Chester has a reputation for being officially the “oldest racecourse still in operation” and for attracting a particularly rowdy crowd… so I was all about finding that out last Saturday.
As usual, a quick hop across the pond thanks to an early flight from Dublin airport, this time to Liverpool. The sun was shining upon arrival, though the odyssey of getting to Chester was only to begin.
Even in good times it doesn’t seem totally straightforward getting to Chester via public transport. What’s should be about half an hour by car, requires triple the time with bus and train – and that’s if the trains are going.
Last Saturday they were not. The Chester trainline had a mechanical fault and that meant taking replacement busses to get there. Let’s say it took a while and I arrived – much like anyone else – a lot later in Chester than anticipated.
It’s a brisk 15 minute walk to the racecourse from the train station, and the hopes of getting there in time for the first race faded when I was greeted by gigantic queues that had formed in front of the different entrance gates.
So I missed the first race, was already sweaty and exhausted, and definitely ready for a burger and a chilled beer. Saying that, the sheer amount of people, the noise and smells, Chester Racecourse on a balmy Saturday afternoon was an experience I was ill-prepared for.
Racecourse Experience
The layout of Chester racecourse, confined by it’s location, means there’s a lot of walking required, especially if you come to see the horses. To get from the stand to the (pre-) parade ring, you have go underneath the actual track through a tunnel – and back, of course, if you want to see any racing action.
From the infield, where the parade ring is located as well as an a array of food- and drink stalls, vans and bars, there is no elevated view for the poor Tattersalls enclosure racegoer, and the rails are rammed with people. Hence you’ll definitely get your 10.000 steps per day… which is a positive, I guess?
The parade ring itself is huge, and despite the large crowd, thankfully there was always a spot somewhere to get a good view of horses. Size (of the parade ring) matters, in this regard. The pre-parade ring was the place I enjoyed the most, because it was a tiny bit quieter, and you could observe the horses without the armpits of a fellow racegoer in your face.
I must say, it was obvious that many yards in most races came to get a result. The vast majority of horses looked stunningly well prepared: shiny coat, well defined muscles, fit and ready! Although, especially the younger horses, seemed to struggle with the noise, and many were playing up.
I was glad to pick out Rosenpur in the second-last race as the absolute standout pick in the paddock in her race, as well the entire day, and backed her to win readily – it paid for the day, and that’s always appreciated.
Once you laboured all the way back through the tunnel to the stands, there were multiple stands to watch the racing from with a ticket for Tattersalls, and generally the viewing was class. I preferred the stand beside the County Stand which had an elevated platform type viewing area from the top, with superb views across the entire track as well as the big screen.
By the end of the day I had figured out a way to be efficient with the time and walking between parade ring and stand to see as much of the horses and the racing action.
My Tattersalls enclosure ticket was £35 + £1.25 online booking fee. Expensive, given there was a single class 3 Handicap, and otherwise only lower graded races. However, it was a long day with eight races, to be fair.
Food & Drink
There plenty of variety and different options of food and drink across the entire track, whether that was stand-side, or in the infield. I had a burger for about eleven pounds, which wasn’t a great burger, but decent enough for the price – given this is a racecourse.
I enjoyed the fact there was some solid craft beer available. Not cheap, of course, you pay for drinks anywhere these days, anyway. About £8 for an IPA from the van was steep, but then again, it’s not out of the ordinary these days, sadly.
Again, to be fair, the pints tasted good, and I didn’t expect value for money on that front at this racecourse – or any racecourse for that matter – any longer. I made the point often enough in the past, that obviously British racing is pricing out a huge audience with the way they price tickets, food and drink, but that’s the way it is and it won’t change. Milk the cow as long as the juice flows…
Odds of Return
7/1
If ever, for some reason, the chance occurs to be back, then I won’t protest too hard. However, I wouldn’t actively seek it out. Chester caters to a specific audience. It’s the “have fun day out with plenty of drink…. oh and here’s this thing on four legs, I heard it’s called a horse” crowd they’re after.
For racing fans this isn’t a great play to be. I was simply overwhelmed by the massive crowd, and simply the staggering amount of drunk women who wore precious little clothing, and were stumbling across the lawn after one (or perhaps ten?) too many drinks by the time the second race went off.
This isn’t my cup of tea. That’s fine. There are other tracks that suit me better. I still had a good day, ticked off Chester and finally have a better understanding of how this ever turning track looks in real life.
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