Features

This Saturday, November 5th sees Badger Ales celebrate 50 years of race sponsorship at Wincanton Racecourse - the second longest association in racing history.

Badger Ales Raceday featuring the listed Badger Ales Trophy Handicap Chase and the totescoop6 Elite Hurdle is Wincanton’s richest seasonal fixture with a total prize fund of over £180,000.  In celebration of this golden anniversary, Lovetheraces.com have partnered with Wincanton Racecourse and have created a list of 50 things you can do on a racecourse.....how many have you done?

1. Meet 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner, AP McCoy and a host of other jockeys, on route to the paddock and have your photograph taken with them or get autographs

2. Make new friends – Kate Fox studied British horseracing and found it to be the UK’s most social sport

3. Do a bit of celebrity spotting like Martin Clunes, Nathanial Parker, Pearl Lowe, Ant and Dec...

4. Do take advantage of the local ales available on course

5. Jump up and down while shouting your horses home - it's the done thing to yell at the top of your voice in a public place on a racecourse, in fact it's actively encouraged

6. Watch a race near the Owners & Trainers stand and see how some owners completely lose it when their horse has a chance of winning... amazing the passions that the sport can arouse

7. Meet gorgeous  rugby players who regularly come racing for away days

8. Meet famous footballers. The legendary Michael Owen owns racehorses and a training facility. Many footballers come racing with Sir Alex Ferguson an owner with local trainer, Paul Nicholls

9. Propose on a racecourse – racecourses will assist with task with some having ‘love benches’

10. Find your future husband / wife

11. Host your stag / hen party at a racecourse

12. Get married on-course (Wincanton racecourse has been granted its civil ceremony license)

13. Sprint down Wincanton’s home straight in the traditional Children’s Day Race (March)

14. Appear in a film (Ascot and Epsom have been used in movies. The Epsom grandstand doubled as an airport in a recent Bond movie)

15. Play golf. A number of racecourses have golf courses within their grounds i.e. Wincanton

16. Land a plane (Newbury and Haydock Park Racecourses have landing strips)

17. Buy a racehorse. Many racecourses stage Sellers and Claiming races, where racegoers have the chance to buy the winning horse

18. Place a bet and enjoy the thrills and adrenaline rush of backing a winner

19. Dress head to toe in tweed and look normal!

20. Wear your summer fineries for Best Dressed Ladies Competitions

21. Get up close to the action and watch a race by a fence where you can witness horses galloping at 30mph and absolutely fly - the noise is amazing.

22. Do take advantage of any 'behind the scenes tours' that racecourses offer - it's brilliant to get a view of the weighing room, the paddock and pre-parade ring

23. Enjoy a trip to the start and watch a race come under starters orders

24. Do take advantage of online ticket promotions for racing

25. Eat jellied eels - racecourses serve various food from eels to lobster

26. Host your birthday party or anniversary on course

27. Have your face painted and jump on a bouncy castle

28. Buy a painting – most racecourses have trade stands selling traditional country attire to oil painting

29. Stroke a hound, watch ferret racing, see a bird of prey display at the regular themed Countryside Days

30. Take advantage of the full-staffed crèche facilities available on many of the racecourses

31. Buy antiques. There's a guy at Kempton Park Racecourse who sells racing memorabilia. Kempton also hosts one of the biggest antique fairs in the region
32. Watch pop bands perform live after racing

33. Enjoy the Irish Craic and learn how to jig on Irish Day

34. Celebrate your office Christmas party on-course

35. Have your photograph taken with Championship trophies

36. Meet Winnie the Racehorse, Burt Chip and other sporting mascots at the 2012 Mascot Grand National

37. Dress up like Channel 4 Racing pundit, John McCririck, and appear on TV!

38. Celebrate winners with complete strangers. It's perfectly acceptable to hug the bloke next to you if you've just screamed home the same 12/1 winner.

39. Compare your fitness level with that of a jockey with a ride on a horserace simulator

40. Go to the pre parade ring with someone who knows the basics of what to look for in a racehorse - it makes the day a lot more interesting and you’ll understand just what a phenomenal creature a thoroughbred horse is

41. Visit the betting ring, don't just stick to betting on the Tote - walk round to see the variations in price on offer for your horse, and see if you can spot anyone having a properly lumpy bet

42. Get there early - particularly for the big meetings. Avoid the traffic and sit and have a Guinness (jump racing) or Pimms (flat racing) whilst studying the form

43. At Cheltenham Festival, get there early on the first day - before gates open. Head straight to the Golden Miller bar, order the first Guinness of the Festival and then drink it looking down over one of the most beautiful racecourses in the world, savouring the anticipation of the racing to come. Preferably whilst looking at all your awesome ante post bets that you've got running through the course of the week

44. Don't rush off after the last race - you're only racing to go and sit in traffic most of the time. Stay behind, have a drink and people watch. There are some great sights at some of the big meetings...

45. Do dress up smartly. Other than weddings there aren't many opportunities to wear a decent suit and look sharp. It's all part of the day

46. Talk to people around the parade ring that are looking at the horses - they're almost certainly a racing fan if they're there, and they will love nothing better than to compare opinions. If you're a novice, then they'll be pleased to help

47. Don't get grumpy if you lose. Suck it up, go to the bar, have a drink and have another go. Remember, you haven't lost on the day until the last race is run...there's always the chance to get it all back in the last. And if you don't, there's always tomorrow

48. If you're a lady, do think about what you're wearing on your feet...it's miserable to be in pain before the first, especially for your boyfriend who is trying to concentrate on picking a winner, and doesn't want to hear you whine about your feet hurting

49. It's often a great idea to tip a barman/barmaid when you buy your first round at a busy bar. You'll find that you very often manage to get served a lot faster later in the day...

50. Do get someone to show you how to read the racecard, or the Racing Post form guide. You can just pick names or colours, but it's a lot more rewarding to actually pick a winner based on form study

Visit Badger Ales Raceday:
Gates open 10.30am.  Luke Harvey will host a Paddock Panel starting at 11.35am in the Winners Enclosure with a selection of hot tipsters offering their thoughts and fancies for the seven-race-card which includes two Grade 2 contests and a Listed Race.
First race is at 12.35pm with the last race off at 3.55pm.

Tickets can be purchased on the day via www.wincantonracecourse.co.uk
Call 01963 32344