Horse Racing

northernneil
northernneil Posts: 1,549
edited March 2011 in The bottom bracket
I love sport, all sports I'll watch anything from Netball to downhill skiing, baseball to even enjoying an evening in bar in Avimore discussing the finer points of Bull Riding which was on eurosport at the time .......BUT

I just dont get horse racing ... at all, cant get why people get excited about.

I understand the pomp and dressing up, pims and prawn sandwichs, ladies day etc - but surely thats at the actual ground on the day, just for people who go, doesnt quite work on TV.

IMHO

Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    It's to horse-lovers what formula one is to engineers.

    And there's BETTING.
    _
  • guinea
    guinea Posts: 1,177
    For females under the age of 17 it's about the horses.

    For everyone else it's about the gambling.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    northernneil wrote:
    I love sport, all sports I'll watch anything from Netball to downhill skiing, baseball to even enjoying an evening in bar in Avimore discussing the finer points of Bull Riding which was on eurosport at the time .......BUT

    I just dont get horse racing ... at all, cant get why people get excited about.

    I understand the pomp and dressing up, pims and prawn sandwichs, ladies day etc - but surely thats at the actual ground on the day, just for people who go, doesnt quite work on TV.

    IMHO

    Very little horse racing has any of that stuff. I used to go to Chepstow and Hereford a fair bit when I was younger and you'd stick out like a sore thumb if you got all dressed up.

    It's a good day out and although the gambling is part of it, the racing can be exciting whether you punt or not (£5 was only ever my maximum stake).
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Without a flutter on it then there is very little point but with even a £2 or £3 bet watching live becomes a completely different matter. Getting close to the rails and really experiencing the speed and power of those animals for the first time is quite an eye opener too.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    If you've got a bet on, watching the race on telly is pretty exciting. More so than watching some tangerine tart push a button on Guinevere using set of balls number 7.

    Actually being there is something else, bet or no bet. As Pross says, the speed and power of the horses can only really be appreciated at first hand, and I defy anyone not to get swept up in the crescendo of noise as the things thunder towards the finishing line.

    Last time I went I spotted Jake the Snake in the last race. It's an omen I thought. Tenner each way. Came in third. Story of my life!
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    Pross wrote:
    Without a flutter on it then there is very little point but with even a £2 or £3 bet watching live becomes a completely different matter. Getting close to the rails and really experiencing the speed and power of those animals for the first time is quite an eye opener too.
    One of the most exciting sports to watch live, you need to experience it to understand.

    And a Saturday afternoon in front of the box with a few quid on a Yankee is a cheap afternoons entertainment with the possibility of a healthy return should you get lucky.
  • DIESELDOG
    DIESELDOG Posts: 2,087
    Point to Point is better, but then I'm a huge fan of the Grand National, which is the only race I ever bet on. So far I'm totally quids in.

    Flat racing is boring to me. Fair enough it's all about speed but there's not much technical involved, apart from holding back and knowing when to go for it. (so to speak).

    Love n hugs

    DD
    Eagles may soar but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

    www.onemanandhisbike.co.uk
  • gavintc
    gavintc Posts: 3,009
    IMO, it has nothing to do with sport, but merely a system for gambling. If you banned the gambling at the track, horse racing would die. You do not get bookies at an athletics track or indoor cycling, so why allow them at horse racing. Merely a vehicle for removing money from people and giving it to wealthy bookies.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    As per some of the comments above, a day at the races is a fantastic day out and you don't need to go silly with the money, just a little punt and it really does get exciting, oh and add about 8 pints of Guinness and a take away or two, lovely. That's my day planned for this Friday (as I have tickets for the Gold Cup) and I also get a day of recovery before a lumpy ride around Exmoor on Sunday, yeah!
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    gavintc wrote:
    IMO, it has nothing to do with sport, but merely a system for gambling. If you banned the gambling at the track, horse racing would die. You do not get bookies at an athletics track or indoor cycling, so why allow them at horse racing. Merely a vehicle for removing money from people and giving it to wealthy bookies.
    Who employ a hell of a lot of people and contribute a large amount of tax revenue to the exchequer. You can't ban other people's pleasures just because they don't appeal to you.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    You can gamble on the track cycling if you like.

    See what odds you can get on some poor sod ending up with a calf like a chicken satay but still making it over the line. :D
  • DIESELDOG
    DIESELDOG Posts: 2,087
    keef66 wrote:
    You can gamble on the track cycling if you like.

    See what odds you can get on some poor sod ending up with a calf like a chicken satay but still making it over the line. :D

    Surely that should be veal satay?

