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Brilliant days racing so why such a poor crowd, my first time back there since 1990 but I must say I enjoyed every moment of it, I suppose backing 4 winners helped..
Anyway I felt that old familiar good feeling about the place , couldn't believe the amount of housing that's there now incredible. Loved everything about the place , charming old World sort of place with no class difference been shown , everyone seemed welcoming and friendly , even the bookie i took a couple of quid off said well done...Ate in food hall beside the betting shop and it was just nice for a light snack at reasonable prices . Viewing is superb and the track is beautiful and well laid out . Bought Stephen Little's book off him which he kindly signed , so overall a very nice day if a long one but planes were on time etc so I shall return sooner rather than later. Coming over to Ludlow next Wed week and looking forward very much to that track, last time I was there about 4 years ago I backed 5 winners from 6 races and was convinced that the 6th one had won only to be beaten a short head.
Doubt I'll be climbing onto the rooftop stand as often this time but you never know..
Anyway I felt that old familiar good feeling about the place , couldn't believe the amount of housing that's there now incredible. Loved everything about the place , charming old World sort of place with no class difference been shown , everyone seemed welcoming and friendly , even the bookie i took a couple of quid off said well done...Ate in food hall beside the betting shop and it was just nice for a light snack at reasonable prices . Viewing is superb and the track is beautiful and well laid out . Bought Stephen Little's book off him which he kindly signed , so overall a very nice day if a long one but planes were on time etc so I shall return sooner rather than later. Coming over to Ludlow next Wed week and looking forward very much to that track, last time I was there about 4 years ago I backed 5 winners from 6 races and was convinced that the 6th one had won only to be beaten a short head.
Doubt I'll be climbing onto the rooftop stand as often this time but you never know..
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I hope you back a couple of winners at Ludlow Workrider. I find the travelling to the tracks tiring nowadays I only managed 3 days on course last year although I will have a bet nearly every day.
Great post rider and well done. Hope Ludlow goes well.
I watched the races from the end of the Tatts grandstand, and every spectator there had a hundred square feet of space - no exaggeration. Yet I can remember being there on Schweppes day with my father and simply not being able to spot him in the grandstand.
As to why it's lost all bar a hard core of racegoers, I don't think you can pin it down to one thing. As you say, workrider, it's a fantastic track, and a special place, with everything going for it. I think it's more an accumulation of changes and blunders which have squandered the aura of the place. The sheer number of meetings run at minimum prize money value. The fights that started breaking out regularly on boozed-up Saturdays, with nothing done about it for too long. The stage sets sited to obscure the home straight, and the incredibly tacky 'winter fair' which did the same thing to the back straight last November. Losing the Hennessy and Schweppes titles, with all that history. TV coverage going from the BBC and O'Sullevan/Wilson to ITV4 and ... whoever presents that. And now from RTV and Luck/Fremantle to the adverts channel and Matt Chapman/Alex Hammond.
You can't throw away all that priceless tradition and goodwill without very bad effects on a racecourse's attractiveness.
As to why it's lost all bar a hard core of racegoers, I don't think you can pin it down to one thing. As you say, workrider, it's a fantastic track, and a special place, with everything going for it. I think it's more an accumulation of changes and blunders which have squandered the aura of the place. The sheer number of meetings run at minimum prize money value. The fights that started breaking out regularly on boozed-up Saturdays, with nothing done about it for too long. The stage sets sited to obscure the home straight, and the incredibly tacky 'winter fair' which did the same thing to the back straight last November. Losing the Hennessy and Schweppes titles, with all that history. TV coverage going from the BBC and O'Sullevan/Wilson to ITV4 and ... whoever presents that. And now from RTV and Luck/Fremantle to the adverts channel and Matt Chapman/Alex Hammond.
You can't throw away all that priceless tradition and goodwill without very bad effects on a racecourse's attractiveness.
A few regular punters I know stopped going after almost been arrested for going in the middle by the fences something they had been doing for many years,also the old real ale bar with the chippy has now gone an area the regulars liked.
Some very valid points there Scearming , every change is not for the good of the sport . Jimnast there were several people on the inside of the track on Sat I'm nearly sure, I remember thinking it reminded me of Fontwell. It would be a huge difference crowd wise to yesteryear for many I'm sure...
Youresomean, Pontefract is a place I have been about 5 times and have only backed 2 winners, Cheltenham a few weeks ago I backed none , Thirsk now don't start me about that graveyard, so when I find a track I can get a few winners I rejoice, and am sorry if that offends you mate...
Does anybody remember the lovely fruit stand at the far end of tatts, i remember buying a slice of the juiciest melon from there after Milingdale Millie trained by Charlie Nelson in the Sangster colours won.
another thing that sticks in my mind is watching the card schools in the old buffet carriage on the rattler back from London
another thing that sticks in my mind is watching the card schools in the old buffet carriage on the rattler back from London
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