Irish racecourses should look about letting people in for free

They did it at the Curragh for an average sort of meeting last year and the crowd was excellent. I think racecourses should use free entry as a "treat" every so often. A lot would need to change before it became the norm, as there are so many people that pay to be a member of a track.

I was at the cinema the other night. I counted 14 people there. Cant believe its not free in.

Free in is certainly the way forward,backward sports like the G.A.A.,soccer and rugby still have the temerity to charge their customers,when will they ever learn.

I will have to take a trip to this place called 'West Mindlands'

IT WAS FREE IN DOWN ROYAL WITH COPY OF RACIN POST ON WED  STILL THINK WASNT AVERTISED ENOUGH IN PAPERS ETC ALTO HEARD AFTER IT WAS ON TWITTER

West Mindlands is a Freudian slip as he went to Wolverhampton in his mind.

How can top US tracks like Belmont PK only charge a couple of bucks for an 8 or 10 race card when we get tracks here still looking for €15 a head? That always struck me as being strange when I went racing over there, especially when you look at the facilities on offer.

Have never heard a proper explanation from HRI about that - don't know how much of a subsidy US tracks get from their top brass.

They make their money from the Tote,the Irish Tote loses money.

wildman the irish tote most certainly didnt lose money in 2011

also if you had a tote account you would have got 34 free racedays last year - including galway plate, punchestown, leop, fhouse, listowel .....

It lost money alright and lost money the previous ten years as well.There may well be some mechanism where ye can hide these losses but ye can`t hide the fact that the Tote has made no contributions to the H.R.I.s coffers for donkey years.

The Tote Go Racing Club had some good offers of free days last year but this initiative to give something back to regular racegoers seems to have run out of steam as no offers at all this year. Vouchers for free entry to some meetings in the Irish Racing Annual. On the whole though entry to Racetracks is too expensive and I think the old boys brigade who run the game have no real interest in widening the appeal of the sport. As for the Tote ,its a disaster and is run for thse who are getting a nice living from it .Hive it off and let it be run on a commercial basis.

Mallow was free for a Monday meeting (flat) last August and got a very healthy crowd.

I wouldn't blame the Tote for the delay in announcing their free days this year. A lot of courses only begin to negotiate in January after their admission prices have been decided and their membership numbers. The Star Discount Book only gets going from the middle of Feb onwards.

By the way Fairyhouse tomorrow if it goes ahead will only cost €12 to get in, a €3 reduction in normal prices.

Vouchers for free entry to some meetings in the Irish Racing Annual.

Santry there is one in it for Punchestown this Sunday.

Yes Soapp .I have two free passes for Sunday. The Racing Annual one and Spoilsports were giving out free passes at Leopardstown last Sunday.

It would be interesting to know how many paid in to Dundalk tonight.

Not many, I suspect.

Step into the century Wildman, i think if they made midweek evening fixtures free and Thursday in the winter, the racing industry would not be looking for money off punters who don't bet on their sport. My friend you have a lot to learn as there is a reason track in these countries do this, FACT !

"Hive it off and let it be run on a commercial basis" - like they did in england Santry?? Huge success that that has been.
Fred hasn't paid them a penny yet! Disaster.

Well I for one think there is great value to be had this weekend on the sporting from €13 to see a repeat of the all-ireland plus a cracker beforehand and then punchestown on Sunday €10 in worth the fee alone to see Big Zeb against Sizing Europe and yes going to both can't wait bering it on!!