PeeKay wrote: Attendance was very low. In previous years i could not even walk at the bookies area.......very very poor but the boxes and rooms.in the main stand were packed
What appears to be happening to the Met is a microcosm of what is happening to racehorse ownership in South Africa - the sheer expense is simply making it more elitist rather than more inclusive.
I had my annual 'day at the races' on Saturday. A couple of things stood out:
I was not aware of any major congestion on course. It appears that the majority of attendees are now accomodated in one facility or another. The classic 'racegoer' who attends without pre-arranged hospitality is fast disappearing.
The turnout seemed pretty good. As the various offerings are quite widespread now (and include their own betting facilities) it gives the impression of less mayhem. I also noticed a huge number of people transacting on their smart phones; so technology is clearly also playing a part.
Lastly - it was amazing how my 'form' improved once I made the effort to actually observe the horses going down. In the Met I made Captain America the pick followed by Whisky Baron. (I backed neither). I thought Marinaresco looked a little tucked.
In the Derby Edict Of Nantes stood out for me although I did not have a bet on the race.
I only really played in the last three races. I correctly identified all three winners on looks and then promptly backed them all the wrong way around.
In the last I was the beneficiary of a rare bit of good fortune. I backed two horses (which did NOT include the winner) and neglected to check my tickets. I was somewhat surprised to see that I had been laid R1200/300 on the winner after the race!
