What was the first ever race meeting you went to and what was the best horse there?

Was actually end of April.

Sometime in the early seventies but the first top race was the 1974 Derby won by Snow Knight at 50/1 with a non staying French horse a warm favourite..probably Monaco (?)

I was born in 1974.

Giacometti ?
Bustino ?

Nonoalco

Must have been in the mid 60s, went with my Dad to Uttoxeter, I only remember 1 horse, Signal Port in the last ridden by Steven Davenport, I has 6d on it at 9/1. Been losing ever since!!!

First day of 1986 Ebor meeting, Shardari won the Matchmaker and was certainly the best horse on the day but Triptych who finished second went on to be the better horse IMO. Great days and memories before the meeting was spoilt.

I never picked a winner on my first ever race day. Wish it put me off racing lol.

think it was probably Perth about 1979-1980 can't remember the best horse there but one of the winners I backed was The Fencer ridden by Ridley Lamb (rip)

Nonaynever I think I would have Shardari the better horse. 2nd to Dancing Brave in the King George.

1969 Folkestone , seven the quadrant won, i think

Untold won the Yorkshire Oaks that day Nonaynever

Sandown-Spanish steps

Newcastle ,The ill fated Brownes Gazette.

remember seeing Sea Pigeon win a good flat race at Ayr on Glasgow Fair Monday which must have been around that time as well

1988 Grand National.

Celtic Cheif won the big hurdle
Pearlyman Beaten in the two mile chase.

Thank you for way actually typed nonalco but this wretched spelling corrector does my head in!!

for way lol

Newmarket 2000g Kris

The Friday of the Paddy Power meeting in 2002 I think it was.

Paul Nicholls' Poliantis won a good chase then collapsed right in front of the main stand and died of a heart attack.

I've got that completely wrong. Was actually the Paddy Power chase he ran in and was second.

Fontwell, August 1976, Mighty Marine

My first taste of live action was the May evening meeting at Perth , 1984 . I managed to back 5 winners . I think Ida's Delight was a winner . A horse called Kavaka won the last and survived an enquiry , or an objection , to send me home happy . In these days the trainers that dominated at Perth were ; W. A. Stephenson , G. W. Richards , J. A. C. Edwards and G. M. Moore .

The first meeting I went to was July 1976 at Chester the first winner I saw was BELLE VIEW in the Watergate apprentice handicap ridden by Willie Higgins ...The feature race was the Cardinal Puff stakes won by subsequent Derby Second HOT GROVE..

The first jumps meeting I went to was Bangor on Dee October 1976 HIGH KEN won there..

Dad took me to Huntingdon aged 13 in 1963. Loved it, got the bug from then on.
Can't remember any horses names. My bets ( via Dad) was a couple of place only on the Tote. Remember the handwritten sheet  going up in the payout window showing what the returns were fo be.

Newmarket 1973 1000 guineas to watch Jacinth win like the good thing she was (came 2nd)

Same as Facts, was Huntingdon, August Bank Holiday Monday in 1966, I was 6, we were on the inside of the course, all the buildings have Benin demolished now,
First race 2.0, a Selling Hurdle won by Pelicans Pay, don't remember much else apart from sitting on my Dads shoulders watching the racing, 50 years on and we were both there last Sunday.

My parents took me when I was very young,not sure the first one but they used to take me to Doncaster and i'm fairly sure I saw Nicholas Silver win the Great Yorkshire chase,think it beat a horse called Cocky Consort trained by capt Crump,will have been 6 or 7 then,used to take me to Elland Road dogs as well .

Alices,what a wonderful story you and your Dad stilling going strong, many more years racing to the both of ye.

