Is going racing too expensive?

[fintron]

The horse tracker I use is on the Irish Racing site, and having clicked through an email to their site today I stumbled across a little blog piece by Brian O'Connor commenting on the cost of going racing in Ireland ......http://www.irishracing.com/blog/blog/2009/06/15/high-admission-prices/#more-26 It led me to ask on here, do you think the cost of going racing is too high in the UK? I personally don't have that much of a problem with the admission costs here. I usually go in the course enclosure but have started to go in the grandstands a bit more and even then, it is no more expensive than going to a football match, and much more fun IMO as you get a full day out of it. My personal gripe is the cost of the food and drinks once you are inside the courses. I don't ever go to any of the course restraunts, but I like a bite to eat inbetween races, and the prices for burgers and stuff is a joke, considering the quality (or lack of it) of the food. It is like what someone said on that Irish Racing Page, the caterers seem to adopt the attitude of, 'well if they are hungry then they will eat anything' and serve you up some appalling food out of the vans. They hold you to ransom because once you are inside there is nowhere else to go so you are faced with either a rip off burger or taking a chunk out of the turf. I know it isnt the racecourses themselves that serve the food, they are external companies I expect, but surely they must review them and see the dross they are churning out. The other thing this annoys me is having to pay to park. York used to be free then all of a sudden then started to charge £5 for parking on the grass on the grounds. I think it may be a free again there now, but Doncaster try and tip you off and charge you for parking, unless you are prepared to walk a little further and park down towards the DBS bit, still within the grounds but out of the way. It should be free, like at Wolverhampton and Haydock.

[Tipster5000]

Re: Is going racing too expensive? I do not mind paying the entrance fee as you say Wayne i find it fun and i am very much a big racing fan, I went to Windsor Last night with a mate and only paid £8 to get in or the next option was £15 Grandstand, I know its only £7 but i noticed at this track if you stay on the stands side of the track in the Silver ring you only can see up to the furlong out pole but if you cross the track when the horses are being paraded you can get to the winning post on the opposite side of the track so in my eyes you only gain a few extra things in the grandstand but nothing to write home about, Talking of food and drink £1.30 for a plate of chips and £3.30 for a ice cold pint isnt that bad at Windsor, But then again i have only been too 4 race tracks (Newbury, Ascot, Windsor & Towcester) And Ascot i get £5 off all there race meetings there anyway.