Knowing this would be a full summer for me, as we have embarked on some major changes at work, I booked a trip back to Paris for the fall to follow up on the horses I would see run at Ascot in June, and have been following on Betfair and via At the Races, Racing UK and the Racing Post all summer. I keep meaning to post on this blog, but never seem to find the time to do so. I do make sure there is time for racing though, both via a trip or two (my usual mid summer visit to Chicago for the Arlington Million was again a refreshing getaway and a reminder of how much I enjoy that track). Here is a video of the race (providing it doesn’t disappear from YouTube, a common hazard when posting races).

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“The essential flavour of the racing experience, no matter how it’s sampled initially via television, can only really be tasted on the track”. This is a sentence from Jamie Reid’s Days Like These: The Education of a Racing Lover. I had previously read his License to Print Money, a book about the bookmaking industry, primarily in England but including Ireland as well, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Then, as I often do, I sought out other titles by the same author. This one is also a very good read, and that line I opened with explains in simple and direct words my thinking behind a quick decision to book a flight to London in June to take in the week of Royal Ascot. Five days (of which I’ll likely attend the first four at least), of very good horses meeting one another on the turf. Every day promises Graded stakes, and many of these horses are the best in Europe. I don’t know of another meeting or festival where such high caliber racing takes place over such a period of time. Read More...

Once you decide you want to go to the races in Europe (OK, not all of Europe is covered in this post, just the UK, Ireland and France), then comes the question “where do I go?” and more to the point “how do I get there?”. Before the days of the internet, this was not an easily answered question. Now you can find track information on what dates there are races running, prices for entrance (and often an invitation to purchase tickets online), sometimes a map of the facility and often some guidelines on how to get there. This last point is the one I am usually in search of (once I know when racing is scheduled), and the one which is all too often either vague, limited only to those driving to the track or completely absent. I’m not about to call a cab and head off when I have no idea how far away the place is, I generally avoid cabs at the best of times anyway. Information on public transportation for visitors is sadly lacking on most track web sites. There are, however, some further resources to consider in addition to the internet which can offer quite a bit of useful information. Read More...

This certainly is a somewhat belated post - I don't get as much time to write as I would like, so I'm just now writing about things experienced in October '09. I had mentioned in a recent post that I spent time in France as well as England, and I wanted to share my thoughts on that experience.

When you are in France and want to go to the races, consult here to see what courses are holding events on a given day, as well as information on the track itself and the entries for that day. You do have to be able to read some French, however. France Galop also has lots of information, and part of it can be read in English, although I found the first site more up to date and useful for race day information. Another web site I discovered while in France was the English language Frogs Racing site. Here you will find lots of information on the results of races around the country, as well as information in general on the racing and breeding news in France.

I kicked off my visit this year at Longchamp, on the edge of Paris at the Bois de Boulogne, which is the premier track in France, with a substantially large grandstand, although it is aging somewhat. I read just recently that they are about to embark on an ongoing renovation project that will start after the Arc weekend in 2012 and be done in stages over the next 20 months (read more here). The track is easily accessed, as there is generally a free shuttle running from a couple of Metro (subway) stops directly to the track. This first weekend of my stay in France was nicely kicked off by atending the two days of racing over the weekend culminating in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. There are several Group races over those days, the majority of them on the same day as the Arc race itself. Here you will see most of the top horses in Europe competing for very decent purses, with the Arc being the top grass race worldwide. The depth of the fields is quite astonishing, and a visit to this weekend ought to be on every race fan’s wish list. Being in Paris for it doesn’t hurt either. Read More...

As I noted in my last post, I spent a fair amount of time this fall in France and England attending races whenever I could. I managed to get to Ascot and Newmarket in England, and of course Longchamp in France, as well as Saint-Cloud, Chantilly, Deauville and Auteuil. This was a very pleasant way to spend several weeks, and certainly something I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a day at the track as a way of vacationing.

One of the first things you will notice there is just how big the tracks themselves are. There are no two tracks alike, and the common oval we are so used to in North America is rare indeed in Europe. Instead, you find long sweeping turns, extraordinarily long straights and tracks that may turn either right or left (the majority seem to turn right). At Auteuil (at Paris), a hurdles/steeplechase track, some races may also run in a sort of figure eight pattern - just to keep you focused. Read More...

Between At the Races from the UK and the NTRA in the US (and the occasional YouTube video), I've been able to catch most of the major horse races during the year on the internet whenever I have some free time. However, there is just nothing like a day at the track.

My racing year (attending live, that is) this year included the Arlington Million at Arlington Park in Chicago, the mile championships at Ascot featuring the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend at Longchamp, the Champion Stakes day at Newmarket, various and sundry Group races at tracks around Paris in October, and for a finale, the Breeder's Cup in Los Angles. Overall, a lot of very good racing. As one might expect, there were some performances that stood out above and beyond the others. Read More...

I've just spent a great week in London, following on a full week in Dublin, and now find myself with a month ahead of me in Paris. I took note of so many people at my hotel in London planning their day - what sights to see and in what order. There are even web sites with helpful hints on how to see the "highlights", with one, two or three day itineraries suggested. I've been somewhat guilty of that process myself in the past, but I do think it's the wrong way to visit any destination. Read More...

