Irish Sports
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Was there yesterday and left after 1 race, ok the conditions were poor but that wasnt the reason i had to go.
The facilities there are disgraceful, but the SP shop is the worst that i have ever witnesssed at any supposed Grade 1 track. Its far too small and the fact that there is only one of them in the entire complex defies belief. Not even papers up in the wall at about 11.30 and then the annual screen freeze, you couldnt see the first at Catterick . It takes about 10 minutes to get up to the counter and when you do you are forced to take sp on bets at Leopardstown, whats that all about ?
Its treating the customers with contempt, thats what its about.
I didnt bother with the catering facilities as i wasnt able for the long wait to get the usual sub standard fare thats always on offer in these dumps.
To make it worse this shambolic sp shop is the same with the last 5 years or more and will be the same next year, because the people that run these tracks havent a clue.
The facilities there are disgraceful, but the SP shop is the worst that i have ever witnesssed at any supposed Grade 1 track. Its far too small and the fact that there is only one of them in the entire complex defies belief. Not even papers up in the wall at about 11.30 and then the annual screen freeze, you couldnt see the first at Catterick . It takes about 10 minutes to get up to the counter and when you do you are forced to take sp on bets at Leopardstown, whats that all about ?
Its treating the customers with contempt, thats what its about.
I didnt bother with the catering facilities as i wasnt able for the long wait to get the usual sub standard fare thats always on offer in these dumps.
To make it worse this shambolic sp shop is the same with the last 5 years or more and will be the same next year, because the people that run these tracks havent a clue.
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Agree re the betting shop, they did have new facilities, some of which I thought were quite good on the first floor ,they have also extended the restuarant ,the old owners and trainers has been turned into a public lounge . There was no milk or sugar when you bought a cup of tea in the restaurant beside it and you had to go up to the tables in the sit down area to find them ,stupid really, and as I was passing through there a lot yesterday I could sense the anger growing .What you have to remember is that xmas is a once off and most days I stand in the owners stand with maybe 5 or 6 others,not saying I'm an owner btw. The usual numbskulls were out in force yesterday , as the runners approached the winning line after a couple of furlongs in the first ,they were screaming them home ffs.
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Minnie (mincer) Brennan.
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when you consider the amount of customers that have passed through their gates its a disgrace the conditions that are offered up to people.The tote exists to serve itself,no more no less.What i find galling as a paying punter is when they do come into money ie lately they announce prizemoney increases immediately.Im speaking as an ex owner,i believe paying customers just want the basics sorted out ie decent food ,seatins, betting facilities etc.Maybe im wrong,id like to hear others opinions.
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The geniuses there had a fine taxi rank set up just outside the entrance, just a pity all the taxis were picking up at the roundabout on the way in and not one made it to rank.
Think I paid 26euro for 2 sausages&chips and a couple of drinks, then had nowhere to sit to eat it and it tasted average at best, Compare this to Thurles(generally regarded as one of worst facilities) last Sunday, where the food was lovely and you could sit down and eat or have a coffee or whatever in comfort. Anyone would think it's a shock to Leopardstown that 20,000 people are going to show up and there's a chance of **** weather. One other thing, when the Stewards was announced after Don Poli's win, I was really thinking "What the fcuk am I doing here?" |
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Must have been to a different course - top level bar (no badges needed) has a nice clean bar with couches everywhere, restaurant, coffee shop and wine bar and good viewing of parade ring and plenty of tvs or access to stand.
New O& T bar looks nice but couldnt access to confirm. Catering on weigh room level very nice and plenty of seats other than yest when v bust but suppose thats to be expected. hot Dogs were expensive I suppose but all in all a good place to be on a wet day with plenty of shelter - cant speak for betting shop but as a racegoer this was decent I thought |
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Some very very true points here. Mincer nailed it.
I was there yesterday with a view of also going today. What I saw there yesterday was the final straw that broke Slick's back. 4 of us have been going for donkeys years 2 of the 3 days, excluding Stephen's Day. When we saw 30 euro entrance fee, we nearly turned back. But we paid up and entered. Now, you had to queue for 10 minutes to get into the toilet (barely bigger than my own) and a further 5 minute wait to relieve yourself as it was 5 deep. If you wanted a dump, you were in serious trouble. As winsamsoon says, 13 euro for a can, a few chips and 2 mouldy sausages. You would get a carvery in any pub for less. Then the spineless characters you call "bookies". You have a ton in hand waiting to avail of, say, 4-1. In the blink of an eye, it goes 7-2, 3-1 in 30 seconds, WITH NO BET BEING LAID!. Betfair copiers. Disgraceful. So you have no bet, or are forced to take less. Cutting horses WITHOUT laying is disgustingly cowardly and greedy. Then you have the hoorah henrys turning up just for drink. Screaming the place down, spitting etc..... In a few years there will practically be no PUNTERS going racing any more. What's the point? AND THEY CHARGE YOU 30 EURO FOR THESE "PRIVILEGES". No, enough is enough. I've been to Leopardstown hundreds of times since I was a kid. Doubt I will return again. Had they kept the entrance at 20 euro, they would have had 80 notes today from 4 people. Better to have 80 notes, than not getting 120 notes. 30 euro entrance was the last straw. And as has been said here, the facilities are just getting worse. Total contempt. |
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And you're stuck with rules of racing, no guaranteed odds etc.... An absolute rip off on every angle.
