How to get yourself ready for the races

You’ll want to set your alarm and be ready to rumble for your big day out. Going to the races can be a class day out and is well worth it for anyone considering going, I honestly couldn’t recommend it enough. The spirits are high, booze is flowing and the atmosphere is electric, oh, and also the horses are racing with lots of money placed on them. Cheering on from the sofa when you have a bet on or are watching a tight finish is one thing, it's another thing being in a crowd of 150,000 who are all cheering on different horses to the finish line, what a spectacle. With seasoned veterans and newbies alike attending, the races should be fun for everyone but if you are feeling a bit unsure about how it should all go we are sorting you out with all you will need to know about how to get yourself ready for the races. 

First things first - attire. The race is all about getting suited and booted. You want to be in the best clobber going whether it’s your new fascinator and stilettos or sharpest chequered suit. Making sure you scrub up well from the crack of dawn. Indeed, the first horses are on the track around midday so you want to be looking to get there in plenty of time. Personally, I would recommend getting there about 45 minutes before the first race if you are looking to make the most of it. This allows you to not only show off your outfit to friends and randoms alike but also set yourself up with the other two most important things about the races - betting and drinking. 

No matter where you are from the Grand National to the Kentucky derby or the Melbourne Cup, you are assured to have a tipsy affair at the races. But whilst you are making a B-line to the bar you should also look to source yourself a racecard. These things are going to be one of the most important purchases of the day. Acquiring a racecard means you can put your research into the horses and make a much better determined bet than a random lucky punt on your favourite named horse. Instead, by researching form, turf, racetype, jockey and trainer history, you can make a much more educated decision about who you are going to take a punt on. Whilst you are going to need a bit of luck to win big you will also need some research to do it more consistently. Understanding the external factors on each horse in the race is important as is assessing the way the horse looks down at the Parade ring which is an option for punters during the 30-40mins intervals between races. Horse betting is such a huge part of the sport that it would be a shame not to get involved if you are at the races, whether at the bookies or online at Timeform. Because of this I would recommend bringing a set amount of cash you are willing to wager on bets to enjoy your day out, but do remember to gamble responsibly and within your limits. Don’t go chasing bets, you’ll never win. 

On this notion of sports betting on the horses it is important to consider form and the other factors but equally important is assessing the odds and type of bet you are aiming to put on. You need to decide if the odds presented are worth the risk/reward and whether you want to stick and single or accumulate a bet on. Once you’ve worked that out you’ll want to take a walk down the concourse with all the other punters to find the bookies with the best odds. Albeit these bookies tend to have the same competitive odds together but you can sometimes find a bargain. 

Once you’ve sorted yourself out with a pint and your bet you will want to take a toilet break (trust me, timing toilet breaks is important because its so long otherwise) and find a spot either alongside the track to witness the ending strides and cheer on the horses close up, or take a step back and try and find an area of elevation so you can watch the whole race. Indeed, if you pay more you will have the luxury of attending the events in the stand with extra entertainment but these tickets will cost considerably more than the standard concourse tickets. Once you have found your spot and got your ticket and plastic tumbler in hand all that's left to do is cheer on your pick across the finish line and hopefully grab a winning bet.