I'm back in Dublin after my first visit wo years ago. This time around I know where things are, so less time has to be spent looking at the map. Whenever I'm in a city where I can have a sense of neighbourhood, I start to feel comfortable, almost at home. Because I've spent a fair amount of time in Pairs, it comes easily there, and I have my neightbourhood in Manhatten where that occurs as well. I found that walking around in Dublin that I felt very much at ease - the comfort that comes with familiarity, with that sense one gets when arriving "home". In my case, home is less where I live and much more where I am and feel comfortable. Dublin has become another of those places. Read More...

It's hard to believe that a whole year has slipped by since last August's annual vist to Chicago and the Arlington Million. Looking back at last year's entry, I said much the same thing. Seems I'm short on original thinking lately. On the other hand, why change a winning concept? Works fine, don't mess with it.

Again, I'm off to watch the Arlington Million (G1), along with the other two Grade 1 races on that day's card - the Beverly D. and the Secretariat. This is my 12rth time to this particular racing weekend, so I've got the trip down pretty well by now. In addition to the races, I also stopped in at the Field Museum this year, a fairly large Natural History museum. My impressions were that it was OK, but I wasn't blown away at all. The exhibits were fine, but if I think in terms of the value of the visit vs. the cost, it just wasn't good value. The displays themselves were OK, but struck me as lacking a strong sense of coherence in terms of the overall layout. I'm sure it makes sense to somebody, but not to me.

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Well, I've gone and done it. I've booked an apartment for a month in Paris this October, after taking a week each in Dublin and then London first. As usual, some of the trip will focus on when and where the top level thoroughbred races are running, just as it has for me in the recent past (i.e. my posts back in the fall of 2007). Although I still have summer to look forward to (assuming winter ends, today not looking much like that is going to happen quite as quickly as hoped) I am already preparing for Paris. Read More...

I've just completed reading A Bloody Good Winner by Dave Nevison. He is a professional horse player, having made his living at that risky business for several years. It's an autobiography, and quite entertaining. There is quite a bit of English slang in it which can be understood if you infer the meaning from the context, and several of the betting aspects are quite foreign to me, as the Brits bet in a manner quite different than here in North America. Nevertheless, it's a very good read, if your tastes run in that direction. The activity is not much different than that of a commodities trader, something Nevison had done for some time as well.

I generally enjoy real life accounts like this of people who are not afraid to risk all, and back their opinions up in a way that matters. In the horseracing world, only Steven Crist's Betting on Myself comes close to this book, although there are other accounts of trying to make it as a pro, but usually written by people who are not intent on making a living at it. I have met a few people who do make a very good living at this endeavour, and they have all been quite intelligent, interesting people. I had the opportunity to join a dinner table with Tom Brohamer (Modern Pace Handicapping) several years ago. He had left a secure, well paying job to take up betting on horses in Southern California on a full time basis, and reported that his income, while not as stable, was on a par with his former job. The difference was that he was enjoying himself a whole lot more.

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Throughout this blog, I've commented on racetracks I've visited during the past year. As a fan and former owner/breeder of thoroughbred racehorses, I've found a couple of sites on the internet to be of particular value to me in following specific horses or checking on the outcome of certain races. While YouTube has been an invaluable asset in this, including providing historical footage of past events, lately the National Thoroughbred Racing Association has been catching up. Not only do they have a very informative web page, but they have also been making use of YouTube and Facebook. For me, the biggest component of their site are the archived videos of past Graded races. A great way to keep up with what is going on, not just by reading about it, but by actually being able to watch the races. And there is more. Read More...

Here I am, looking back at last year's notes on this trip, as I headed of to this years renewal of the Arlington Million, and the other races that are held in conjunction with it. The year seems to have slipped by quite quickly.

Back in March when I went to Washington, DC, I was unimpressed by people I kept running across at the airport and various businesses who all seemed to have their hand out for a tip. What a different group of people I came across on this journey. As a plus, the racing was excellent.
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A visit to the Maritimes, somewhere I haven't been in 30 years. I expect some things have changed. This trip is occasioned by a conference where I'm presenting a workshop, and overlaps with another, much bigger conference going on. I have a few friends to visit here as well, so the entire visit certainly has multiple purposes........... Read More...

Another conference trip - it seems most of my time away from work is related to work. Nevertheless, it does give me a break from the usual routine, and provides plenty of stimulation for the mind. This time the stimulation (outside of the excellent conference proceedings) came in the form of the Jazz Alley Club, just a couple of blocks from the hotel where the conference was held. Read More...

This is my eighth trip to DC in the past nine years, so it's become quite a familiar place for me. Nevertheless, there are always changes there and always something I didn't quite get to see or do when I had some free time. The event is an American Psychological Association State Leadership Conference, and the agenda is generally pretty packed; any free time over the few days we have is a bonus.

