Leopardstown set to unveil new facilities. Have your say!

califano

Really good to see the Leopardstown revamp the place as it unveils its new facilities for its first big test this xmas. Improvements unmentioned which i would hope to see in place.

1. RUK in all bars and main foyers. So difficult in the past to see the Kempton feature races at the racecourse as they never had proper coverage of RUK. Other that the pp shop if your lucky enough to squeeze in there was just 1 or 2 other small tv's in the whole complex(and none in bars) and thats all there was to see Kempton. So instead of being able to watch the King George in a bar you were instead watching a replay of the last race at Leopardstown for the 4th time on loop on IrishTv.

2. The paddy power shop is a heaving crush and always has been. Its so tight a squeeze in there it verges on dangerous in my opinion. If someone passed out in the middle of that there would be a big problem. Having RUK throughout the new facility would heap alleviate this as people have other avenues to watch Kempton and English meetings but what would help more so is not to show premiership football in the pp shop. It just attracts the swarms who occupy the shop to watch and who have no inclination to have a bet. They just park themselves up helping to create the crush. Its just so hard to move in the pp shop not to mind being able to have a bet. PP would take more bets if there was actually enough room to move around and walk up to the counter. They should be aiming to attract punters who want to bet but are losing out by showing the premiership and you cant get the bets on with the jam.

Racegoers at the Christmas Festival will notice plenty of changes around the enclosures

CLOSE to 60,000 people are expected to flock to Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival when some shining new facilities will be unveiled. This week the finishing touches were being put to new bars, restuarants and other amenities at the Co Dublin racecourse. One of the biggest changes is a new location for the owners and trainers’ bar. Formerly beside the weighroom, this facility has been moved to the impressive Leopardstown Lounge on the second floor, the site previously occupied by Jodami’s bar.

The track’s chief executive Pat Keogh explained: “This is where we will entertain owners, trainers and other guests. The Irish and British trainers’ badge will be recognised at the door, and owners with runners on the day will be given a badge for the Lounge at the entrance.”

Former jockey J.P. McNamara and Tara Armstrong will be tasked with looking after owners, endeavouring to contact as many as possible at the entry stage to make arrangements. Keogh said: “We plan to have three sittings for owners during the day. We accept it won’t work perfectly from the start – some owners prefer to make their own arrangements - and we will model it as we go along.”

Also on the second floor the 1888 Restaurant (formerly the Silken Glider) will open its doors for the first time. This facility is almost fully booked out for all four days. The members area on the same floor has also been brightened up. “All racegoers can use the second floor for accessing the grandstand but the three catering facilities on that floor are private.”

One bar open to all is the Champions Bar (formerly Fillies) beside the Ballyogan end of the parade ring. Fitted with 14 flat screens plus one giant television this bar features prints of big-race winners Hurricane Fly and Tidal Bay on the walls.

There is no change to the self-service Paddock Restaurant on the first floor, while the various hot food and drink outlets in the main betting hall also remain unaffected. Keogh said: “The giant marquee in front of the weighroom will host the Morning Line, fashion shows and post-race entertainment. There is food and drink available there too from very early each day.” Extra refreshment outlets are being added under the parade ring trees and in front of the grandstand, just past the winning post.

The fourth day of the meeting continues to grow in popularity. Keogh said: “Ever since The Gathering in 2013 we have aimed this day at tourists and our Leopardstown neighbours. The local authority continues to support the initiative and this year we are launching an initiative to attract more younger racegoers. The old owners and trainers facility, now called Colours Bar, will be their home.”

