Racecourse number: 8
First visited: 1984
Number of visits: 3
Doncaster was the eighth racecourse I had visited and very impressive it was too. Home of the St. Leger, it had quality and size to match its classic pedigree. I went twice with my Dad in the mid-1980s and have two specific memories. The first was that a significant element of Doncaster was based indoors and in a different way than I was used to. This was a bit more than a betting hall, bar or food area. It had what could be described as a concourse/exhibition area – a larger than normal space within the main grandstand which housed amongst other things some of the on course bookmakers, extensive food and drink options and escalators to other levels with more of the same. Betting on course, but inside was somewhat unusual. It had and still has something of a shopping centre feel to it. The other memory relates to a very specific type of race that was held on my first visit – a “hands and heels” race which was part of a series for apprentice jockeys. As a teenager I was beginning to get interested in and understand the life of an up and coming jockey, the importance of horsemanship and the issues and arguments relating to use of the whip. As my knowledge of horse racing developed, new and more interesting layers of detail began to emerge. I was being drawn in to the world of five-pound claiming apprentices and excessive use of the whip bans. The more I knew the more I wanted to know. There would be no going back for me.
For some reason the geography in and around Doncaster has since been a problem for me. Not normally one to get lost I have managed to get into difficulty on both my visits since. On my third visit to the track in 1989 my college friend Paul and I struggled to find the train station after a day when we struggled to find winners. A missed train meant we had to head to Todmorden instead of Accrington. This meant a series of bus journeys at the end of a long day. Todmorden to Rawtenstall, Rawtenstall to Burnley, Burnley to Accrington and finally Accrington to Oswaldtwistle. By the time our tour of Lancashire had concluded parental concern was significant with worried phone calls between the two sets of parents. I arrived home around midnight about seven hours after the last race! Twenty seven years later in 2016 driving my Dad to Town Moor, I once again contrived to get lost, this time both on the way to and leaving this historic venue. Both trips involved a stressful and unnecessary detour around Doncaster town centre. On the way there I was in the wrong lane at a roundabout and realised too late. On the way home we were directed away from the course in the wrong direction and it took me quite a while to get back on the correct road.
This was the day of the 250th Doncaster Cup, a flat meeting the day before the St. Leger itself. County Stand tickets were courtesy of an Attheraces competition win on Facebook so we had won even before we entered the very impressive new main entrance and stand. Certainly Doncaster was better than I remembered in terms of the quality set up the racecourse has. There was also a great deal going on at this popular Friday meeting. Competitions, promotions, information, photos all in a friendly and busy atmosphere. Ladbrokes sponsored the meeting and had some great promotions as well as plenty of helpful staff. A week earlier I had attended Haydock Park on the Friday of their sprint cup festival. Doncaster was very busy in comparison, probably twice as well attended which was encouraging, though many like myself may have entered for free. Pre racing we explored what the new and obviously improved Doncaster had to offer. In short, plenty. In particular I was keen on the food court which offered variety and quality though not, as usual on a racecourse, value. My dad and I tucked in to pie, mash, peas and gravy in very pleasant surroundings. This multi-levelled and spacious main grandstand, the Lazarus stand was first class both inside and out. It was complimented by the paddock in front of the main stand which was a big plus point. The majority of the crowd were dressed up smartly, as were we, for Gentleman’s Day, with an array of impressive prizes on offer for those judged smartest. My Dad had made a real effort and surely would be short listed. More on that soon. If I am being picky two aspects of the set up at Doncaster came across as flawed. Firstly, beyond the winning post, the annual members and drinkers on the beautiful champagne lawn suffered from lack of ideal position. This is a common problem for racecourses when they extend facilities in this area. Secondly, on the other side of the Lazarus stand the ideally positioned old Clock Tower stand looked very lonely with only a few racegoers using it. We would do our bit later by swelling the numbers in this stand by two for a few of the races.
