Dance the night away on course
Last weekend saw a thrilling finish to the 2008 Coral-Eclipse with 14,000 people flocking to Sandown Park to attend their biggest Flat race day of the season.
Racegoers were rewarded with stunning weather and a fantastic finish to the £500,000 CoralEclipse with the brilliantly ridden Mount Nelson just getting up on the line to deny the Henry Cecil-trained Phoenix Tower from victory.
Mount Nelson was giving Aidan O’Brien his 12th Group 1 winner of the season and he has Johnny Murtagh to thank as the horse’s head was literally placed on the winning line by the Irish maestro.
This week all of the racing attention has been focused on the Newmarket July course with its idyllic surroundings, enchanting atmosphere and top class racing, Lucarno was given a brilliant ride to win the Princess of Wales Stakes yesterday.
Over the summer the racecourse stages a number of Friday night music nights with bands like Girls Aloud and Bryan Adams performing. Music nights are the way forward as an additional part of the racegoers’ experience.
Leisure racegoers expect more from a day out than just the racing action and music nights provide that perfect solution with a variety of artists ensuring all tastes are answered. Closer to London, Girls Aloud are performing at Sandown Park on Thursday 17 July 2008.
Tomorrow sees the main race meeting of the day being Ascot, with the Group 2 Plymouth Gin Summer Mile Stakes which has a cracking entry of horses at this stage. Mike de Kock has entered Archipenko who sets a very high standard indeed. However, Godolphin have entered the very talented Ramonti for his season debut who will take beating.
Godolphin have still not found their form yet this season, but I expect them to start reverting to winning ways very soon and Ramonti could well be the kick-start that they need. He is the class act in the race. The raceday has a different twist, as well as the usual top quality racing, there is also the inaugural Motor Show with displays from some of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers.
General admission is £15 each, with Premier Enclosure badges at £25 each. Trains come into Ascot station from London and it is only a 10 minute walk up to the racecourse, alternatively there will be plenty of car parking availability.
So jump onto the train at Paddington tonight and head down to Newbury with UB40 playing after racing. My nap of the day for tomorrow is Ramonti.