UK Horse Racing Tips

I had something of  a ‘lazy one’ last week, though you might not know it due to the amount of walking I did. A group of us went on our yearly trip together to Great Yamouth to watch the races, go to the casino, and soak up a few rays (an optimistic way of stating ‘avoid the rain!’). On this occasion we decided to book a caravan for a more ‘authentic’ experience, though the beds were about as wide as a plank of wood so in future we’ll likely stay at one of the countless hotels in the area instead.

While we were there, we ate in a lovely restaurant called Pamela’s, and spotted a few seals bobbing up and down in the sea during a beach walk. We also chatted to a good few taxi drivers who all seemed to be local characters with stories to tell, it was a bit like being plunged into the a sitcom scene once some of them got started with their stories! The only down side perhaps was the on-site entertainment, which was anything but entertaining. We have declared that if we return, we’ll have to have drink ourselves to the point where it becomes amusing. I’m not sure if that’s humanly possible though!

The restaurant is a stones throw away from the local casino, which can be good or bad depending on your perspective! They certainly have their fair share of characters in there too, especially at the roulette wheel. Sometimes it’s easier to spot what numbers people haven’t bet on, than have! I tend to set myself a limit and just stick with that, so even in a worst case scenario things can’t go far wrong. As it turns out, due to a bit of early luck on single numbers, I more than doubled my money, so not bad going at all. One member of our group had a rather memorable run of wins while betting on red and black. Another One had a decent win on a fruit machine too, a fruits gone wild online type game. That was on the first day – it’s nice to have things go your way  from the off!

Our time at the races was eventful too. We managed to pick the odd decent priced winner between us, and also lumped on the odd favourite or two, which turned out to be a decent idea since it’s known as a good track for favourites, and that was certainly the case the three days we were there. At an eye watering £24 a ticket to get in each day (premier badge price), I’m glad I managed to get the odd winner ;).

Casinos are often regarded as the face of gambling and the online casino industry alone is expected to be valued at $67 billion by 2020 from Research & Markets. The popularity of casinos has skyrocketed in recent years with online casino sites now not just offering a single product but an array such as live casino gaming, sports betting, poker, bingo and more recently Esports betting. It would not be surprising if the industry grows at an even greater pace. Yet, the physical casinos continue to occupy a significant position in the industry. Even though Las Vegas is probably the first name that would come to the mind when thinking about associations, there are several hundred casinos dotted around the world.

Horse racing is a sport that enjoys tremendous popularity. In fact, the gambling side of horse racing is probably one that interests a large section of fans. Apart from being hugely rewarding, the prospect of betting on horses also increases the excitement and entertainment value in the race. Gambling and horse racing, thereby, can be interweaved within each other. A growing number of horse racing tracks around the world seem to be arriving at the same conclusion.

The casinos found in Las Vegas primarily have two major attractions – sightseeing and gambling. In order to facilitate both, the casinos often come with swanky hotels. In other parts of the world, casinos bring in other forms of entertainment. In Europe, it is possible to come across casinos that have other facilities for dog racing or horse racing. The occurrence of horse racing tracks within casinos are especially prevalent in the United States. Here are some of the top horse racing courses which have casinos and other entertainment facilities:

Aqueduct Racetrack, New York

This is a facility for thoroughbred horses and it was opened in 1894. Some of the popular races at this track include Wood Memorial Stakes, Cigar Mile Handicap, and Carter Handicap. It primarily hosts races from October to April. Aside from being a destination for some of the top racing events which will bring in the top jockeys, it also comes with a casino. Apart from being the only casino in the five boroughs, this gambling location offers the opportunity to try out some serious table games like blackjack and Baccarat. There are the usual slot machines that make up this casino. Overall, there are about 5000 games available across the casino.

Belterra Park Gaming & Entertainment, Ohio

Regarded as one of the top racing venues in Cincinnati, Ohio, this property was previously known as the River Downs. The majority of the racing action takes place between May and October. Apart from the horse races that are available in plenty, Belterra Park Gaming also has a live entertainment option and no less than six restaurants. However, the standout element of this venue is the ability to experience casino gaming through slots. The venue has invested more than $300 million in order to make it an all-purpose facility that hosts casino games. It also happens to be the only Ohio casino that allows players to smoke in the slot section.

Casino at Ocean Downs, Maryland

One of the oldest racing venues in the United States, the Ocean Downs was opened in 1949. The casino at this facility is a much newer one, as it was opened only in 2011. The Ocean Downs racetrack manages to host some important races like the Maryland Sire Stakes. Aside from horse racing, a major attraction at this facility is the casino which is spread over 34,000 sq/ft. It is open 24 x 7 and there are more than 800 gaming machines. A handful of table games are also present at this location.

Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs, Oklahoma

This is a horse racing facility that is open 24 x 7. Apart from being able to bet on the horse racing events that take place throughout September to March, this place also happens to be a great place to experience casino gaming. The destination comes with a space for parking 400+ RVs and it is open throughout the year. In terms of casino gaming, there are more than 250 gaming machines to entertain the visitors and the minimum betting range is from as low as $0.01. The casino is just under 30,000 sq/ft and it makes for a comprehensive destination for casino lovers.

The Sparkling Anja Potze Fine Jewellery Handicap Chase (3.35) at Worcester on Monday is a decent enough contest for this time of year and may present an opportunity for Jamie Snowden’s progressive young chaser Adrrastos to make it 3-3 over the larger obstacles.

A consistent, if unspectacular, hurdler, the son of high-class German sprinter Areion won unchallenged on his chasing debut, over course and distance, in July. He subsequently took advantage of the early departure of favourite Going for Broke when making all to win by 10 lengths in a better novices’ handicap chase at Stratford last month and, although that form is slightly questionable, he is clearly going the right way.

Adrrastos is another 7lb higher in a better race again here, but he’s still only a 5-year-old and, having shown his best form on good, or faster, ground on sharp, flat tracks, he should be in his element around the easy, left-handed turns of Worcester. Winning jockey Aidan Coleman is replaced by Gavin Sheehan, but the Cork jockey has a 2-5 (40%) strike rate on chasers for the yard this season, so the statistics augur well for the chances of Adrrastos in his bid for a hat-trick.

Selection: Worcester 3.35 Adrrastos to win – 5/2

As one of the most prestigious racecourses in the United Kingdom, York Racecourse is renowned with good reason. As the third most prestigious racecourse in the whole Union, given the level of money that it’s taken in, it’s a location with a massive amount of history within the world of the sport. With over 350,000 visitors per year, too, it takes a huge number of the top races, with the likes of the Yorkshire Oaks and the Nunthorpe Stakes being held here/

What makes York so special for some people, though, is the location. Based near the old Terry’s Chocolate factory, this classic racecourse has stood in an area of ground which, for centuries, has been known only as the Knavesmire. While rarely used as often these days as it once was, the name remains in use.

The actual racecourse itself has existed in some form or another for as long as people can remember. Indeed, it stretches to the Roman times – perhaps even further back. While not in its current state, the ground was a common racing areas and, eventually, the actual track was put together sometime in the 1730s.

Today, the old horseshoe look that was so impressive for so long has been replaced. Now, the home straight goes around the course fully.

Outside of a rich racing history, it also has a more gruesome past. This was the very location used to hang the infamous Dick Turpin in 1739! This is more than just your average race-course: it’s something special.

In terms of its most famous race, many would point to the Ebor Festival, held every August. It’s also the time when the Ebor Handicap race takes place, one of the finest of its kind on the continent.

For various reasons, then, York holds a place in many a heart.