Wet weather to continue

TESTING ground for the Christmas period looks guaranteed based on the latest going reports and weather forecast. The Leopardstown ground was described as soft yesterday, heavy in places. The weather forecast is for a mixed weekend followed by heavy rain on Monday morning and “continuing mixed for Christmas week.” At Limerick and Down Royal the ground is heavy. Limerick manager Conor O’Neill said: “I don’t envisage any problems and I’m extremely confident we will get through the four days of racing.”
link

phenomenalcat

30 euro admission , up a fiver from last festival . Pretty steep , doesn't even include a race card or a tote bet . That champions bar reminds me of a school cafeteria . Very sterile . But you can't beat the atmosphere of the place though. Should be a good one

califano

Was it jammed inside?. Was there general tv's showing RUK tv .ie Kempton and UK meetings?

arkle121

phenomenalcat wrote: »

30 euro admission , up a fiver from last festival . Pretty steep , doesn't even include a race card or a tote bet . That champions bar reminds me of a school cafeteria . Very sterile . But you can't beat the atmosphere of the place though. Should be a good one

this is what ruined racing in the celtic tiger era putting up prices like this.as you say no race card or insentives .you only have to look at the curragh on derby day they out priced themselfs now the cant get the young generation back way too exspensive for them.

corny

califano wrote: »

Was it jammed inside?. Was there general tv's showing RUK tv .ie Kempton and UK meetings?

Two teles over the bar were blank where i was. Place ran out of Guinness too. 10 euro for a ****in hot dog is obscene. Won't be back next year.

phenomenalcat

corny wrote: »

Two teles over the bar were blank where i was. Place ran out of Guinness too. 10 euro for a ****in hot dog is obscene. Won't be back next year.

The overcrowding in paddy power yesterday was ridiculous . Dangerous too . The entrance in from that madigans bar needs to be shut off . Poor little tom lee was craning his neck trying to watch a nag at Leicester .

chinguetti

arkle121 wrote: »

this is what ruined racing in the celtic tiger era putting up prices like this.as you say no race card or insentives .you only have to look at the curragh on derby day they out priced themselfs now the cant get the young generation back way too exspensive for them.

€30 is way over the top for admission & €13.50 for a ordinary lunch with a bottle of water at €2.50 on top of that is a huge rip off. Would it make me go racing more, hell no but I'm not what they want coming in the gate anymore.

Had a discussion with the manager of Leopardstown there about 18 months ago and I pointed out that aiming for the best dressed lady crowd/music after race crowd is ignoring the racing. Lets be honest, the vast majority of that crowd don't look at a horse and just go to be seen and drink all day. He didn't deny it either and to be fair, they plugged Sea the Stars in a major way a few years back and less than 10,000 turned up to see him so they're following what the crowd wants.

Soon they'll find a way to get rid of the horses!

califano

€30 is nothing to sniff at but comparing prices on top drawer days against the likes of UK courses we fair very well i think.

The tingle creek for example was over 50 sterling for one on the closer main stands to the line. Absolutely ridiculous and UK courses they tend to segment access within the racecourse with about 3-4 different payment tiers and thankfully we done away with that years ago. Remember that!.

So Leopardstown at xmas and the Irish Derby is just once a year so i accept the admission price on these days for the racing before us. The issue i have is that the facilities inside makes sure you dont get value for money. They make a big marketing push to come along to ''Join us'' ""Come along to a great festival of racing''. But once your in your just fecked there and have to make do with slap shod standard of service and facilities. An accumulation of small things like just 2 over worked and underappreciated 'barmen'(im sure most of them aren't even barmen by trade) doing there best to tend a bar that 5-6 barmen would struggle to tend. Queuing over 10 minutes to get a drink is not on.

Gormless and unmotivated Tote clerks that have been in the job way too long. No shortage of Tote staff anyway!. Toilets with no attendants mean they quickly puddle urine, vanishing hand towels and lack of properly working air hand dryers. I mean if they can employ about 10 people who go around with those litter picking sticks(god forbid there be a build up of losing dockets on the ground) then they can have 1 toilet attendant for each toilet.
The staff employed is disproportionate to the jobs that need tending.

