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jennywales

THROUGH THE BINS - A FLAT COUPLE OF DAYS

As is my wont, I try to take in one top class Flat meeting per year, on the grounds that ignoring the Flat is short-sighted and mean-spirited. I have already "done" the Ebor, Royal Ascot, the Guineas and Glorious Goodwood. This year it was the turn of Newmarket July.

I have to say that of all the racecourses I have been on (and they are many) the July course is by far and away the most pleasant (and that includes Cheltenham!) It is absolutely superbly laid out, the facilities are top class, and the viewing terrific. I was especially taken by the lovely pre-parade ring, sheltered by mature trees (therefore cool and pleasant), and accessible to the general public because you can actually go inside it, not just hang around the railing outside. It was great to see all the top class horses without their clothes on (Scenic Blast looked as if he was on steroids, to be honest), and as I am not very experienced at other aspects of the Flat, I tend to take a view of what to back by what my eyes tell me. So the pre-parade at the July Course is a must.

I had a reasonably good couple of days on the betting front, (Doctor Fremantle, good lad!) but was gutted when my placepot on Thursday went down in the 6th, Loch Linnhe beaten a half length into third in a seven horse race (paid £152, as well!) July Cup day was full of drama, (I swear Fleeting Spirit barged Main Aim out of the way and that the result of the Stewards' was a disgrace - well I would do, having backed Main Aim at 14/1.....and luckily ignored Paco Boy (looked a bit tucked up), Scenic Blast (too bloated with muscle) and Takeover Target. JJ the Jet Plane looked more like a Piper Cub, to be honest. I suppose there is something in the theory that horses have particular times of year they like, and Fleeting Spirit likes July!

I made up for Main Aim's bad luck (although I did back him each way, so there was a consolation prize) and managed a relatively short-priced win on Lamh Albasser in the 6th. For the two days I was down £5, having bet on every race, so I really can't complain given my inexperience.

Most of all, it was good to see crowds on a racecourse that in the main were there for the racing (although the attendance on the Wednesday was down somewhat and I gather that hospitality and soponsorship is also down); there had been multiple articles in the RP in the preceding days about "what's wrong with racing", but the Newmarket July meeting does show that with the right environment, the right quality and the right atmosphere, racing can hold its own with any other sporting spectacle. So good luck to Newmarket and to the July meeting - I may very well make this an annual pilgrimage!

What did amaze me was how much the course undulates - when commentators talk about "the dip" they are really describing a yawning chasm - and there are at least two of them!