A day at the races is an exciting time out for those who know it well and those who’ve never been before. If it’s your first time, it can be a bit overwhelming to know where to go and what to do, so we’ve got a handy guide here for your day out.
The Race Card is Your Guide To The Day
The first stop you should make is to buy a race card. This will have all of the details about the races for the day, including the horses and the jockeys. In fact, it’s a good idea to get to the track a little early so that you can spend some time getting to know the layout and reading through the race card.
This booklet has more than just the basic details for the day. You’ll get insights into the form of those racing, who the trainer is for the horse, which teams have traveled far to get to the event, etc. These pieces of information can help you to make decisions about how you want to place your bets for the various races.
Where To Go
While getting to know the lay of the land, you should be aware of three important places that you’ll want to spend some time at throughout the day:
The Parade
In the buildup to each race, the horses and their jockeys enter the parade ring and strut their stuff for the spectators. It’s a good chance to get up close and personal with the competitors. You get to see the ease and grace of the horses, and the confidence of the jockeys. You never know, seeing the horse’s wellbeing and look on the day might help you to pick a winner for the race when you couple that with the information in your race card.
The Racetrack
Of course, you need to find a good spot at the racetrack so that you can watch the race. Throughout the day, you can try different spots – the starting gates, the back stretch, or the finish line. It’s exciting to see how horses do when they’re at different stages of the race. You can get a different perspective on the track and what you should be looking out for in a horse when you pick your favorite to win.
The Winners’ Enclosure
After each race, the winners head over to a special enclosure where they receive their prizes and are presented to the press and other interested parties. It’s a great sight to see, even if those competitors aren’t the ones you picked and placed your bets on. Of course, it’s even better when you know your horse betting was successful.
Dress Up and Enjoy The Day
A day at the races should be an occasion – it’s fun and exciting to get involved in such a great sport. You can also win some good money on sports betting if you know how to pick the strongest racers.