A lot of these managers of larger racecourses are undeserving of their title. They should take a day trip to Gowran or Navan to see how they run a smooth days racing and take away some ideas from their experience.

convert

I was at Newbury for the Hennessy meeting and it was 45 sterling for entry to the Premium envlosure. And that's before anything to eat or drink. It was worth paying he extra tenner (general enclosure felt like a sardine can), but it was still much more expensive than any day at the races I've had here. I've never received a card or food voucher with my admission fee here (unless your talking about party packages) or with any annual badge I've bought. That said, however, I do think racecourses are pandering to those who don't go racing to see the horses - a lot of my mates wouldn't go to see the horses, instead going for the booze and sit down lunch, so I can see that those of us who actually go to see the horses and watch the actual racing ar probably in a minority's, but going after the corporate market again is going to be a disaster. Unless a guest of a corporate business, a luxury day out at the races is actually unaffordable for the ordinary punter. Racecourses should go after the ordinary punter for business as they're the ones who'll keep going through the turnstile regardless of economic climate.

JJs Left Hand

How do you propose racecourses cater for the racing fan though? With a race every half hour (35 mins max) that leaves very little time to go see the winner in the winners enclosure, get something to eat and then see the horses in the parade ring. I'd love a deli counter exactly like a spar where I can just get a roll for less than 5 quid but that seems a pipe dream. Getting a dinner and seeing every race is impossible.

I agree 30 quid is too steep for admission which is why I keep my eye on pigsback for cheap tickets. Got 2 tickets for 40 for the last few days so went Lexus and Ryanair day.

uxiant

Anyone know why Paddy Power only allow you to bet at SP on the home meeting in Leopardstown?

BumperD

Didn't believe they were allowed accept bets at the home meeting.

hurleronditch

BumperD wrote: »

Didn't believe they were allowed accept bets at the home meeting.

Whatever the on course shop was previously never were at any racecourse, but I've been racing at fairyhouse gowran and mallow recently and they were all allowing it so it must be a policy/rule change

phenomenalcat

califano wrote: »

€30 is nothing to sniff at but comparing prices on top drawer days against the likes of UK courses we fair very well i think.

The tingle creek for example was over 50 sterling for one on the closer main stands to the line. Absolutely ridiculous and UK courses they tend to segment access within the racecourse with about 3-4 different payment tiers and thankfully we done away with that years ago. Remember that!.

So Leopardstown at xmas and the Irish Derby is just once a year so i accept the admission price on these days for the racing before us. The issue i have is that the facilities inside makes sure you dont get value for money. They make a big marketing push to come along to ''Join us'' ""Come along to a great festival of racing''. But once your in your just fecked there and have to make do with slap shod standard of service and facilities. An accumulation of small things like just 2 over worked and underappreciated 'barmen'(im sure most of them aren't even barmen by trade) doing there best to tend a bar that 5-6 barmen would struggle to tend. Queuing over 10 minutes to get a drink is not on.

Gormless and unmotivated Tote clerks that have been in the job way too long. No shortage of Tote staff anyway!. Toilets with no attendants mean they quickly puddle urine, vanishing hand towels and lack of properly working air hand dryers. I mean if they can employ about 10 people who go around with those litter picking sticks(god forbid there be a build up of losing dockets on the ground) then they can have 1 toilet attendant for each toilet.
The staff employed is disproportionate to the jobs that need tending.

A lot of these managers of larger racecourses are undeserving of their title. They should take a day trip to Gowran or Navan to see how they run a smooth days racing and take away some ideas from their experience.

They should round up them despicable toblerone aul ones selling four euro race cards outside and get them cleaning the jacks . Hate having to sidestep them every time

BumperD

phenomenalcat wrote: »

They should round up them despicable toblerone aul ones selling four euro race cards outside and get them cleaning the jacks . Hate having to sidestep them every time

Not sure your aware but those aul ones do clean the toilets before they set out to sell the race cards. Sure where did you think they get the tobelerones?

morrga

The Fillies bar is a massive thumbs down for me. They've taken away the character of a decent bar to now just ensure more people can fit in and stand around. It resembles a cattle mart now. Everything is just geared towards the bottom line these days. Where has the race goers experience slipped to on their list of priorites! Bottom of the rung as far as I can see.

uxiant

BumperD wrote: »

Didn't believe they were allowed accept bets at the home meeting.

