I've never been to a live horse racing event in my life

Ripon has always been my favourite course, especially the summer evening cards. Early finish from work, fish and chips and a beer and a few bets at the course usually with some pleasant free music in the bandstand. However, like @Caretaker1 said Hexham is great too, especially as you can see almost the whole course from the paddock.

I like most of the courses nearby and its a great day out providing it isn't ridiculously crammed. Although of all the nearby courses Sedgefield is the one I'm not that keen on due to the lumpy bumpy home straight.
 
For me its never been about the gambling but I love to watch the horses run. My mum worked in a bookies for a while and she told me some horror stories of men losing their entire wages. Blokes coming in, opening their wage packet and within an hour the lot was gone.

I could you go home and tell the wife she's not getting her house keeping money.
As my grandma use to say to me.... you never see a broke bookie!
 
Never been a horse racing fan but a day out at the races is always good fun, similar feel to test cricket in my experience. Gamble with money that won't hurt you to lose.
 
Not a fan personally, not remotely into horses, not a gambler and the beer is in plastic glasses (pet hate). But I've been several times over the years because people keep picking them for birthdays and stag do's 😭

Its an ok day in the right company, place a few small sensible bets and I find I usually just about break even. Never sad to be leaving at the end of the day and moving onto a proper pub.

Each to their own and all that.
 
After the news the build up to the grand national came on & I was saying this to my daughter

We went to Benidorm a few back for my son in laws stagdoo & Cheltenham was on, I put a bet on & the horse fell & was injured, my 1st & last horse bet
Nay lad.
I dont believe ya ;)(y)
 
Only once up at Gosforth Park for the 'plate day' one race being sponsored by the company I was with at the time. I thought it was quite good as a day out, but the number of ugly sisters, caked in make-up, overdressed and blitzed out of their minds was a real eye opener. One lass tripped and slid on the grass, skirt up around her waist, no pants and a bush that would have had a gardener looking for overtime to prune it.

She didn't give a hoot, straight back to the bar to replace her drink and on with the show (so to speak)

Needless to say my 'pot' was soon down to zero - first of the group to lose my stake for the day.
 
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The coach park after the races at York is , at times , a boxing ring . Boro , Skunks , Leeds , Mackems etc x 50 seaters , full of drink , only one ending .
I do enjoy the day out , but you do need to have your wits about you.
 
The coach park after the races at York is , at times , a boxing ring . Boro , Skunks , Leeds , Mackems etc x 50 seaters , full of drink , only one ending .
I do enjoy the day out , but you do need to have your wits about you.
The trouble in York was one of the reasons we stopped going - you couldn't get into a pub/club before or after the races. Doncaster use to be totally different, everyone was up for a laugh without the hint of trouble. I dare say there was some, but we never witnessed it.
 
We used to get a bus from work to York every year for ebor . One year we were having such a laugh with a gang of Geordie lasses in a snug in a pub near the Minster we thought sod the races we‘re having a laugh here so stayed . Other lads on the bus home couldn’t understand us and similarly we couldn’t understand them 🤔
 
I have no interest in horse racing or gambling but have been to live racing two with mates. Both times it was a fantastic day out. The last time was at York in 2019. The sun was shining and the temperature about 30 degrees. I placed about two bets all day but was still impressed when you hear the horses run past. It's an amazing sight.
 
The races used to be great. Sadly now they shoehorn as many in as possible which makes the queues for the bars etc horrific. Avoid York like the plague.

Covid might change this but I doubt it - as soon as they can squeeze more folk in they will.
 
Go about once a year in normal times, take a set amount to gamble fully prepared to lose it, but often about break even. Beverley is a nice little course and a sensible night afterwards.
 
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