hill looming in background

Entrance during the Qatar festival is around £47 for the Gordon enclosure. For the Lennox it’s about £25.

See https://www.goodwood.com/ for more information on ticketing and hospitality.

There are plenty of food snacking options and bars for all.

Solow before winning the Sussex Stakes in 2015 for French trainer Freddy Head

General vibe

Goodwood is full of gentleman wearing the eponymous Panama hat. Never will you see so many of them in a confined space!

Due to the wide cross-section of society that attend, you have everything from haute-couture, to jeans and t-shirts.

If attending the Gordon enclosure (and it goes without saying the Richmond too) – there is a minimum dress code.

Crowd around parade ring

Summary

Goodwood is a great experience. The festival which runs from Tuesday through to Saturday, is packed with top class international racing. Any day would be a treat.

The locals are very friendly and do try to stay a night at least, in Chichester to soak up the festival atmosphere.

The town itself is definitely worth a look, good selection of shops and pleasant architecture. There is also the Festival Theatre where many a world-leading actor and actress has graced the boards down the years.

The whole trip is a pleasure, from driving across the Sussex Downs to get there, to the apres-racing in Chichester, the racing and the fond memories you will take with you!

Limerick, Ireland

The now ‘not so new’ Limerick racecourse was completed in 2001, replacing the old one situated nearer to Limerick City, which closed in 1999.

Getting there

Situated off the M20 at Patrickswell. Easy to get to, plenty of fields on the lands for parking.

Where to stay

Limerick City is well-served by good standard hotels, there is a good Radisson Blu: https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-blu-limerick-spa and the Absolute Hotel near St. John’s Castle: https://www.absolutehotel.com/ – amongst others. Plenty of grades to choose from.

You could also treat yourself and stay in the chocolate-box village of Adare, with it’s thatched roofs.

Adare is home to the JP McManus owned hotel – the 5* Adare Manor: https://www.adaremanor.com/ – the ultimate in luxury and the venue for the 2024 Ryder Cup. I can highly recommend the Dunraven Arms just across the road, which is owned and managed by horse racing aficinados: https://www.dunravenhotel.com/ Adare has a plethora of good eating spots and bars. I can highly recommend the Wild Geese – I had one of the best meals ever here a good few years ago, so I hope it’s still as excellent.

Racecourse

As you would expect due to it being less than 20 years old, modern clean structure. I attended a meeting as part of their Christmas festival, where a best-dressed competition was in full flow. As such, it was a fairly busy day, so it was difficult enough to get near the food to see what they had to offer. I only had experience of using one of the outdoor carts, where they had a good selection of homemade cakes.

It’s a large stand, with very good viewing and a water feature in the middle of the track.

As a first time visitor, the only criticism I would have is that there wasn’t a great deal of information around, for example I went the whole afternoon without being able to find a racecard and admittedly gave up after a while.

I would like to to visit again to give it a proper appraisal, as my over-riding impression was fairly positive.

The crowd would be a mix of rural types, with a few glam ones from the cities, but very much in keeping with the rural vibe.

Ascot, UK

Having been a patron of the previous incarnation of Ascot, I paid my first ever visit to the new Ascot in 2019, for the Royal meeting.

How to get there

By air: London Heathrow. Ascot racecourse is served by train. For the Royal meeting, taxis should ideally be booked in advance. If you take your chances after racing and are fortunate to get one from the rank, you will probably be price gouged, even if going a very short distance.

Accommodation

It goes without saying, that hotels and other lodgings are booked up year on year. Expect to pay a premium. Some people will stay as far away as Slough & Reading, but then you have to grapple with the transport options, or lack of. Royal Ascot charge about £35 for car-parking and it generally should be booked in advance.

Racecourse

The sheer scale of the stand is initially, somewhat overwhelming for the 1st time visitor. Once inside, you are struck by the genius design of it. It feels spacious, even when thronged with punters. It’s almost like a boulevard with a variety of eating and drinking options off the main thoroughfare.

What really impressed me, that unlike some other major racing festival racecourses, the prices for food and drink were more than reasonable for a premium event such as Royal Ascot. I think this is important to note, as it leaves punters like me going away with the sense of satisfaction that they haven’t been ripped off.

As we all probably know there are 3 enclosures – the Royal one, for which access is gained by invitation or application only, the Queen Anne and the Village enclosure. I recall that Queen Anne access was around £73-75 per day in 2019.

There are numerous hospitality packages available.

I am not going to discuss the racing, as that does not warrant discussion here.