Early 60's Chepstow, can't remember any of the winners etc.
Not long after my dad took me to Cheltenham for Mackeson Gold Cup Meeting. Richard of Bordeaux won that day, odds on iirc?
The next race was the Mackeson Hurdle, and it was won by a horse called Cash... 50/1 and I had 4/- on it to place on the t0te :)

Used to meet my dad for every Newbury meeting, right up into his eighties. He would get the train from Slough, and me the one from Somerset. We'd discuss the races over a cuppa in the bar beforehand, then before each race by the paddock. He was happy to let me run around the Ring getting my bets on, with the understanding I'd put a fiver on for him and a tenner if I thought there was a really worthwhile bet.

Only once did I change this system: I put a whole score on Go Mary for him at 33s for the Mares' Final in March 1994. I joined him in the stands before the race and told him what I'd done. He mumbled something about needing the toilet and wandered off, only to disappear among the books, pressing up the bet in a fashion I don't think he'd ever done before.

I think the final furlong, as she held on from the Twiston Davies gamble all the way to the line, was the only time I can ever remember us actually hugging each other. All those years and all that money he'd frittered away in shops and on-course - I think he got the lot back that afternoon. Basically he was going to exit the game in front.

Anyway, like all proper punters he knew the cardinal rule of not telling the missus anything about his good fortune. After all, you never know when you the game might go the other way. He only got found out months later when my mother, struggling as usual with an ancient hoover which my dad refused to waste money on by replacing, accidentally lifted the carpet next to his side of the bed and found several thousand pounds in readies stuffed beneath the underlay.

She at least had the good sense to take a fistful of them to purchase a new hoover, before going on to make his life a misery over the matter for a long, long time afterwards.

The point of the story? If your old man is still around, and he likes a punt, make sure you go racing with him occasionally, even if you usually can't stand each other. You'll appreciate the memories when he's gone.

Newmarket Cambridgeshire day in 1958 is the first I can recall although it may have been earlier.

great great read screaming

And how many punters have done that sort of thing and hidden winnings away from their missus prying eyes only to forget about them and for her to find them anyway

It was the Monday meeting at Ayr, day before the 1982 Cheltenham Festival, and I was pulled out of school for the week, to spend it in Ayrshire . Not quite sure how the folks managed it lol. Too young to remember if any went on to be decent, only remember a few names like Darth Vader, Aegean Seaman, and Wesley.

Worcester 1963. Flat meeting.
Probably The Burgher who won a 2m handicap under top weight.

i never had a day at school or work while cheltenham was on,from 1979 until today, easier over the last 22 years, as ive worked for myself, and only have myself to Lie myself on the tuesday morning of chelt festival....
i never believe me .

27-08-79 - Lord Mountbatten was blown up by the I.R.A. mind cud be playing tricks on me but  Lester had a disaster riding at least - two- maybe three shorties  that were well beaten - wud be meltdown status on here nowadays - had my first winner at the track as well - think it was before this -again memory letting me down but Ice Plant/Planet winning at 16/1 over jumps in winter - bookie did a runner on the Monday morning as everyone had backed it but just b4 antagonistic Craig jumps in i thought the place was a sh1thole then and nowt much has changed in the meantime

^. ???

Apologies - Newcastle

On too many drugs Facts and not enough Vodka

All legal and signed for m'lord

Taking tramadol wiv water is bad enuff so alcohols a no no

Brighton when they had a Derby Trial, Charlottown, won the Derby 1966.

The trial was a disappointment Sodium did not turn up, bloodless win.

It wasn't the first meeting I was at but the earliest Coming home with a profit. It was AYR in either 81 or 82. I had lost a few bob and went in heavy in the hunters on Earls Brig at 10/11 jt FAV.

Had a good look at it in the paddock and although no judge it looked a proper muscular beast. It won by 20 lenghts and the day was saved after backing the last winner also.

If you look it up in the RP site it doesn't have the full details but on that day I was not to know it would finish up 3rd in a decent Gold Cup.

Sunstar ridden by Georgie stern and trained by Charles Morton in 1911...vividly remember my dad treating me to a Maccy D in Epsom high st.

