DOWNROYAL THE DUMP

Who made you go?

didn't enjoy your day then?

DECAL  . I WAS ALSO THER AND WILL BE  EMAILING  THE COURSE ON THE SEVERE PROBLEMS OFF TOILETS BUT THINK MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT THER WAS NEAR RECORD CROWD AND IT CANT COPE BUT ON GETTING A DRINK THATS SIMPLY BECAUSE THERES A NEW BREED OFF PEOPLE GOING RACING AS THEY SIMPLY GO FOR DRINK AN ID SAY MOST DONT EVEN BET WHO STAND AT BAR  SPOKE TOO FEW GAELIC WOMEN MAGERA  SUPPORTERS AN THEY WERE HOLDING 4 BOTTLES A BEER EACH AN 1 ASKED ME WAS DESERT OCRCHID RUNNING  BUT DEFINITLY CANT AGREE ABOUT YOUR OPINION OF DOWN ROYAL BEING A DUMP OR FULL OF PR1CKS AS IVE BEEN LAST 25 YEARS AN DOWN ROYAL HAS IMPROVED BIGTIME MY MATE HAS BOX THEIR AN ITS SUPERB BUT I PREFER GETTING DOWN ABOUT PARADE& BETTING RING ALTHOUGH IN FAIRNESS YESTERDAY WAS A STRUGGLE GETTING ABOUT BUT THINK IF I WAS YOU IF U FEEL THAT STRONG I WOULD EITHER STAY AWAY OR CONTACT THE COURSE AS  THE CHAIRMAN JIM NICHOLSON HAS A REAL HARD WORKING STAFF THAT WILL ANS SOME OFF YOUR ENQUIRES. THINK ID LOVE SEE FEW BOOKIES TAKE A STAND OR OPINION ON RACES AS EVERY BOOKIE WAS VIRTUALLY THE SAME PRICE ON RUNNERS AS THE COMPUTERS JUST TAKE OVER PS I HAD FRIEND OVER FROM ENGLAND WHO HAS BEEN EVERY COURSE AND HE REALLY ENJOYED BOTH HERE AN DOWNPATRICK THE LAS 2 WEEKS AND AS I SAID TOO HIM  ITS HARD GETTING DRINK AT ALL FESTIVALS CHELT/AINTREE/FAIRYHOUSE /PUNCH/LEOPARDSTOWN AN I TALKED TOO QUITE A FEW YESTERDAY FROM NORTH/ SOUTH/ENG/SCOTLAND AN EVERY ONE SAID THER ENJOYED THE COURSE AN RICHARD PUGHS COMMENTARIES WERE FANTASTIC .PPS ON GOWDYS PUB MOST PUBS ARE CUTTING BACK ON SKY /ATR / RACING CHANNELS AS LAS WEEKEND I WAS IN LIVERPOOL 10 PUBS THAT USED HAVE SKY DIDNT AN  NEXT DAY IN CHESTER 6 PUBS THAT HAD BOTH RACING CHANNELS HAVE STOPPED AS THEY SAID THAT THEY MAKE FAR MORE FROM FOOD AN DRINK THAN SOME WHO WANT SIT ALL DAY ROAR  SHOUT AT EACH RACE. M8 RANT OVER  ILOST 180£ AN HAD GOOD DAY AN I JUMPED THE QUE EVERY TIME I NEEDED A PI$$

The Maze is not geared to the size of crowds that turn up for this festival of racing . So I can understand the complaints .  The corporate stuff apparently is OK , but at least half those enjoying that facility are not regular racegoers/punters .

The organisers and staff are doing a good job as far as I glean from contacts , too successful possibly for facilities available .  For years and years The Maze got minimal government support , horse racing being viewed largely as a "southern " activity  , despite the amounts being creamed off on the vibrant off course bookies establishments in the North ( when the South was in no mans land bookie shop wise --mainly due to punitive betting tax regulations there ) . 

Personally I prefer Downpatrick , minimal facilities , but I go to the races to back winners , and I think it is easier  to fulfil that goal there . And I prefer the atmosphere there for "normal " meetings , most of those who go are regulars .

i was in the owners and trainers bar for awhile and it was overran as well , a guy in front of me just before the start of the first asked why were they not putting the horses into the stalls honest ....the viewing when the horses go out into the country is very poor houses block a lot of running . still having said all that i enjoyed the day and think its great for the people up north , who i must say coulden't have been nicer .its simply that the course cant really handle the huge crowds that desend for that particular sat imo .

NORN been to all the festivals bar liverpool and never had a prob getting a drink or getting rid of it infact the last few years with the strong euro thers been less of a northern crowd at the main IRISH FESTIVALS didn't go to punchestown but was at hennessy and easter festival in fairyhouse and though they have great corporate facilites they dont forget JOE PUNTER ALL HAVE AMPLE BARS TOILETS TOTE AREAS BETTING SHOPS AND CATTERING FACILITES why couldn't the maze have got a beer tent or and portaloos for the paying public and TRIBESMAN no one made me go and the same can be said of any1 making me go to ballybrit its never going to happen what with worse racing there than at the maze and SATELIGHT had a great day backed sizing w/o @17/10 4 £200 then lost the lot at the breeders cup back at the club but was a great night and only back from getting a cure and seeing chelsea get beat great stuff

I was also there yesterday and echo everything that has been written. I have not missed this meet since its inception and go every friday of the June meeting and it is much more pleasant. They could easily have set up temporary bars selling bottles only. Todd needs to think seriously about this for next year. It does all the promo but it cannot cope physically with the crowd. PITY it was an excellent card.

viewing is very poor. Last three fences are only real part you can see and enjoy without watching on big screen. Shame but what can they do.

