| Few days out can match the
spectacle and excitement of a day at the races. Many people enjoy the sociability of a day
out in the fresh air with family friends or business associates. The more you understand
about what is going on the greater your enjoyment will be. Here we answer some frequently
asked questions to help you make the most of your day at Taunton Racecourse.
- WHAT SORT OF RACING WILL I SEE?
- At Taunton Racecourse you will experience
JUMP racing - known as National Hunt. There are approximately 14 racemeetings per year.
- WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
- While top hats are still a common sight at
Royal Ascot and The Derby, you will rarely see them at other racecourses! Many courses do
however have a dress code for the member's enclosure, which may insist on a jacket and tie
for gentlemen. For many people dressing up is part of the fun of going to the races. If
you would like some guidance, please phone the racecourse. Enclosures other than members
do not impose a dress code, within reason! You should also make sure that what you wear is
comfortable and suitable for the day. You will probably be spending a considerable time
outside and on your feet, so give some thought to the weather and your footwear.
- WHEN SHOULD I ARRIVE?
- You can find the time of the first race
from most newspapers or by telephoning the course. But the action starts long before then.
Aim to arrive about an hour before the first race. This will give you time to look around
the course, perhaps have something to eat and see the horses being saddled up in the
pre-parade ring. Directions on how to reach Taunton Racecourse can be found at this web
site. There is ample free car parking. Often traffic can build up so allow plenty of time
for your journey.
- WHICH PART OF THE COURSE SHOULD I GO IN?
- All racecourses are divided into typically
three areas called ENCLOSURES. These offer different facilities at different admission
prices, so you can take your pick.
- HOW DO I PICK A WINNER?
- If only it were that easy! First of all you
need to have some information about the horses. When you arrive at Taunton Racecourse buy
a RACECARD. This costs about £1 and gives details about each race and the horses in it.
It is also a useful guide to the facilities on the racecourse and is an essential
programme for your day.
You may also wish to buy the trade newspaper, The Racing Post, copies are available at the
racecourse. It also gives details about each runner as well as plenty of tips and opinion.
But remember the experts don't get it right all the time - the unpredictability is the
fascination of racing!
Before the race, go down to the paddock. Here you can see each horse close up. Look at its
condition. Does it look fit and alert? After the horses leave the paddock, try and watch
them running down to the start. Does your fancy look to be running with an easy action or
does he look uncomfortable on the ground?
- WHAT IS "THE FORM"?
- Watching the horses before the race is an
important part of assessing their chances. However a horse's past performances - its FORM-
are the greatest guide to its future prospects. Here you must look at a range of factors
and decide what importance to attach to each. Then compare each horse on that basis.
As you can imagine, its gets very complicated and while some serious racegoers will spend
many hours studying form, it is by no means necessary in order to enjoy a day at the
races. Many people are equally happy to pick a horse because they like its name! But for
those interested in the basics of form, here are some of the factors you should take into
consideration. All the information can be found in the RACECARD or racing newspapers.
- The DISTANCE of the
race. Most horses run well within a certain range of distances. A horse running over an
untried distance may do better or worse than usual.
- The GOING. This
refers to the state of the ground and ranges from HEAVY (very soft), through GOOD to HARD
(very firm). Again, horses usually have a preference. Look at its previous races. Does it
seem to run well or badly on a particular surface. The GOING today will be posted on the
main board at the course. National Hunt racing can not be run on ground that is harder
than 'firm'.
- CLASS of RACE. Races come in a range
of classes. A horse that came sixth in a very good race may well be better than a horse
that has won more modest races.
- TIME. The RACECARD will give the
standard times for the various race distances at that racecourse. The racing press gives
information about the times run by the horses in previous races. These need careful
analysis: one horse may have been able to win its last race with a slow time, while one of
its rivals today may have run faster in another race but only come second - probably
because it was a better CLASS of race. The state of the GOING can have a major effect on
race times.
- THE COURSE - They say "horses
for courses" and some really do prefer a particular track. More generally, many
horses prefer running either right or left handed. Some racecourses are quite small with
tight turns while others are have less severe bends - often referred to as galloping
tracks. Again any preferences may well show up in the horse's previous races. Taunton is a
right handed course.
- TRAINER & JOCKEY. When a trainer
has had a number of winners over the last few days or weeks he is "in form" and
success often breeds success. On the other hand, if a trainer is having a run of bad luck
it may be that his horses are "off colour" and this could be significant.
Many people like to follow jockeys they know - the "household" names. It is not
a bad system since inevitably, the famous jockeys tend to be the better jockeys and they
will usually be riding the better horses. If a jockey has had several winners he can be
"on a roll" and may be worth following.
- WEIGHTS. In many types of race,
horses which are considered to be better are penalised by carrying more weight. In the
closing stages of a race, that extra weight can make a big difference.
- HAVING A BET!
- Betting at the races is by no means
compulsory and many people have a perfectly enjoyable day without staking a penny. But for
most people having a flutter on their fancy adds to the fun and excitement of watching the
race. There are three places to bet at racecourses and each work differently.