If you’re into people spotting, you can actually be only a few feet away from the Royal Family and other high profile individuals, if you turn up at the parade ring before races. Or you can of course wait on the rails for the daily Royal carriage procession, if that is your want.

With regard to the parade ring, the side nearest the stand is highly congested, I would advise wandering around to the opposite side, where you can usually get a much better vantage point for the horses.

Shop

There is a really good Royal Ascot shop selling a variety of souvenir type items and more expensive items of clothing and artefacts. Again, I found the range of merchandise extremely good value for the quality on offer.

General vibe

There are not enough superlatives to adequately describe the general excitement and high-octane racing that takes place. For purist flat racing fans like myself it’s heaven. For others of course, it’s all about the style and the people-watching and that is the beauty of Royal Ascot, it can be everything to everyone.

A lot of people look forward to the end of day bandstand sing-song, where the band plays a variety of patriotic tunes. If you’re not too fussed about this, I would take this as the cue to get away from the course and beat some of the crowds.

Ascot – the town

Ascot itself has a limited amount of restaurants that would need to be booked well in advance. There are a few bars, which again are busy but good-natured and enjoyable. Ascot also enjoys some good coffee shops, where you can while an hour away before gates open, over breakfast, or a cake and coffee.

For those who need last minute outfits or accessories, there are sufficient outlets for this purpose. Most of the boutiques go to town on their windows and they in themselves are worth a look.

Summary

Again, it’s one of those must-do events, at least once in a lifetime. A great value product, excellent organisational efficiency in all areas, plenty of sherpas to guide you around and a real delight.

Footnote

Do however, if not in a hospitality area, be prepared to spend long periods on your feet! I ended up buying a pair of Royal Ascot ballet pumps to walk back to my digs in Sunninghill, having managed to stay on the heels since 9am that morning!

Laytown, Ireland

The unique world-famous Laytown – racing on the sands in Co. Meath. This is an annual one day meeting in early September (tides permitting!)

Getting there

Laytown is served by the mainline train from Dublin and Dundalk, depending on which direction you are coming from, see: https://www.irishrail.ie/ – and there are courtesy shuttle buses to transport you to the track. If travelling by car, as you drive into Laytown – you will clearly see the parking areas. Again you will need to get a shuttle bus to the track, or you can walk around the coast, which will take you 20-25 minutes.

The set-up!

Refraining from calling it a course! However, it is of course run under regulations, so usual IHRB rules apply.

Temporary structures are erected in terms of hospitality tents, a parade ring and other marquees containing bars and eating areas. The ‘stand’ is basically the steps down to the beach.

Punters enjoying themselves in the ‘stand’

It’s such a spectacle and very well supported year on year in. A huge amount of overseas visitors attend and it all makes for a great atmosphere in early Autumn. The biggest overseas support comes in the form of trainer Jamie Osborne and his Melbourne 10 owners group, who send a big string over each year, with varying degrees of success.

Parade ring

Local vicinity

Laytown itself has a few bars. The nearest large town would be Drogheda. If wishing to make a trip of it, you could stay in Drogheda – the main hotel is the D Hotel. Or just off the main Dublin to Belfast M1 route, there is also a large hotel called the City North. Equally, along the train line, are places such as Malahide, Portmarnock, which all have good standard hotels by the sea.

General vibe

Attracts a crowd from every strata of society. In essence it’s like a country fair, from yesteryear. There is no dress code, it’s whatever suits the prevailing weather of the day. No best-dressed, although you will see the odd lady dressed up to the nines. Anything goes essentially.

Down to the start

Summary

A once-in-a-lifetime or maybe a few times in a lifetime experience, once you get hooked. Do be prepared for a degree of a lack of comfort, appreciating that it is a temporary structure. You can find places to sit if you’re smart and you can always sit on the steps overlooking the action. Or sign up to hospitality, but it sells out very quickly, early on in the calendar year for that year’s fixture.

Bellewstown, Ireland

Racing on ‘The hill of Crockafotha’ has taken place since 1726. Bellewstown is a picturesque, compact, track in Co. Meath. It stages summer festivals in July & August.

It’s probably most notorious for the betting coup of Barney Curley and his plunge on Yellow Sam. The phone box from which this were done, takes pride of place on the course.

Getting there

Bellewstown is best reached by road, unless you are part of a group going by bus. Racing usually starts late afternoon, so if you want to while an hour away, there’s a good bar directly across the road from the course.