SOME GOOD POINTS AND SURELY WORTH A EMAIL TOO MIKE TODD THE GENERAL MANAGER AS I HAVE JUST DONE AS I SAID DECAL THE TOILET SITUATION COULD EASILY BE  SORTED WITH PORT ALOOS AND POSS FEW BEER TENTS SO NO REASON WHY IMPROVEMMENTS CANT BE MADE AS ITS NOT THE BEST MEETING IN IRELAND BUT DEFF THE BEST 2 DAYS OFF JUMP RACING WE WILL EVER HAVE IN THE NORTH AN GREAT SEE LOT FROM UK OVER SEE KAUTO STAR JUST PITY RUBY BROKE HIS LEG AS HE GAVE BOTH WINNERS SUPER RIDES.

I was there as well. Of course the place was crowded, not surprising considering the quality on offer. Like the original poster I found it difficult initially although I was interested in food. Timing though is important and eventually I got fed, watered, relieved quickly and got to see most races without any great difficulty. DR has something that is lacking in most racecourses now and that is atmosphere. At least you know there is something taking place. Good luck to them and may their success continue.

It's a joke track and a joke place - glorified point-to-point, sorry DR I cant bear those race meetings.

melbourne cup.100,000 at least...no queues to anything..bar, food stalls,jacks tote etc...far cry from the maze!!

I would forget about emailing MikeTodd last year l complained that of the 10 plasma tvs in the beef or salmon suite all showed the home meeting.No Racing Uk or at the races . Guess what happened this year !

kavvie are you for real? comparing the race that stops a nation allegedly to a race held at what used to be, though no longer, the gaffest track in the UK.

We had a runner in Down Royal on Friday. The O&T bar is ok with a fair few tables and the prices are not bad. £1 for a coffee. £1.50 for a soft drink. A far cry from the overcharging at southern tracks. Pity they don't have any sandwiches in the O&T bar. Had to find the cafe for that. Staff were pleasant and the guy on the door saw people using two or three badges to get a big group in and put an end to that which was good to see as it just overcrowds the place. Down Royal, like most racecourses, will accomodate owners with extra badges to the bar. ATR on in the O&T too. I've seen a lot worse at some of the supposedly better Southern tracks.

Obviously there is need for improvements to cope with the crowds they get for this meeting . Seldom go myself nowadays , though some of my family have connections with some people  afore mentioned . So I can relay anything sensible posted on here to sponsors and management if needed , provided it is constructive .

Racing in Ireland ( north and south , although I dont perceive any divide other than tote )   is going to need all the help it can get for the foreseeable future .  This fixture in particular has provided great sport since current sponsors have come in .  Northern Ireland does not have many opportunities to get onto the national map ( Ireland or GB ) sporting wise  , this is one of those . I am hopeful there may be movement in golfing circles to rectify our lack of a  high profile event locally , soon .  Unfortunately there are also some  local lunatics out here with an ability to turn the best laid plans of men ars* over tip .

Beer , Tv , and toilets have to be easy to provide / rectify .  Viewing was never great at The Maze , another reason I prefer Downpatrick .  But The Maze is a better track for horses , owners and trainers have always known that . The Maze was never a gaff track though  , even if it was run eccentrically once upon a time .

If it aint broke , dont fix it is one of my mantras , but there are improvements needed from comments on here . Practical , sensible suggestions welcome if not already voiced .  Cheers .

£15 entrance was good value
tote-hall was mobbed
£3.50 for sausage & chips was good value..compared to rip-off Leopardstown at €7
viewing facilities were average.
great atmosphere before/after Kauto won

Had no problem putting up with the overcrowding as I only went up to see the greatest jumphorse of my generation.
I'll put up with sub-standard facilities any day at the gaff tracks to see a class horse.

£3.50 a sausage supper fcuck your exciting company to go racing with

i was there on the friday,no major complaints,thought the £20 punters pack was excellent value.

we had a runner in grade 2 on friday;great facilities

by the way DOWNPATRICK is biggest **** hole of a track ive ever visited and that includes everywhere in uk and ireland

Downpatrick deffo more enjoyable day out than Maze.

Layprofessional , no one is saying Downpatrick is a good racecourse , lots of owners and trainers down the years would not have runners there .  But  the course deficiencies aside most northern racegoers will enjoy their day there . You can see exactly what is happening at all times during a race , a pre-requisite for me at least , and somehow those running and attending the meetings manage a good day out .

As posted before , The Maze is a much better and fairer track , but Downpatrick caters for horses with lower expectations than are associated with other courses . I nearly always win at Downpatrick , cannot say the same for Down Royal . Horses for courses !