Stratford Racecourse

Andy · Stratford Racecourse

Anyone been?

Myself and Mrs. Andy are off to Warwickshire for a week at the weekend and I am thinking about going to Stratford for their meeting on the 29th. Never been to the course before so would appreciate any tips with regards which enclosure to go for etc.

geordie_racer

I have been once a couple of years ago; paid for club and wouldnt have bothered. tatts is a better buy, the centre course is (as ever) less worthwhile imo.

jennywales

I go to Stratford about 3 times a season. It's a decent enough little course. Paying for Club is pretty pointless as you get access to all the facilities from Tatts apart from one bit of the stands. If going by car, avoid the town centre if you can as at any time of the year it is a nightmare because of so many tourists. Parking at the course is free if I remember right. If you want to go into town for a meal after racing, be prepared for a bit of a struggle though!

The course itself is a very fair and decent one, and good trainers send horses, so the cards are usually pretty OK. Keep a weather watch, though - the course is subject to waterlogging during the winter months (and nowadays sometimes in the summer too!) I think they don't have fixtures from about November to March for this reason.

Andy

Thanks for the info guys.

Jenny, we are staying a few miles west of Stratford in Alcester so we should be able to avoid the Town Centre coming from that direction.

geordie_racer

good lluck Andy, if Jen agrees with me about not paying for Club I must be right!!

Meanwhile you might want to just study up this saturday as they have a meeting and you might get a feel for the types of horses that win there; you need a horse up with the pace as the short run in does not favour those who like to come late.

Andy

Thanks for the info regarding front/prominent runners Geordie. Might have a look up of some results on the RP site and look at the comments in running. I was tempted by the Saturday meeting but we're travelling up from London that day and we could easily miss out if the traffic is bad etc. We will go on the Thursday weather permitting. I'm looking forward to trying out a new course especially as it's a small NH track.

geordie_racer

NoDough

"studying the way the races go on saturday will pay dividends imho"

"you need a horse up with the pace as the short run in does not favour those who like to come late."

1. Unless the ground goes from good firm to soft between Sat - Thurs - this might have a little effect

2. Different types of horeses run Sat versus Thurs

3. Are there some "certainties" running Saturday or Thursday which will win however they run

4. Horses can go and win a race betweeb the last 2 after being held up

Apart from that .......

geordie_racer

make of it what you will but in the last 2 meetings at stratford only one horse has won without leading over the last, and two more won wihtout leading over the second last

of the other 11 races 3 were won by a horse that made all, the other 8 were all raced prominently at least for the last mile 3 of them led 3 or more out and 5 before the second last.

so of the 14 races 3 were won by a horse which was not in front with at least 2 to go and only 1 of them (kickahead) came from well back (has won since and is an improving horse).

make of it what you will, those are the stats.

NoDough