THE TOTE. The "Tote" is short for Totaliser, a system
introduced to Britain in 1929 to offer pool betting on racecourses. It works like this:
all stakes on a race are pooled, a deduction in made to cover costs and the Tote's
contribution to racing. The remainder of the pool is divided by the number of winning
units to give a dividend which is declared inclusive of a £1 stake. In other words, pool
customers bet into a common pool, betting against one another, whereas in bookmaking they
bet against the bookmaker. Tote dividends are not linked to prices declared by bookmakers.
Our odds fluctuate according to the pattern of betting and the amount of money placed on
each horse. Betting ceases on the "off". There is no tax on racecourse bets.
How to Bet at the Tote:
- Select your horse by its number. Tote TVs will give you an
indication of current prices for Win, Place and Dual Forecast Pools. You will see these
prices constantly changing right up until the race starts (see example above).
- Find a Tote selling point identified by the Tote logo and by
the staff in red uniforms.
- Tell the operator details of your bet:
a.
Meeting d.
Type of Bet
b.
Race
e. Horse(s)) - always using numbers not names.
c. Unit Stake
For Trifecta, Jackpot, Placepot, Quadpot, Multibet and scoop6 use the Mark Sense cards
provided.
- Check your tickets before the race begins. You are
responsible foe ensuring your ticket is correct.
- If in doubt about any matter regarding Tote betting, please
ask the Lady in Red.
All bets are subject to Tote rules.
- The main bets you can have with the TOTE
are these:
-
Restrictions may apply on Bank
Holidays and peak days.
* Up
to 4 runners = no place betting
5-7 runners = 1st & 2nd
8+ runners = 1st, 2nd &3rd
Handicap 16+ runners = 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th
Minimum Stakes
Win/Place: £2, but in certain enclosures (including Silver Rings and Course
Enclosures( £1 each way is available.
Dual Forecast: £2, but £1 permutations are available in all enclosures.
Jackpot/Placepot/Quadpot/Multibet/Trifecta: £1, with permutations being accepted
to a minimum unit stake of 10p upwards, scoop6 - £2.
Tote dividends are declared inclusive of £1 stake. For scoop6, see rules.
- THE BOOKMAKERS
The BOOKMAKERS can be found in the TATTERSALLS Paddock enclosure and the SILVER RING
(Centre and Course) . The Betting Ring is very colourful and full of character but placing
a bet there is quite simple.
Each BOOKMAKER stands by a board which displays prices next to the name of each horse.
These indicate the return you will receive for your stake. For example, 3-1 means that if
you bet £1 you would "WIN" £3 - you would also get your original £1 back. 7-2
means that if you stake £2 you would win £7 - that is the equivalent of three and a half
to one. You need to be good at fractions to work out which odds are better than others!
The odds vary between bookmakers and each bookmaker will alter the odds he offers in the
run up to the race. Remember this is a real market governed by market opinion and supply
and demand, so it is important to seek the best price available. When you have done this
you can strike your bet with the bookmaker AT THAT PRICE. In this way you can be certain
what your return will be, regardless of how the bookmaker alters his prices later.
The two main bets in the Ring, as it is known, are WIN and EACH-WAY - though not all
bookmakers offer EACH-WAY. As with the TOTE, an EACH WAY bet is a WIN bet and a PLACE bet.
Bookmakers settle the PLACE part of the bet at a fraction of the odds quoted for a WIN -
they display the terms on their boards. They also show the minimum stakes that they
accept, which can vary from £1 to £10.
When you have found the bookmaker offering the best price on your fancy, go up to him and
tell him the NAME of the horse, the amount you wish to bet and the type of bet (WIN or
EACH WAY). The bookmaker will repeat the bet to his clerk, who will right it down. Listen
carefully to make sure it is correct, but watch out because the bookmaker will tell his
clerk the actual bet - e.g. when you say " £5 on Billy's Boy" which is 7-1, the
bookmaker will tell his clerk "Billy's Boy, thirty-five pounds to five." He will
also tell his clerk the number of the ticket which he will give to you. This ticket is
your receipt, but it does not contain any details of the actual transaction and many
racegoers find it helpful to write down the stake and odds on the back.
After the race is run, the announcer will say that the horses have "weighed in".
If your bet is winner, return to your bookmaker and hand over your ticket. You will
receive you winnings and your original stake. So when Billy's Boy wins you would COLLECT
£40 - £35 winnings and five pounds stake.
An advantage of betting with the bookmakers is that there is no tax to pay on winnings or
stakes which makes life (and the sums!) much easier.
RACECOURSE BETTING SHOP
This is rather like a High St betting shop. You can have a wide variety of bets including
multiple bets and specialist bets. You can also bet on races at other courses and even on
other sports which may be going on that day. On course betting shops often allow smaller
stakes.
To make a bet you fill in a small slip of paper stating the name of your selection, the
stake and the type of bet. Take it to a cashier who will stamp the slip and give you a
copy. If your bet wins you take your copy to the cashier for payment.
Bets will normally be settled at SP - the STARTING PRICE. The STARTING PRICE is declared
after the race has begun and is the price generally available in the Ring at the time of
the off. Betting shops make a deduction of about 6% on any winnings or alternatively you
can pay 6% extra on your stake.
We hope that this guide has answered some
of your questions. Remember that at Taunton Racecourse we have an information kiosks and
our staff will be happy to deal will any queries. Remember the best way to find out more
is to come along and enjoy yourself at Taunton Racecourse. |
