October
MarchEnjoying the journey
All racegoers want to feel that they are getting a good day out when they go to the track. Good facilities, no long queues for bets or food and drinks, and maybe one day no person telling you to put your jacket back on in the members if you feel hot after a close finish. Oh yes, and a mounting-yard pass if you are one of only 10 owners in a horse that is running.
Non-feature race days provide an acceptable experience as the crowds are smaller, but unfortunately on major days the facilities just don’t cope.
For example, on Cox Plate day last year I had two runners, Ista Kareem and Dollops. The members area adjacent to the mounting yard was a human crush. Not even a sheep would have been comfortable.
When will the race clubs identify that an owner deserves some privilege over the member who pays nothing towards the horses, without which there is no race meeting?
I suggest that at all city tracks there should be the traditional members area, plus an area for people who are racehorse owners and an area for owners of horses racing on that day.
Hopefully that area will be of a high standard to make the day an experience to remember and make you think, regardless of the result of your race, "Yes, I am glad I own a racehorse and I want to go to the races regularly."
It’s simple — so few owners make any money out of racing a horse that it is the journey that has to be fun.
Noosa Heads (Qld)