A day at the races

The Parade Ring

The trainers, jockeys and owners gather together in the parade ring for the “orders”. It is at this moment that a jockey receives his final instructions from the horse’s owner or trainer. It is an amusing ritual to observe, because each group goes about it in a different way and has their own superstitions. A lot can also be learnt from looking at the horses and how their attitude changes when their jockey is on board. They are “legged up” (generally by the trainers), and it is interesting to note how the horse walks, how they are dealing with the pressure, or simply how they look and move, as they are all different from one another. In racing, the biggest and the strongest are not always the best – it’s a subtle combination that finally comes down to effort. A horse’s appearance is just one indication…

 Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard gives instructions to jockey Umberto Rispoli.

Going out onto the track, and the start

The start is often very exciting to see, and a visit to watch this in close proximity will leave a lasting impression.Once the horses have been mounted, and after three turns in the parade ring, the horses go out on to the track before cantering to the start to warm up, which can often be quite far away. Before National Hunt (jump) races, they might jump a practice hurdle.Next, all the horses collect behind the starting stalls if it is a flat race, circling all the while before the “stalls handlers”. These are in charge of helping the horses into the stalls, putting each individual in, one by one. This is sometimes a delicate operation, and some horses do not like going into a narrow space. It can take several minutes while the others are waiting.

In Jumps races, the start is with elastic tapes, with the runners approaching at a walk in a group, before setting off in no particular order as the tapes are pulled back by the starter.

Horses being led into the stalls by the handlers at Longchamp.

A ring on the loudspeaker always denotes the start of a race, and between the horses going out onto the track and the start, there is always time to make as many bets as you want. It is at this point that you have all the information in hand. We’ll come back to this in the section “How to make a bet at the races”.

During the race

Until recently, it was invaluable to have a pair of binoculars to follow a race properly from start to finish. This is rarely the case nowadays. Televisions and big screens are positioned throughout the racecourses so that one can see the races from the best possible angle.
If you have bet on a horse, try to note something distinctive about your choice (silks, coloured blinkers, hat) and of course memorise its name so that you can follow it closely through the commentator and the racecourse speaker. If you are in the stands, the finish will be just in front of you. If this isn’t the case, try to find the finishing post in the programme so that you can see where the race ends.

The silks of His Highness The Aga Khan : green, red epaulettes, green cap.

At the Sunday races on France Galop racecourses, a big screen is placed in front of the stands. This is a good way to share the races with the public. After all, everyone is betting on the same race, even if you haven’t bet on the same horses!
If you want to watch the race from a different angle, placing yourself near a jump is also a spectacular way to see the races

After the race

The result is announced by the commentator as soon as it is available. Sometimes they will say that it is a photo finish between Number X and Number Y, meaning that they finished too close to be able to call the result live. A photograph of the finishing line is then examined to determine the result.During this time, the Stewards re-watch the race several times from different angles to determine if there was any interference from any of the runners which could change the result. If there is a doubt, they then launch an enquiry, which will take place straight away.After listening to the jockeys involved, the Stewards make their decision, which is subsequently announced to the public. Occasionally a horse is demoted behind its rival as it has been deemed to have stopped it from obtaining the best possible placing.

In the majority of enquiries this does not happen, and when the result is announced, you can collect your winnings at the desks or from the machines. While you are waiting for the next race and for the horses to arrive in the parade ring around 12 minutes before the race, this is the best moment to “study the form” and select your next bets…

The Stewards watching a race at Saint-Cloud.