Racecourse

While it may be light on facilities, it more than compensates by way of drawing in great attendances and therefore a very lively atmosphere.

There are dining facilities there, but mainly of the sausage and chips variety. I cannot comment on hospitality, but there is a tented area given over to this, for those that prefer.

There’s always live music and getting a drink with ease, isn’t a problem at all.

Summary

A broad cross-section of attendees makes for a thoroughly enjoyable evening. The racing is not the highest of quality but highly competitive and a winner’s a winner! Most people make it an annual event including me – such is it’s unique charm.

Footnote

If after racing you want to go for something to eat, I would recommend the Lime Kiln at Julianstown: http://www.thelimekiln.ie/ The Lime Kiln is about a 10 minute drive away from Bellewstown.

Leopardstown, Ireland

One of Ireland’s top dual purpose tracks, which as well as staging the hugely successful Dublin Racing Festival (in 2021 it will be the 4th year of this event) and of course is home to the Irish Champion Stakes, which is held every September, as part of the Longines Irish Champions Weekend. See https://www.leopardstown.com/ for further information. And https://www.curragh.ie/ for details of the 2nd day of this event, which includes the Irish St. Ledger.

The Irish Champion Stakes has thrown up some glorious duels down the years – perhaps the most memorable one being the re-match of Galileo and Fantastic Light in 2001, but the cast list down the years is simply illustrious.

Getting there

Leopardstown can be deemed a City track, it’s on the Southside of Dublin City Centre and has easy access off the M50, the main arterial route around Dublin. From Dublin airport, it will take approximately 35 minutes in a taxi. It can also be reached by Dublin aircoach https://www.aircoach.ie/ If you are staying in the City Centre, you can also reach by LUAS (the Dublin tram system). You need to join the green line at St. Stephen’s Green and alight either at Sandyford – where on big days there is a courtesy bus to the racecourse, or Central Park, where you can easily walk into the course.

For those slightly less mobile, there are plenty of golf buggies, transporting people from the car parks to the entrance turnstiles.

Accommodation

You don’t need me to delve into detail on this blog, for hotel options, but if you want close proximity to the racecourse, the 3 nearest hotels are: Clayton Hotel at Leopardstown: https://www.claytonhotelleopardstown.com/ and the Talbot Hotel at Stillorgan: https://www.talbothotelstillorgan.com/ The Beacon Hotel is not too far away either https://www.thebeacon.com/ – The Beacon would be about a 15-20 minute leisurely walk to the course, as would the Talbot.

Racecourse

The facility at the time of writing, is coming to the end of a period of substantial investment and redevelopment. Older racegoers may remember the Jodami bar which was a popular haunt, but the main stand has been totally revamped with a great selection of drinking and eating options. Plenty of hospitality options if you want comfort – see https://www.leopardstown.com/ for further information.

I would recommend on the bigger days – the Christmas Festival, Dublin Racing Festival and the Champion Stakes – to pay for a dedicated seat in the upper stand, unless you want the hurly-burly of the lower part of the stands. However, generally, you would find a quiet spot on the flat tarmac below the stands.

On those big days, the bars and other food outlets are extremely congested, so careful planning and patience is required.

A good spot to aim for if not in hospitality, is the 3rd floor of the main stand. There is lots of comfortable seating, bar, coffee dock and food offerings, as well as a balcony that overlooks the parade ring. If you’re with others and you get a pew, I would advise staying there for the day, taking it in turns to to go and watch races, paddock watching etc.

On the 1st floor as you’re going up the escalators, do stop off and look at some of the racing paraphernalia, which includes Pat Eddery’s Dancing Brave colours.

General vibe

It very much depends on the event. Leopardstown stage a highly successful summer series, where after racing there is a live band performance, so very much anything goes, as these evenings also attract non-racing aficiandos. The Longines Irish Champion Stakes, comes with the usual best-dressed contests, so this is the day to don the finery. The winter meetings, comfort and warmth are the maxim.

Summary

A better mix of an annual racing programme, would be hard to find anywhere. Absolutely superb meetings to choose from, whatever is your want.

Easy to get to, with full facilities across all areas. From takeout van food, to fine-dining.

The only minor criticism I would have is that sometimes it is very evident that there is a lack of staff training in the food/drink outlets and this can be frustrating.

Killarney, Ireland

Is there a more uniquely beautiful backdrop to a racecourse, than that of Killarney’s mountains and lakes on a summer’s day or even a misty one?