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Its a cracking course in the best location in Ireland imho
Sadly OP is spot on like alot of Irish courses, facilities are akin to a toilet adn its all about gouging customers |
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I had intended to go on Stephens say, but when I saw what they were charging I nearly choked,I asked yer man was it a misprint, I turned back and went home and watched it for free, I tell ye what for a minority sport raving sure knows how to fleece the punters and stop ye coming back,
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Cost of transport, €30 admission, overpriced moderate hot dogs, poor betting facilities, no chance to trade prices for example Winsome Rocks taking the lead in Sundays bumper at 129/1, I would need to be paid to go, free in, free food jus for a day off.
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ALL RACECOURSES = RIP OFF .TAKE TRANSPORT /ENTRY/POSS BIT FOOD / BETS /OVERPRICED PI$$POOR LAGER = YOU NEED 200£ MINIMUM
WENT CHESTER (AT LEAST GOT FREE TICKETS) BUT 11£ FOR TWO SMALL BOTTLES CIDER BEGGARS BELIEF . ALL COURSES SHOULD RUN SCHEMES REDUCE PRICES LIKE EVERY TWO MEETINGS ATTENDED NEXT ONE FREE TOWCESTER BAR TWICE YEAR FREE ENTRY AND ITS VERY SUCCESSFUL.EVERY COURSE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST FOUR FREE DAYS WENT CHELT TEN YEARS ON TROT THEN WENT FIRST FOUR DAY FESTIVAL AND NEVER WENT BACK RUINED IT FOR ME |
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over here we have stupid dress codes ffs..as well as rip off prices,
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Thats no bad thing tony, would force the riff raff to leave the rovers jersey at home for the day at least
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when i seen the 30 euro post for entrance i actually thought it was some type of deal for a number of days.Truly amazing for an Irish racecourse.
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When you think of the money they get for the tv rights.About 40 to 45,000 per meeting and the % of the food and drink sales from the caters.
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Should punters have to pay to get in to spend money?No chance of free wifi?
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Even in galway you have to pay to use the car park.
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They have a captive audience for the 4 days and know that most people won't turn away on seeing a 30 quid admission price-Limerick was €20 for the 1st 2 days and €15 for the last 2 (if all 4 days had been run).
Just seems like plain greed to screw people all through the day and it feels like we are heading back to those horrible C Tiger days. They gotta realise that people will get fed up with overpriced entry and crap food and simply not return. Was thinking of heading up there today but when I read about the €30 in, and remembered the scrum that existed in the betting shop the last time I was there, I decided, to hell with them, enjoy it on the box instead. They seemed to be making a big deal about their improvements at the track but it looks like nothing has been really done to make it better. |
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I was there again today and what a kip it is. The 30 euro to get in is steep in relation to the day to day meetings but compared to Ascot Cheltenham and them kind of British premier tracks, it's not overly expensive. It's 30 euro to get in to the big 2 days in Galway and the racing is rubbish there.
Leopardstown as someone already said is a fantastic racecourse in a fantastic location but the people that run it wouldn't run a corner shop. The betting shop forcing you to take sp is disgusting, Ladbrokes don't do so in Punchestown or anywhere else they have the racecourse shop, Boyles do but you wouldn't expect anything else from them. On top of that today there TVs were all fuzzy showing the English racing and a couple were in black and white. Now please , in this day and age that is unacceptable, and worse again some screens were frozen and no shows coming up. Went for a cup of tea at one stage and there was a half hour que so I just fukked off. |
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I had a bet in the on course shop today where I took a price and was paid at it. I'd say you were dealing with some tool behind the counter who didn't know they could take those bets.
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There is a sign up there which stipulates quite clearly that any bets at the home meeting which in this case is leopardstown are settled at sp.
