Hamilton Park Racecourse

Racecourse number: 13

First visited: 1988

Number of visits: 2

Of the five Scottish racecourses I would have to say that Hamilton Park is my favourite. I have only been twice and left it far too long in between visits – thirty one years in fact. It was in August 1988 when I, along with my Mum and Dad paid my first visit. We were holidaying in Scotland at the not too far away Butlins holiday camp in Ayr where there were no racing fixtures scheduled. A trip to Hamilton was planned well in advance. Recently I asked my Dad to check his personal diary entries from that week and discovered a significant and secret sacrifice he made. On our many holidays of this type he always took part in the camp snooker tournaments and generally did well. On this holiday, much to his personal satisfaction (both then and ever since) he emerged as the triumphant winner. Part of his prize was to be presented with his trophy by and play a few frames against a leading snooker professional and celebrity from the time, Jim Meadowcroft. This was to take place the day following the tournament. Instead my Dad took his racing mad son to Hamilton Park and let the tournament runner up play Jim Meadowcroft. My Dad still has the trophy and I still have no recollection of this sacrifice.

The initial meeting in 1988 featured great weather and very floral racecourse décor. It was a spacious, pretty setting with the stands very close to the action. Hamilton hosts flat racing and has a six furlong straight with a quite steep uphill finish. The straight is attached to a tight loop furthest away from the stands which allows the course to accommodate longer races. These start either on the loop itself or on the straight. Races over one mile four/five furlongs for example actually set off in front of the stands in the wrong direction and then come back two minutes later – an almost unique feature shared only by Salisbury. My research into results that day uncovered some great stalwarts of the eighties northern racing circuit. Engaged in the action were jockeys John Carroll, Nicky Carlisle and Tony Culhane, trainers Jack Berry, Richard Whittaker and Eric Alston and horses Donovan Rose, Overpower and Needwood Nymph. Favourite in the 4.15 was Arum Lily trained by Nigel Tinkler and ridden by his daughter Kim. Dutch Co-ed would represent Nigel on my second visit and provide us both a winner providing a fantastic link between the two days decades later. Back in 1988 he and Arum Lily had to settle for third. Order Paper won the race ridden by emerging talent Alan Munro, who at that point claimed five pounds. Four years later at Nottingham mine and Alan’s paths would cross in a humorous fashion following an unsavoury incident at the previous meeting.

The actual car journey to the races can often form a large element of the day itself, especially on days like these when the destination racecourse is a good few hours away. In July 2019 this Thursday journey north to Hamilton would represent a change of pace for both my Dad and myself as well as a great opportunity for us to catch up. For me it would provide a welcome break from a hectic work and family schedule, a downward change of pace. For my Dad, now long since retired, a big upswing in activity. On the way the main focus is often form and fancies for the day but on such a long journey there is an opportunity for wider conversation, something I had greatly enjoyed over the previous decade’s racing trips. My Dad has great wisdom. That it is wrapped up in a comedy, relaxed outlook to life makes it both valuable and entertaining. He is also a great listener. As we set off on this trip to Scotland he reflected that at least we were not travelling north to fight the Scots as many of our ancestors had throughout history! A comment that certainly put my troubled working situation into perspective. The only battle we would be facing that day would be our regular skirmish with the on course bookmakers. Not that the day would be without danger. Soon after leaving Tebay services (The Royal Ascot of services in my opinion) a car joining the motorway in an aggressive, reckless manor nearly rammed us into the central reservation. Shaken but not physically stirred at least we entered the realm of the greatest James Bond, Sean Connery. We arrived safely and in plenty of time, which was the first of many good results on the day.

The set up for the day was another Racing UK (now Racing TV) Club Day. They were in fact the sponsors of the whole meeting. Our VIP package included free tickets, an exclusive base in a marquee next to the parade ring, a preview of the day with a racing presenter, in this case Gordon Brown and importantly free tea and biscuits. In addition you could put yourself forward to judge the best turned out horse or present a trophy to the winner. Without doubt these VIP days are a great feature of Racing TV membership. Gordon did a good job of previewing the meeting, though arguably he left it a little late, concluding as the runners for the first went down to the start. Dad and I did a good job of sampling the various free biscuits on offer. In the first race we both backed One Bite, trained by Keith Dalgliesh who, despite drifting in the betting to 8-1, saw off his nearest rival in a driving photo finish. A great start which I topped up when Making History easily won the first race at Leicester in the blue silks of Godolphin. However our selections did not trouble the judge in the next race at Hamilton. Race three then saw sustained and significant market support for none other than the Michael Appleby trained Loch Ness Monster. Team Tomlinson remained non-believers though and stuck with the uneasy favourite Harvey Dent. He repaid our faith in workmanlike fashion with Loch Ness Monster a fast finishing second. Following Dutch Co-Ed’s win in race four we were on a roll. Later to conclude a great days punting I backed 4-1 winner Retirement Beckons who won the seventh and our final race in decisive style.

The most interesting race of the day though, from my point of view at least was race six, a novice stakes run over a mile. My trainer Phil Kirby had an intriguing runner December Second, who had recently been second twice in similar contests, including one at Goodwood. The key element of interest though was that the horse would be ridden by new stable apprentice Nick Barratt-Atkin who was having only his third ride in public. This represented a massive opportunity for him to ride his first winner. I would be thrilled to be there when he did. Only favourite New Arrangement looked a danger in this five runner affair. I took quite a few photos before, during and after the race, some of which were used later on the Phil Kirby website news feed. I sent the best photos to Pippa, Phil’s wife when we returned from racing. We watched the race itself close to the winning line near Phil, his owners and some of Nick’s family. As the race unfolded they became increasingly animated, particularly Phil as the prospect of victory became realistic in the final two furlongs. You could tell how much he wanted Nick to win as this young man brought December Second with a sustained run to challenge New Arrangement. There was little between them in the final strides and being quite wide apart it was unclear if the Barratt-Atkin drive would get his mount home. Unfortunately they were defeated by a neck but it was genuinely a great effort by Nick against experienced professional PJ McDonald. It felt like his first winner would surely be just around the corner. However, at the time of writing, six months later in early 2020 Nick has now had 42 rides, seeing quite a lot of action over the winter on the all-weather. He now has eight seconds but unbelievably no wins! I have watched the majority of his rides and still feel his time will come, especially with the new flat turf season now approaching. Good luck Nick.

After a great day we headed home and once again I took advantage of this additional time with my Dad. I had some news to share with him which was both complicated and potentially worrying for him. Following twenty-five years working for the same employer my working situation was about to change. I would lose my job, some long term colleagues and my car. Ultimately if all went to plan, I would be fine and continue a short time later in a slightly different but connected future role. I explained the situation at length to give him the full picture and hopefully reduce any concerns he would have. As usual he sat quietly taking in this information. He, like me had known this was coming following a few previous car conversations. After what was probably about twenty minutes of explanation and clarification I paused to hear his thoughts, hopefully some more pearls of wisdom. He was fast asleep!