I was reminded a few times again of one of the things I dislike about travel in America - their expectation that they should be tipped for everything. I've been told that the fee for something is $X, and "anything you want to tip me" on more then a few occasions, and even had a waiter (in NYC) follow me out into the street once to ask if the service was poor. He wasn't concerned about my possible dissatisfaction, he just wanted a bigger tip than I had already left. Read More...

This past week found me driving from Brandon, Manitoba to Calgary, Alberta to attend a conference. This is an 11 hour drive, my style for such trips involving few stops that are not absolutely necessary. I like to drive (the trip to Chicago reported last August was also done by car), so it was another enjoyable excursion. Although people often think the drive across the prairies is a trek across a boring wasteland, nothing could be farther from the truth. Read More...

How do you follow up the museums and galleries of Paris? A trip to Longchamps for a day at the races of course. Not just any day either, but the Prix de l'Arc De Triomphe day. This is a European horseracing summit, and the best horses show up for the several Group One races this day. These are generally the cream of the crop in Europe, and we see few of them in North America, although a few will visit for the Breeder's Cup races a month later. You know you are in for a good day at this meet. Read More...

This is my eighth visit to France, and my fifth to Paris. The 1991 trip which included London, focused mostly on Paris and I had a couple of great weeks, including attending the racetrack with passes from the French breeder's association and a visit to the training centre at Chantilly. That will be hard to match in just a week (and having to get my own tickets to the race) but I was looking forward to revisiting many of the places in Paris that I have enjoyed so much in the past. My hotel was located just a bit south of the neighbourhood I am so familiar with, and I was sure I would be happy there. I couldn't have been more right. Read More...

This is my second visit to London, although my first (in 1991) was dominated by spending my time at Ascot, so I saw very little of the city. My recall was that it was expensive, and 16 years later that was reconfirmed as soon as I had to pay 4 Pounds (about $8 CAN) for a short subway (the tube) ride from the railway station at King's Cross to Victoria Station. This is not the way to encourage people to use mass transit, although there are discount plans for frequent users. I had been prepared for the expense to some degree by the expense of things in Dublin, and moreso in Edinburgh. When you visit, get ready for a cup of coffee between $2 and $4, and a beer between $6 and $7 CAN. In spite of that, you can genrally find a meal, especially a supper for a reasonable price. Read More...

After departing from Dublin at a very early hour (and having an excellent Irish breakfast at the Dublin airport at 4:30AM), I arrived in Edinburgh. I found my way to my hotel without too much difficulty, left my bags there (it was still morning, and too early to actually check in) and caught a bus to Musselburgh - just on the outskirts of Edinburgh really. Why would I go there? It had a racetrack, and the horses were running that afternoon - the only racing that would take place there during my visit . A very nice track, small, but newly refurbished and quite a pleasant place. I had a very enjoyable afternoon (in spite of my lack of sleep), and again was quite lucky with my selections coming away from the track with a small profit. Read More...

Arrival day was Tuesday the 11th, although most of that day was spent sitting at the Gatwick airport in London waiting for my departure time to Dublin. My friends in Dublin met me at the airport and we went out for supper (fish and chips and a Guinness for me). Before the evening was out a trio of musicians had joined the crowd (this was a pub as much as a restaurant) and began to play some traditional Irish music. All in all a very good start to the trip. I also realized just how much difficulty I might have with some of the place names; Dun Laoghaire is pronounced "Dun Leary", for example. I may get lost just trying to ask for directions if nobody can understand what it is I'm trying to say! Read More...

In just eight days now, I will be departing for a visit to Dublin, Edinburgh, London and Paris. This is my first visit to Ireland and Scotland, and I'm definitely looking forward to the entire trip.

I've been struck by how different the experience has been compared to my previous excursions overseas. I've taken quite well to booking my flights and hotels online when travelling in North America, and I expected booking for overseas would be no different. It wasn't. How things have changed from the days when travel agents put your trip together for you! This time I could compare different airlines, flight times , decide which departure times fit me best, and whether rail or air was the best option at different points along my journey. Read More...

Each year I travel by car to Chicago to watch the running of the Arlington Million. On the way there and back, I generally spend one or two nights in Madison, WI., a city I have come to really like, and enjoy the restaurants there. This year I took some extra time to drive downtown to the Chicago Art Institute for the afternoon. I have not been to this gallery for over 30 years, and thought it was about time to have another look. It certainly was well worth the effort, as they have a very good collection there and usually have some interesting artists featured at any given time. Read More...

There was an article recently on Snopes.com about a large number of people in Japan being conned into buying sheep which had been described as a type of poodle. While I found the story interesting, I doubted that too many people would be taken in by such a far fetched sounding tale. Japan is not an isolated country where people cannot distinguish between a dog and a sheep, and even if they don't have many sheep they do have books, televisions, magazines and so on. Some simple common sense would make this story suspect. Read More...

There are so many stories that circulate via e-mail these days that it can be hard to tell what can be believed and what is just urban myth or an outright hoax. Enter Snopes.com, a web site in pursuit of factual information to these perplexing questions. Their emphasis is on debunking urban myths and exposing hoaxes whenever possible. It's always interesting reading, and generally done in a light humorous manner. Read More...