I'm nearly certain you could bet at the home meeting and take whatever odds on offer not so long ago.

morrga

uxiant wrote: »

I'm nearly certain you could bet at the home meeting and take whatever odds on offer not so long ago.

Yes they have made changes to allow shops on track to take bets but AFAIK it is at SP only.

JJs Left Hand

up until last year I was never able to put a bet on the home meeting at Punchestown, Leopardstown, Gowran or Fairyhouse which would be the 4 tracks I frequent. If you were to allow people to bet in the shop with BOG it would murder the bookies in the ring even more taking into account the popularity of online betting

morrga

JJs Left Hand wrote: »

up until last year I was never able to put a bet on the home meeting at Punchestown, Leopardstown, Gowran or Fairyhouse which would be the 4 tracks I frequent. If you were to allow people to bet in the shop with BOG it would murder the bookies in the ring even more taking into account the popularity of online betting

It is SP betting only. There is no BOG.

califano

phenomenalcat wrote: »

They should round up them despicable toblerone aul ones selling four euro race cards outside and get them cleaning the jacks . Hate having to sidestep them every time

Margret would be the most prominent, racecards on the way in and fruit and toblerones on the way out. Bit in your face they are alright but Margret has been around before anyone and is getting on now so lets just wait until she retires before moving in on them out of fear respect.

Francie Barrett

I am not sure what to make of Leopardstown these days. When I was there for Champion Stakes last year, I ended up having to walk through one of the tents and it was filled with young lads all wearing navy blazers, beige trousers and brown shoes, literally every single man. I don't have a problem with fashion or anything like that, but I most definitely got the feel that the Leopardstown was more about the day and the event rather than the racing itself.

Francie Barrett

califano wrote: »

Margret would be the most prominent, racecards on the way in and fruit and toblerones on the way out. Bit in your face they are alright but Margret has been around before anyone and is getting on now so lets just wait until she retires before moving in on them out of fear respect.

Top tip: If you don't have a ticket, it's worth asking her and the hags at the gate if they are selling. Might save you a quid or five.

Top tip 2: If they offer you any tips, ignore them. I once got told Aidan O Brien at the Curragh- all his horses were beat that day :pac:

ted1

Very disappointed in the new facilities extremely sterile more like an airport than horse track. They really ruined the character of the place. The designer should be shot as should whoever accepted the design

Naturetrailer

Agree with most sentiments especially the notion of it ain't broken it doesn't need fixing. Bring back the "form or pen" old bloke from just inside the gate. He mysteriously vanished a few years back. He was last seen leaving the track with an extra-large toblerone and a bag of fruit

kfallon

Francie Barrett wrote: »

I am not sure what to make of Leopardstown these days. When I was there for Champion Stakes last year, I ended up having to walk through one of the tents and it was filled with young lads all wearing navy blazers, beige trousers and brown shoes, literally every single man. I don't have a problem with fashion or anything like that, but I most definitely got the feel that the Leopardstown was more about the day and the event rather than the racing itself.

Prob all students who got in for free so had little interest in the racing just there for the free day out!

Zarkandar

morrga wrote: »

The Fillies bar is a massive thumbs down for me. They've taken away the character of a decent bar to now just ensure more people can fit in and stand around. It resembles a cattle mart now. Everything is just geared towards the bottom line these days. Where has the race goers experience slipped to on their list of priorites! Bottom of the rung as far as I can see.

Was the only bar I actually liked, good dark pub with some character, now bright and awful like a bad airport bar. I guess they had to spend the money they were given but it looks like they've made a bit of a mess of it. Real pity.

bellybuster12

Thought this video would fit in with this thread, upgrades on some smaller tracks. No harm.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X-X4gZmwPA