Killarney, Co. Kerry – otherwise known as ‘The Kingdom’, is in the South West of Ireland. It’s a tourist hotspot, so nearly all-year round, plenty of life to be found in the town itself.

Getting there

There is a local airport – Kerry airport at Farranfore, which has limited routes, within Ireland and to the UK. Outside of that Cork is the nearest international airport, which is about 50 minutes drive away.

Killarney’s train station is centrally located in the town, so if arriving by train and you are staying in town, you can just walk to most hotels.

Accommodation

Killarney has accommodation to suit all budgets, from hostels, to B&Bs and guesthouses, to the 5* hotels like the Killarney Park in the centre of town and any range of hotel in between. I always stay at the McSweeney Arms Hotel: https://www.mcsweeneyarms.ie/ Good value, comfortable, friendly owners, with a superb breakfast and more central a location you could not get.

Terrace of 5* Hotel Europe, Fossa, Killarney

Food/drink

Again, Killarney has an abundance of options here, you won’t need a guide to help you on your way here. Recent additions to the dining scene which I can recommend are: The Mad Monk and Kitty O’Se’s – predominantly fish restaurants.

Racecourse

The racecourse is situated on the Ross Road, which on foot would take you about 20-25 minutes to walk from the centre of town. There is parking – both on the course and in the surrounding residential area.

There are no enclosures, it’s usually a flat entry fee of €20.

The 3 annual festivals are in May, July & August. See here for more detail: https://killarneyraces.ie/

There is a mix of National Hunt & flat racing, with some mixed cards.

In July & August there are best-dressed competitions for both ladies and gentlemen, so the style factor tends to be high on these days.

There is a restaurant for the general public which offers a good standard of food, although the dining area might be lacking for the more sophisticated punter. Hospitality packages are available in the annual members block for day visitors.

The bars are lively and on the big days packed to the rafters. I would probably recommend the 1st floor bar of the 1st stand on your left as you come in, which also has good viewing to the winning post. The other main bar is tucked under the 2nd stand closer to the parade ring, but this gets really swamped. This is also where the restaurant is.

General vibe

A broad spectrum of racegoers, from the local farmer, to the blow-ins from other parts of Ireland and beyond. It’s a real party atmosphere, probably in part due to Killarney being a really social town and the fact that their racing takes place in the (hoped for) sunny halcyon days of summer.

Summary

A great, informal experience at one of the world’s most scenic tracks. Friendly, easy-going, the quality of racing couldn’t ever be considered as ‘must see’, but many a future star has broken their maiden at Killarney, such as Kew Gardens.

Chantilly, France

Chantilly racecourse, North of Paris is home to the French Derby & the Oaks. The Guineas are run at Paris-Longchamp. The area of Chantilly is the centre of flat racing in France, the equivalent of Newmarket in the UK.

How to get there

There are regular trains from Gare du Nord to Chantilly. It’s a pleasant stroll through the forest to the racecourse and on major days, there are shuttle buses for those that don’t fancy the walk.

There is a great PMU bar at Chantilly station, if you need a stopping off point.

Accommodation

There is limited accommodation in Chantilly town, with some Chateau type hotels in the surrounding areas. As the train ride from Gare du Nord is only about 35 minutes, you can easily travel in from central Paris, unless you prefer the more rural experience.

Racecourse

A rather unique setting, with the stunning Chateau in the background, a unique backdrop as the horses sweep by. In keeping with most French racecourses, it is well-managed with the usual snack and drink carts.

View to stand on Arc day 2017

Vibe

For the Prix Diane (French Oaks) – this is very much the day for the ladies out in their finery, so it’s very much a day for dressing your best. For the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby), there would be a mix of style, but generally on the smarter end of the scale.

A rather dodgy picture of Enable after winning her 1st Arc!

Deauville, France

Where to start? – The beautiful resort where all the well-heeled Parisians retreat in the summer. Consequently, you need a fairly large wallet to stay here for any length of time! However, it is worth it. It’s a town filled with high-end shops and beach restaurants with cover charges, that will make most of us wince and that you would expect more in St. Tropez! As well as the beach and the picturesque racecourse, it is also home to a renowned Film Festival. If you take a walk along the boardwalk, you can see the beach huts with the names of the various luminaries that have graced the town in the past:

Getting there

It’s fairly challenging, as there are no direct flights anymore from London City to the local airport St. Gatien. Your best option is to fly to Paris and take the train from Paris St-Lazare. It generally takes just over 2 hours. The train station in Deauville could not be more central, so no taxis needed to reach your chosen lodgings.

