Last Updated on 18 August 2022 by Colette
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Earlier this year, the kids asked if we could go to the races again soon and so that’s exactly what we did this weekend! Great British Racing invited us to enjoy a day at the races as a family as part of their Everyone’s Turf Campaign – a day at the races isn’t just about suits and champagne – it’s about time with friends and family, about an opportunity to see the magnificent horses up close, about the atmosphere, the food and the fun.
There are over 400 race days happening across England, Scotland and Wales this summer including 33 Family Days, 36 Music Nights and 27 Ladies’ Days – meaning there really is something for everyone!
Whilst we usually go to York Races with it being so close to my parent’s house, this weekend we visited Pontefract Racecourse for the first time for their annual ‘In-The-Zone’ Family Day fixture. There are six zones set up around the racecourse to suit all racegoers interests including a behind the scenes talk in the Winners Enclosures, a parade of ex-racehorses, support for first time race goers and a ‘Kids Zone’ located in the Picnic Enclosure.
Choosing an Enclosure at Pontefract Races
There are three different areas or ‘Enclosures’ at Pontefract Racecourse – the Premier Enclosure, the Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure and the Picnic Enclosure. The Picnic Enclosure is the most cost effective way to visit Pontefract Races and is really popular with families – there is no dress code, you can bring a picnic and even park your car right up near the course.
However, for our race visit this time, we were treated to Premier Enclosure Badges which meant we had access to all three enclosures and could head down to the Picnic Enclosure and enjoy the Kids Zone whilst also being able to enjoy covered seating in the Premier Enclosure (which was much needed thanks to the heatwave!) and we could watch the races right from the Winning Post which is obviously super exciting! (It’s worth noting that Under 18s race free at most fixtures so having the kids with us doesn’t impact the cost of choosing the Premier Enclosure.)
Having Premier Enclosure badges also meant we had to adhere to a smarter dress code – no trainers, no scruffy jeans etc. Thankfully the dress code was relaxed to allow smart shorts due to the soaring temperatures. All three kids actually quite enjoyed the excuse to get dressed up in their best clothes – especially as they were complimented by one of the members of staff on the gate who told us how smart we all looked and thanked us for sticking to the dress code.
Kids Zone at Pontefract Racecourse
The ‘Kids Zone’ at Ponte Races is located in the Picnic Enclosure making it accessible to all race goers. As soon as we walked out to the Picnic Enclosure, our gang were drawn to all the rides and attractions that made up the funfair – and though our boy is now 13, he was more than happy to get involved with trying out the different rides and experiences with his sisters (I can’t deny he looked like an overgrown toddler on the bungee though!) The bungee cost us £5 but we felt Ben got a good length of time on there, then both the fun house and the “Miami Fever” were £3 each. Obviously these sorts of things can soon add up but we just set out a budget for their time on the rides and they chose what to do within that.
As well as the funfair, the Kids Zone included free sweets, activity packs and a ‘hunt the golden horseshoe’ competition but we didn’t manage to take part in those.
The Kids Zone is a great way of keeping the kids occupied between races, especially if you are at the races with younger children. Something we noticed this time was how much quicker the time seemed to go between races, our kids are that bit older now and were happy to sit and chat or to watch the horses in the parade ring – they don’t need us to entertain them or keep our eyes on them at all times, it was generally a much more relaxed experience than we they were tots!
Picking winners
Ever since Ben’s first day at the races as a toddler, we’ve let the kids help to choose which horses we should place bets on, letting them keep the winnings if their horse comes in. What we loved this time was that, now they are older, we were able to teach them more about the information on the race card, about how long the races were or how many horses were talking part and about how the odds worked (hello cheeky maths lesson in the middle of the summer holidays!). We were also keen to teach them about how, much like when we visit the arcades in Blackpool, they mustn’t expect to win anything. We explained that we had a set budget for our bets for the day and that we wouldn’t be adding any more money to that – and that we didn’t expect to come home with money either, as my uncle has always said, “You should only bet what you can afford to lose”. The money we were spending on bets was to be seen as “buying fun” and nothing else.
Now, whilst I fully backed up our teaching by losing every single bet I placed, Dave and the kids had far more success and, in Dave’s words, he “won enough to cover Colette’s poor betting choices“. I think it was probably one of the best days we’ve had at the races in terms of picking winners and we were actually up for the day – enough to treat ourselves to a takeaway when we got home!
Racing is Everyone’s Turf
Racing is Everyone’s Turf – and whether you’re a regular at the races or a first timer, there really is something for everyone. It’s a great day out and the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends in the great outdoors. In fact, we had such a great day at Ponte races that we are already talking about when we might be able to go back with Aunty Custard and Uncle Chris.
If you fancy a day at the races this summer, you can find your local raceday via the postcode search on the Great British Racing website – you’ll be able to pick from family days to music nights or big annual events like the Ebor Festival at York (which is actually this week). Racing is Everyone’s Turf – and whether you’re a regular at the races or a first timer, there really is something for everyone.
Read about our previous family race day experiences here:
National Racehorse Week: Visiting Greenall Guerriero Racing
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