They may well turn a blind eye to some customers but it's very strictly enforced in some cases. Also there's no double result which is disgraceful, basically if you back a horse in the powers shop at leopardstown today, it's the only place in this country where you won't get paid if there is a stewards enquiry and it goes against you. All in all the whole racecourse thing is far from pleasurable and its disappointing as it would be so easily rectified. All is needed is for an extra 2 or 3 betting shop outlets, a half dozen high quality catering vans, extra toilet facilities and maybe scatter a few on course layers around the track like they do in every top track in Britain. I suppose it would be too much for them to go to Cheltenham and see how it's done and maybe go some way towards replicating it. |
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if the course makes a profit where does the money end up?
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snap I was refused entry to the stand because I had jeans on? I had a stand pass..i had to go back to reception and get a badge that said access all areas?..i was told this one time I was allowed into the stand..i prefer tats anyway but it's a short cut to the paddock?i was going today but the weather and card put me off..theres still a class system in racing in this country.
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Snap is never at the races Tony, he never takes off the Bohs jersey , whatever chance you have of getting in with a Rovers one you've NO chance with the Bohs one...Thick you'll be wanting them to supply you with a free Daily Mirror next ffs...
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I'd rather be a hippy than a hoop!
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Bohs gurrier ,
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mincer makes a good point about bookmakers located near the parade etc like at Aintree and Cheltenham.
Last year at Punchestown there were 6 located behind the stands and it worked very well. unfortunately the big firms in the ring stopped it as it impacted on their turnover. Mincer I highly doubt u paid 30 euro to attend foxrock venue . |
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jesus Wildman u could not have summed it up better
slickster the bookies at leop were laying very strongly to my detriment , sp fare is for small players interested in gimmicks |
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No I didn't pay to get in calling card but the 30 euro wouldn't have been a stumbling block. I watched the racing in a betting shop on Monday and it was 10 times more enjoyable. Clear screens with nice seating in a decent environment with no yahoos in the place. Screens weren't frozen and you could have a bet if you wanted to and take prices also.
Dan , I didn't see your post but you were more than likely drying to defend the indefensible and someone rightly had it removed. |
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Why would it be right to remove a differing opinion.
Would you not prefer to see my post and then counter it if its indefensible. I'd love to know the location of this Carlsberg betting shop. Why would you travel miles to go to a betting shop. Its disingenuous of you to talk about bookies concessions when you know they only apply to mugs and small stakes. In fairness most posters agreed with you,the ones that couldn't hack the entrance fee expect them in betting shops availing of the free tea and biscuits its about their strength. |
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Another post of mine gone.
I don't know who run the betting shop in Leopardstown but judging by their sensitivity it has to be their new partners. |
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The shop is Power's and I'm not on about concessions, what I'm on about are very basic entitlements. Taking 5/4 about a horse which is the correct price at the time is not what I call a gimmick and being denied the double result is outrageous. Why should this be the only shop in the country that doesn't give this concession?.
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Are you sure about that Mincer ,I think its a point of the shop been allowed take bets at home meetings that rules of racing MUST apply ,correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that was the consession made to the course layers when bookies were allowed take SINGLE bets on home meetings...
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Double result is a concession and only applies to small wagers.
I can see Casper Gutman stroll in to the course betting shop and sticking a few grand on at 5/4 board price and getting the double result concession. I can see the betting shop laying the 12/1 they quoted Gurteen and betting all comers. The size of the betting shop should be a help to the shrewdies as they may get on in the crush without being rumbled. |
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Wildman proving he is not TOTALLY thick...
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no wonder some meetings during the autumn have under 100 people paying at the gate , mincer and cronies using union cards from their past lives to save entrance fee and then slating the tracks. bit like the bookie suing Leopardstown years ago for falling thru the old stand but they had no record of his paying any pitch fee.
Leopardstown does need improvements but if the SP shop is the most important feature for some people maybe they should stay home racing is not ALL about betting ffs,savour the atmosphere watch the enthralling racing and just enjoy. go to gaa matches or league of Ireland matches instead and enjoy ffs its the best track we have |
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WMFB is factually incorrect here.
The maximum payout for double result is €100,000 to €1,000,000 (limit depends on category of race) in all normal PP shops. |
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Wonks, it's a free for all now . They could offer double result if they so wished , the decision to resrict to sp is entirely their own. Some of the bookies in the ring were paying double result and I know one that pays sp better.
Dan, you are wrong regarding double result applying to small wagers, in every shop in the country there is absolutely no limit . And as for gurteen, that was 3/1 by 11 o clock in the morning so they weren't ever likely to be going 12/1 |
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share the word mincer who offers sp better I shall transfer my loyalty .or is it to account holders only.
I don't have any accounts just punt in good old nappy rash |