Accommodation

Plenty of high-end options as you would expect, with the like of the Barriere hotels. I stayed in the more modest Mercure, which overlooks the port and is in close proximity to the train station. Deauville is extremely walkable (flat as well for those that could be physically impaired), so I wouldn’t get too hung-up on where your hotel is situated. A useful tip is that if you are really looking for budget accommodation, but still accessible to racecourse, would be to pick a hotel in Trouville, which I suppose is the slightly poorer relation to Deauville, but a 5-10 walk in the other direction away from the station.

Dining/drinks

Eating out can be fairly pricey, but if you look hard enough you will find good value. I ate at Le Cafe de Paris, which overlooks the central fountain. Perfectly acceptable, standard French fayre, waiters can be quite engaging in a good way.

Racecourse

Entrance to the course

It’s in the town, so again no need for transport of any kind.

It’s a really striking course with original Norman beamed buildings which give it a unique charm. Since I first went in 2006, they have built a new stand which supports the capacity requirements, during the summer festival. I previously went to the Prix Maurice Gheest which is at the start of August but in 2019, went to the Prix Jacques Le Marois.

Enclosures

As with all France Galop courses, admission is crazily cheap in comparison to the UK & Ireland. I paid €12 which gave me a seat in the grandstand and that was the most expensive option, aside from a hospitality package. And of course, free glossy racecard included!

There are ample drink stations, along with crepe, ice cream and all the usual snacks you find at racecourses.

What impressed me – even though I am not a parent, is that Deauville (like alot of French racecourses) – has an abundance of activities for children, which are not just confined to a bouncy castle.

General vibe

A kind of French country party, sofas and deckchairs scattered around the parade ring. Some people are casually dressed, others are dressed to the nines. Truly egalitarian!

Summary

You will have a fabulous experience – guaranteed. There are no operational flaws at Deauville. Depending on what day you choose to go, the quality of racing can be sublime.

Ken Condon, trainer of Romanised after winning the Prix Jacques Le Marois in 2019, for Ireland. Ridden by Billy Lee.

Auteuil, France

Auteuil is home to the Grand-Steeplechase de Paris, held every May. Situated on the outskirts of the City of Paris, it’s easy to get to and exclusively for jump racing.

Accommodation

This is not the forum to discuss Paris hotels! However if you are looking for a good-value, centrally located hotel off the Champs Elysees, I would recommend Hotel Elysees Ceramic: https://ceramic-paris-hotel.com/en/ You step out the door and the Arc de Triomphe monument looms before you.

Neither is this the platform to talk about restaurants – you can sort yourselves out!!

Getting there

Invariably you will be staying in the greater Paris area, so the racecourse is reached easily by bus or metro/RER (French strikes permitting of course) – When I was there in May 2019, the Gilets Jaunes movement was in full flow, so I ended up getting the metro, as opposed to the bus – from my base just off the Champs Elysees. From that location, it takes about 40 minutes, with a couple of changes.

Racecourse

Depending from which direction you alight to the racecourse, once through the turnstiles – you will end up walking through one of 2 tunnels for about 10 minutes, where you can pick up a free racecard. As you come out of the tunnel, you are hit with this magnificent and quite unexpected vista. I was quite unprepared for the sheer scale of the old Victorian stand.

Once inside, what is striking, is how spacious it is, no shortage of quiet space, and even a lounge to watch uninterrupted racing coverage.

What is also very evident is the enduring passion of France Galop, to ensure a highly memorable experience for guests at Auteuil . There are more than enough coffee, refreshment stands and in tune with other French racecourses, children’s needs are well-served with relevant racing related activities to hopefully nurture them, into the racegoers of the future.

There are varying levels of admission, I think I paid about €12 for a seat in the grandstand, which was the top level entry price. I appreciated the cushion on the seats as well!

The range of races on ‘Grand-Steep’ day are mesmerising with the unique obstacles.

Davy Russell after winning the big race in 2019 on Carriacou , trained by Isabelle Pacault

Summary

All racing fans endeavor to go to the Arc meeting at Paris-Longchamp once in their lifetime, regardless of which racing code they prefer. However, Auteuil offers such a great product in terms of the facilities, general operational management and value, that a day out at the Grand-Steep is a great introduction to French racing. Paris-Longchamp is still finding it’s place after it’s re-opening in 2018 and is highly congested and can be an uncomfortable experience. So, if you want to experience a first taste of French racing at a top level, I would recommend a relaxing, comfortable day at Auteuil.