horse racing hotspots and black spots

Dickie10

hi just a fun topic that has always intrigued me, the aeas of ireland which are horse racing hot spots for peoples intrest and culture and areas that have a very little can you make sense of it all as easily as this or is the sport now mass appeal across the 32 counties. i travel to galway every year and cheltenham a few times and from my own area i have seen the growth in following racing being phenomenal , in one galway pub a few years ago i counted almost 100 people betwenn 18-35 froom within 15 miles of my own parish, and were a two hour drive from galway. also connected with galway as im mingling with folk all week i usually end up hearing people from the same counties all the time, namely cork, tipp and wexford and sometimes kildare , whatts your viewes?

2ndcoming

I've grown up in Kildare where it is essentially the national sport. Lack of any GAA distractions worth talking about and the abundance of tracks and stud farms in the county probably both help.

Family from north Donegal where it is probably down with the likes of cricket... zero interest, close to zero participation.

chancer007

I always find a really good knowledgeable crowd at the Cheltenham November meeting. I speak to a good few Irish over there pre-racing & they know their stuff.best meeting of the year imo.

Dickie10

yeah its very good great weekend in november. i often notice a huge lack of cavan, monaghon,lietrim, fermanagh, donegal ,derry following racing. but big numbers from the armagh , down areas seem to bring huge numbers to race meetings. Here in Meath its growth in intrest and culture has been amazing within the last 20 years, young lads whos fathers never backed a horse in there lives are now horse racing enthusiasts, along with all the families who always followed racing. basically in meath if your a lad of between 18-30 and arent interested inracing your not the slightest bit cool or interesting

longshotvalue

chancer007 wrote: »

I always find a really good knowledgeable crowd at the Cheltenham November meeting. I speak to a good few Irish over there pre-racing & they know their stuff.best meeting of the year imo.

Going to give this a go this year. Ive never been and have gone to the festival for the last 10 years.

Gavin "shels"

Without sounding like a fairy, how freezing is it there on track in November? A cold day in March can be baltic out there as it is from past experiences!

Earendil

Done the November meeting last year Friday & Saturday and the Tuesday of the festival in March.
The Open meeting was 10 times more enjoyable. So comfortable to move around and, while it got a bit trickier to get a beer on the Saturday...a few lads on here have gave me the heads up on where to go before March and they were spot on.

I'm hoping to go back this November but I'll have the same problem trying to get someone to go with me. If I suggest going to a Liverpool or Man U match there will be plenty of interest. I send the text about going racing....tumbleweed.

ILoveYourVibes

I've always wanted to see the racing in Laytown on the beach in Meath!

I don't know much about betting. I just think it's an amazing sport.

I ride obv not near this standard and nothing like a jockey.. but this blows me away.

I think it would be amazing to go see.