    Love n hugs

    DD
    Eagles may soar but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

    www.onemanandhisbike.co.uk
  • cycladianpirate
    cycladianpirate Posts: 122
    Smokin Joe wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Without a flutter on it then there is very little point but with even a £2 or £3 bet watching live becomes a completely different matter. Getting close to the rails and really experiencing the speed and power of those animals for the first time is quite an eye opener too.
    One of the most exciting sports to watch live, you need to experience it to understand.

    And a Saturday afternoon in front of the box with a few quid on a Yankee is a cheap afternoons entertainment with the possibility of a healthy return should you get lucky.

    Come On!!! Give us your best punt! I'm happy to start the ball rolling - twenty quid on the nose on "Alo Ez" at fifties! Got me out of a lot of trouble with the bank back when I was a student (mind you - it didn't cover what I'd lost before......(or after)) :wink:

    Watching racing without a flutter? Like watching paint dry (without the paint).
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    gavintc wrote:
    IMO, it has nothing to do with sport, but merely a system for gambling. If you banned the gambling at the track, horse racing would die. You do not get bookies at an athletics track or indoor cycling, so why allow them at horse racing. Merely a vehicle for removing money from people and giving it to wealthy bookies.

    Keirin racing wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the betting.
  • DIESELDOG
    DIESELDOG Posts: 2,087
    afx237vi wrote:
    gavintc wrote:
    IMO, it has nothing to do with sport, but merely a system for gambling. If you banned the gambling at the track, horse racing would die. You do not get bookies at an athletics track or indoor cycling, so why allow them at horse racing. Merely a vehicle for removing money from people and giving it to wealthy bookies.

    Keirin racing wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the betting.

    Trouble is the guy on the motorbike always gets the bet and yet always loses...

    One of lifes little foibles.

    Love n hugs

    DD
    Eagles may soar but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

    www.onemanandhisbike.co.uk
  • verylonglegs
    verylonglegs Posts: 4,023
    afx237vi wrote:
    gavintc wrote:
    IMO, it has nothing to do with sport, but merely a system for gambling. If you banned the gambling at the track, horse racing would die. You do not get bookies at an athletics track or indoor cycling, so why allow them at horse racing. Merely a vehicle for removing money from people and giving it to wealthy bookies.

    Keirin racing wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the betting.

    Much like no-one would go to watch live darts if there was no beer on sale.
  • DIESELDOG
    DIESELDOG Posts: 2,087
    verylonglegs wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    gavintc wrote:
    IMO, it has nothing to do with sport, but merely a system for gambling. If you banned the gambling at the track, horse racing would die. You do not get bookies at an athletics track or indoor cycling, so why allow them at horse racing. Merely a vehicle for removing money from people and giving it to wealthy bookies.

    Keirin racing wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the betting.

    Much like no-one would go to watch live darts if there was no beer on sale.

    Nor the ability to smoke inside... I miss darts... (irony yeah I know)

    Love n hugs

    DD
    Eagles may soar but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

    www.onemanandhisbike.co.uk
  • White Horse
    White Horse Posts: 161
    Bobbinogs wrote:
    As per some of the comments above, a day at the races is a fantastic day out and you don't need to go silly with the money, just a little punt and it really does get exciting, oh and add about 8 pints of Guinness and a take away or two, lovely. That's my day planned for this Friday (as I have tickets for the Gold Cup) and I also get a day of recovery before a lumpy ride around Exmoor on Sunday, yeah!

    You're either going to be a day late or very disappointed, as the Gold Cup is on Thursday.
  • Allez Mark
    Allez Mark Posts: 364
    Friday
  • TLDNMCL
    TLDNMCL Posts: 2,779
    Zero interest in it on a day to day basis, and as for watching it on TV, no thanks. I also have no interest in the "finer points" with regard to form, history, weights, the calculation of odds etc. but as many have said, Ia day out at the course is quite different.
    Mac
  • White Horse
    White Horse Posts: 161
    White Horse wrote:
    Bobbinogs wrote:
    As per some of the comments above, a day at the races is a fantastic day out and you don't need to go silly with the money, just a little punt and it really does get exciting, oh and add about 8 pints of Guinness and a take away or two, lovely. That's my day planned for this Friday (as I have tickets for the Gold Cup) and I also get a day of recovery before a lumpy ride around Exmoor on Sunday, yeah!

    You're either going to be a day late or very disappointed, as the Gold Cup is on Thursday.

    My Apologies. I could have sworn it was today! :oops:

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