Punchestown Racecard?

Denners

I am going to Punchestown next week with a friend and was wondering what day would have the best card? Tuesday looks pretty good imo

Also i saw on the racing post that there is only 4 races per day, is that correct as €30 entry seems steep for 4 races?

Sound

convert

No, that's not right. As far as I know there's six or seven races per day. However, as not all enties have closed yet (e.g. the Bishopscourt Cup entries don't close until early next week) the full racecards won't be available until next week.

convert

The 'big race' entries have closed, so they're the 'cards' that are available in the Racing Post at the moment.

arkle121

Denners wrote: »

I am going to Punchestown next week with a friend and was wondering what day would have the best card? Tuesday looks pretty good imo

Also i saw on the racing post that there is only 4 races per day, is that correct as €30 entry seems steep for 4 races?

Sound

i would not go on friday absolute mayhem ladys day people there that have no interest in horse racing whats so ever,you cant get to the bar,the parade ring or the betting ring,no seats ,kids on the balcony drunk and spilling drink down on people below,and just standing in doorways you cant get past them . and at the end of the day you cant get out of the place not enough of taxis or transport,and another thing to look out for is the hawkers selling the three pound racecards for a fiver,or selling 30 euro tickets as reserves 40 euro on the way in,
never again,
i will be there for the three days myself and the best card i like is the tuesday,i would say there will be plenty of tickets going around so hold out till the last minute have a good one

I will probably head up the wednesday myself. I'm just wondering is it fairly easy to get parking. I haven't been up before and wondering is it like Galway, Limerick etc where you can get parking handy enough close to the track and costs around 2 euro.

arkle121

Jordan Faint Refrigeration wrote: »

I will probably head up the wednesday myself. I'm just wondering is it fairly easy to get parking. I haven't been up before and wondering is it like Galway, Limerick etc where you can get parking handy enough close to the track and costs around 2 euro.

parking is free and theres plenty of parking,just follow the stewards instructions on the way in and you wont cant go wrong

finbarrk

No problem with parking anyway. Only problem for people travelling is the stupid late start time means it's awfull late for anyone with a long drive home after racing. Last year it was closing time in a pub when we were in Roscrea and we still had another 100 miles to go!

arkle121

finbarrk wrote: »

No problem with parking anyway. Only problem for people travelling is the stupid late start time means it's awfull late for anyone with a long drive home after racing. Last year it was closing time in a pub when we were in Roscrea and we still had another 100 miles to go!

i agree with you 100% the late start is to much,if anybody is thinking of staying over theres always b&b,s in the rathcoole area which is about five miles from the track,and the potteen still ,is running a bus to and frow for 30 euro on one of the days plus breakfast

Thanks lads! I will be driving up from Cork and back again the same evening so it will be a late one. Thats great about the free parking,now that I think about it I remember someone complaining alright about having to pay in Galway and saying a lot of places are free (I know its only 2 euro but still).

My original plan was to go Friday and Saturday as I know someone in Kildare and was going to stay Fri night there but a work function has been arranged for the Friday afternoon/evening and I have to attend.

Denners

Sound lads I'm heading up on the Tuesday but noticed you have to get the bus/train to Kildare and then to Naas as there is no direct bus from Limerick. I heard Punchestown is only 2 miles from Naas but just want to clarify the time it would take to go from Kildare to Naas and Naas to Punchestown if anybody knows? Cheers

arkle121

Denners wrote: »

Sound lads I'm heading up on the Tuesday but noticed you have to get the bus/train to Kildare and then to Naas as there is no direct bus from Limerick. I heard Punchestown is only 2 miles from Naas but just want to clarify the time it would take to go from Kildare to Naas and Naas to Punchestown if anybody knows? Cheers

about thirthy minutes,and i am nearly sure they are running shuttle bus,s from naas to the track

Denners

arkle121 wrote: »

about thirthy minutes,and i am nearly sure they are running shuttle bus,s from naas to the track

Cheers, probably end up driving the transport is a disaster with changing buses and trains and the late finish i'd have to miss the last 2 races to get home.

Finally do you know if you can buy the €40 tickets at the gate or will they be sold out?

arkle121

Denners wrote: »

Cheers, probably end up driving the transport is a disaster with changing buses and trains and the late finish i'd have to miss the last 2 races to get home.

Finally do you know if you can buy the €40 tickets at the gate or will they be sold out?

you can get them at the gate

chancer007

wednesday is probably the best day as its Guinness Gold Cup day
denman & joncol are running,should be great race

Broadbandseeker

What do you all think f this late start. Officially Punchestown are saying they love it as do their customers. I think it’s a disaster. You have to rush out after the last, if you can stay that long just to get home at a reasonable hour. . The Friday worked ok however, and the numbers were apparently up , however looked as if that was made up of the thousands of teenagers they let in . I thought the other days were devoid of the traditional atmosphere.

convert

Broadbandseeker wrote: »

What do you all think f this late start. Officially Punchestown are saying they love it as do their customers. I think it’s a disaster. You have to rush out after the last, if you can stay that long just to get home at a reasonable hour.

If you're someone who has to come home and look after animals it's a very late finish. However, I met a lot of people during the week who thought it was great as they were able to do at least a half day's work before going to the races. I think it depends on how far you've travelled and if you've anything to do when you go home.

The Friday worked ok however, and the numbers were apparently up , however looked as if that was made up of the thousands of teenagers they let in .

In fairness, it was miles better than it was last year. I actually thought there were less teenagers (though I did have to laugh at all the girls who were going around in their bare feet coz they couldn't walk in their shoes! )

I thought the other days were devoid of the traditional atmosphere.

I was actually talking to a few mates about this and we felt it was going back to the 'old' Punchestown atmosphere that used to be around long before the corporate side took over racing. It was the kind of atmosphere we remembered from our childhood.

convert

Met someone yesterday and while we were chatting we got around to talking about Punchestown, and they were yet another supporter of the late starts, simply because they could get the bones of a day's work done before going to the races...

I think it depends on your situation and where you're coming from.

Broadbandseeker

There is no doubt that the late start works for some, but most definitely not for all. I know loads of people who did not travel up from the country as they would have in the old days simply because of the late start – they stayed at home and watched it on tv. Also in Naas speaking to UK visitors ( and remember Punchestown said that overseas visitors account for 20% of the attendance ) , they were annoyed as they said they had to hang around all day waiting for the races to start, its neither an afternoon or an evening meet so you cant go and do anyitng else as they would do say before the evening starts in Galway. Actually a lot of the UK visitors that normally drive over left on the Friday afternoon boat, to go racing on the Friday meant another overnight, in previous years it was off to the ferry before the last. ( also those getting trains south ) Locals also love to make a day of the races, remember the really good old days when all the business in the area actually closed for the half day during the festival. And that’s just it, the “festival “ element of the “meet “ has been dimmed somewhat. I am not saying go back to the normal times, but why not compromise, and mix it up as Galway do. If there was any great argument other than the TV ratings for the late start would not Cheltenham or Liverpool do the same ? Also its worth noting that in 2008 the attendance at Punchestown was 106,000 , this year it was 93.467. ( 95,109 in 2009 ) down nearly 12% on the last year of normal start times. Betting turnover is also drastically down . This year the only days that saw an increase in numbers was the Friday ( up by 72 people, how this was influenced by the free school entry is questionable ) and the Saturday with a normal start time up 1.7% So the only day that had a significant increase in attendance was the day afternoon racing started at a normal time ? And yes I know all about the arguments of recession and volcanoes etc., but even then the figures speak for themselves. Interesting discussion on Punchestown's Face Book page on this subject http://bit.ly/dhFGBF