Before that we had some winners to find in what became something of a joint effort as racing began with no less than a Group 3 contest. Nemoralia was a strong favourite for the opener. Despite my best efforts I ended up backing her in the absence of an obvious alternative. She was soundly beaten, the race being won in a tight finish by Spangled ridden by Andrea Atzeni. This was our second loser after my selection in the first race at Sandown came last. Our initial selections had run very poorly and I joked with my Dad that at least we couldn't get any worse. I was wrong about that. We were both on the Mark Johnston trained second favourite in the first race at Chester. On the turn for home things looked very promising, our runner travelling well behind the leaders, although a little boxed in. Suddenly our horse clipped the heels of the horse in front, stumbled and did a somersault. There was a gasp of horror from those watching. The horse fortunately got up fine but not so lucky was jockey Franny Norton who broke a collar bone and some ribs. Whilst this was happening, literally to add insult to injury the short listed ten contenders for the gentleman’s day competition were being introduced. The £10,000 worth of prizes on offer included amongst many others holidays, clothing vouchers, racing tickets and gym memberships. These fine looking gentleman had two things in common. Yes, they all looked very smart. However not one of them was over thirty five! Surely all age groups should have been considered. As Doncaster’s race two approached these two old-timers were very much in need of something positive to happen.
Right on cue up stepped the always positive Frankie Dettori and the John Gosden trained Ardad. We had backed him in a shared lucky fifteen and then both backed him in singles as a massive gamble saw his price halve from 9-1 to 9-2. Frankie and Ardad burst through on the favoured stands rail to provide a boost to our morale and our finances. We hot footed it down to the winners enclosure where we were treated to an iconic Frankie flying dismount. Sometimes success breeds success and in the next race my two selections fought out the finish, the unlucky Seamour second to Wall of Fire, well delivered late by Josephine Gorden. Race four was the big one, the 250th Doncaster Cup, won previously by great stayers like Double Trigger and Persian Punch. This race is actually the oldest continuously run race in Britain dating back to 1776. I was hoping favourite Quest For More would be added to the long list of previous winners. A furlong out he was leading and staying on strongly but being challenged by the persistent Sheikhzayedroad. As the line neared the gap between the two slowly but surely began to diminish. They passed the winning post locked together. Even watching again on the big screen I was unsure if we had held on. A nose defeat was the outcome. A tough loss as he was leading every inch of the race, except the last one. In the following race I was again beaten in a photo, this time by a more convincing neck. My selections at the away meetings brought no relief. With one race to go I was very keen to leave on a winner. So often my go to trainer in this situation is the one and only Sir Michael Stoute. I have been backing his winners as long as I can remember. In fact he has been around so long he may have had a runner in the very first Doncaster Cup. I had backed Khairaat before when he had come second on his debut at Salisbury. Their would be no photograph required this time as this promising three year won cosily to take the edge off a mediocre days punting.
Right on cue up stepped the always positive Frankie Dettori and the John Gosden trained Ardad. We had backed him in a shared lucky fifteen and then both backed him in singles as a massive gamble saw his price halve from 9-1 to 9-2. Frankie and Ardad burst through on the favoured stands rail to provide a boost to our morale and our finances. We hot footed it down to the winners enclosure where we were treated to an iconic Frankie flying dismount. Sometimes success breeds success and in the next race my two selections fought out the finish, the unlucky Seamour second to Wall of Fire, well delivered late by Josephine Gorden. Race four was the big one, the 250th Doncaster Cup, won previously by great stayers like Double Trigger and Persian Punch. This race is actually the oldest continuously run race in Britain dating back to 1776. I was hoping favourite Quest For More would be added to the long list of previous winners. A furlong out he was leading and staying on strongly but being challenged by the persistent Sheikhzayedroad. As the line neared the gap between the two slowly but surely began to diminish. They passed the winning post locked together. Even watching again on the big screen I was unsure if we had held on. A nose defeat was the outcome. A tough loss as he was leading every inch of the race, except the last one. In the following race I was again beaten in a photo, this time by a more convincing neck. My selections at the away meetings brought no relief. With one race to go I was very keen to leave on a winner. So often my go to trainer in this situation is the one and only Sir Michael Stoute. I have been backing his winners as long as I can remember. In fact he has been around so long he may have had a runner in the very first Doncaster Cup. I had backed Khairaat before when he had come second on his debut at Salisbury. Their would be no photograph required this time as this promising three year won cosily to take the edge off a mediocre days punting.
Doncaster has great facilities, holds quality racing and is for sure one of the more impressive northern racecourses. Somehow though I did not totally warm to it on my latest visit. The set up is very good but did not gel the way Haydock does for example. My propensity to get lost when attending probably did not help. Also it is a little too far away to be a more regular haunt. It was good to go back though so thanks to Attheraces for the tickets. Much appreciated. When I do visit next I'll be sure to take a compass.