Aintree, April 1967  (grandmother took me during school holidays)

Red Rum  (dead-heated in the famous 2yo seller)

Bought in for 300 guineas at the auction, won £133 prize money for dead-heating, would have been handy knowing what the subsequent 10 years would bring.

Stratford, Horse and Hound Cup day, early 70's.

Credit Call just won that race and he wasn't too bad but the best horse on show was Persian War. That was his last win.

Ttt

Doncaster 1967. I remember having the dual forecast ( two bob ? ) when Pia and Pink Gem dead heated in the Park Hill Stakes - how's that for after-timing ? I also remember seeing Vaguely Noble at Donny that year but I think that was at a subsequent meeting. I was 15 and Dad rightly approved a day off school. Been hooked ever since.

Not a chance I could remember which was the first meeting I ever went to, even less the name of any horse running there.

1984 a Wednesday Derby Secreto beating El Gran Senor.

Carricklee point to point Northern Ireland about 1960

Salisbury 1985 - best horse was Dafayna who won the 1,000 Guineas trial.

Best horse I ever seen was first time I ever went racing

El Gran Senor.

Ayr and the Great Captain Christy was there and won unless my memory has completely failed me.

1988 Epsom Derby, won by Kahyasi.

Remember going to Ayr on my 18th birthday, two friends, my dad and I
train down from Aberdeen, few beers etc.

Old man had quite a few quid on Salkeld at a decent price, pretty sure it led all way though it was 40+ years ago
it just held on - big celebrations then he couldnt find his ticket which of course was one of those cardboard numbered slips
raked through every pocket of his jacket and overcoat couldnt find it I then did a quick check and found it stuck in the lining
celebrations start, to round off a great day Celtic got beat 5-1 at Dundee and Aberdeen won 3-1 away to Kilmarnock which basically
lined up the Dons title success and the start of a certain Mr Alex Ferguson road to immortality.

Sorry that was Scottish Grand National day 1980 of course for above story

Upton on Severn Point To Point, circa 1964 , The Lady Dudley Cup meeting

Not the first meeting attended as i was at Cheltenham for Ten up's gold cup but most memorable was.......

Embassy Chase final in 1977 when a youngster at my fairly local track Haydock , Border Incident won like a star beating Bunker Hill , Tied Cottage a a few other memorable names that day.

Border Incident was the big attraction for me to attend and will never forget the pleasure the horse gave me throughout his injury prone career.

Couple of years later visited the Richard Head stable in Berkshire and was allowed to give Border his feed , may not sound much but was the highlight of my horse racing following life.


Good luck today all 

Dad took me to a meeting at Sandown remember a horse called Roman Holiday

Wolverhampton night meeting in 87.
A genuine superstar ran at the lowly track, little were we to know.
Indian Skimmer

Tartar Prince at Newcastle winning plate.

Can't remember much about it except we were on inside of course where
the golf course is. Happy to go home with a few golf balls.


I saw Mrs Mcardy run in a seller at ripon? , before
she improved to win guineas...

Snow Knight winning the Derby in 1974. That became a family day out on the Epsom downs every year, my folks took us (all 6) kids out of school that Wednesday afternoon to watch the Derby.

Jolly Good   1975 Magnet Cup  ridden by Willie Carson trained by Bruce Hobbs who also had 2nd Chil The Kite.

Brighton in 1964, as a 4 year old with Dad. No idea of who won what but can still recall how high up the jocks looked as I stood at ground level watching the runners canter down.

All these years and thousands of meetings later, I still get a thrill watching the horses go down close-up, especially on bright days with the jocks silhouetted against the clear blue sky.

Earliest superstar horse I can recall seeing in the flesh was Nijinsky at Newmarket, 2000 gns day 1970.

It would have been Haydock circa 1987, possibly an evening meeting.  Dawn's Delight I remember from those times.  Getting Nicky Carlisle and Philip Robinson's autograph.