Quick guide for first time racegoers
You don't need to dress up or wear a hat! - clothing and footwear should be warm and comfortable as it's likely you'll be walking around a lot and you may be standing outside on the course for long periods.
Bets can be placed in a number of ways, with the most popular being WIN and EACH WAY. a straight WIN bet is exactly that, with your horse having to win for you to collect. AN Each Way bet of £1 costs £2 and so on, however your horse only needs to finish in the placings, i.e 1,2 or 3rd, or 1,2,3 and 4th in some races for you to win.
Bets can be placed from as little as £2 per race.
Take a newspaper or buy a racecard at the course so you know what races are scheduled and the form for each horse running.
'Going' is the state of the racecourse surface - this can range from 'heavy' (wet) to 'firm' (dry).
The premier enclosure is the most expensive but offers the viewing and facilities with access to all other areas of the course. Grandstand tickets provide viewing access to the parade ring and winners enclosure as well as great options for food and drink. Course tickets are the least expensive option and get you very close to the racing. The Course Car Park costs £6 per car (plus £6 per person) and offers the perfect picnic site right beside the action!
The parade ring is used to see which horses look in the best conditon to run in the races, and can sometimes provide an informative view of your horses chance of winning.
