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 Racing Basics
Horseracing is a unique sport that offers something for everyone, from the young to the old. Whether it be admiring the sleek, gallant horses, soaking up the atmosphere or just enjoying a social day out with friends and family in a picturesque setting, it is the perfect answer for a great day out and provides exciting and exhilarating entertainment for all the family, as well as good value.
Britain has 59 racecourses that are situated around the country and have enclosures to suit every budget. These have different names according to individual racecourses, but broadly speaking they range from Premier (or Club or Members) Enclosure, Grandstand (or Tattersalls or Paddock) Enclosure to the Course Enclosure (or Silver Ring).
The Premier Enclosure is your top of the range option and offers the best viewing and facilities. Anyone can book a ticket for the Premier Enclosure and the daily rate is usually between £16 - £30. A Premier badge allows the holder to access all the other enclosures on the course. Generally the dress code is smart casual, but can be more formal for some of the bigger meetings.
The Grandstand and Paddock Enclosure is usually the largest enclosure and is a constant buzz of activity throughout the meeting. For roughly £10 to £22 you will get a good view of the course as well as the Parade Ring and Winner’s Enclosure, which are both great for seeing horses up close. There are plenty of places to eat, drink and bet in the Grandstand Enclosure.
The Course Enclosure is the least expensive and least formal enclosure, with tickets costing usually around £5. Although you don’t get a view of the Parade Ring or Winners Enclosure you will be able to see the horses on the racecourse. You will also be able to have a bet and get something to eat and drink, although most visitors to these enclosures prefer to bring picnics, which can be as fancy or as simple as you like.
Once on the racecourse it is advisable to buy a racecard. These usually cost between £2 - £3 and contain all the information you require for your day out, from a form guide to the runners and riders in each race, to finding your way around the racecourse as well as interviews, interesting stories and statistics.
There are two types of racing – Flat and Jump. Some racecourses hold meetings for one or the other, whilst others hold both.
Flat racing, as its name suggests, is run on a track without obstacles. Although Flat racing takes place all year round, the main season takes place between April – October. Jump racing also takes place throughout the year, but the big races of the Jump season take place between October and April.
Apart from the actual races, the two main areas to view the horses are the Paddock and Winner’s Enclosure. The Paddock is where all the horses are paraded prior to their race and the Winner’s Enclosure is where the first, second, third and fourth-placed horses are welcomed back after each race, and where the winning owner, trainer and jockey are presented with their prizes.
There are usually between six and eight races a day. These take place at intervals of about half an hour, so there is plenty of time to watch the horses in the Paddock, have a drink or a bite to eat and place a bet between races. During the summer months racing starts at approximately 1.30pm with the last race around 5.30 – 6.00pm. During the long summer days, you can also go evening racing, which can have a more relaxed atmosphere than afternoon meetings. Evening racing typically starts at 5.30pm and finishes just before sundown, between 8 – 9pm. In the winter, proceedings start and finish earlier to make the most of the daylight, with the first race normally being around midday and the last at about 3.30pm.
There are two main ways to bet. One is with the bookmakers and the second is with the Tote. The Bookmakers offer fixed-odds bets, in which they offer a set price for punters to back a certain horse. When you make a bet, you will always know exactly how much you stand to win. The Tote offers pool betting. This is where all bets on a certain race are entered into a pool and shared out amongst the winners. Because of this, you will never know exactly how much you might win until after the race.
For further press information, please contact the British Horseracing Authority on 020 7152 0048 or email info@britishhorseracing.com
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