Dorset, Somerset &amp; Bristol


<p>The sight and sound of sleek and superbly muscled racehorses thundering down the track to the winning post and the atmosphere amongst the crowd on the Grandstand cheering them on, is a truly thrilling experience.  Throw in tasty food and drink, the chance to dress up (if you fancy) and maybe a flutter or two, and odds-on you&#8217;re going to have a winning day out at <a href="https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/wincanton/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wincanton Racecourse</a>. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1957" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Cheltenham_18_11_17_0800.jpg" alt="racecourse" class="wp-image-88969" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Cheltenham_18_11_17_0800.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Cheltenham_18_11_17_0800-613x800.jpg 613w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Cheltenham_18_11_17_0800-766x1000.jpg 766w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Cheltenham_18_11_17_0800-307x400.jpg 307w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Cheltenham_18_11_17_0800-768x1002.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Cheltenham_18_11_17_0800-1177x1536.jpg 1177w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Cheltenham_18_11_17_0800-402x525.jpg 402w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-make-a-date">Make a date </h2>



<p>Wincanton Racecourse is part of the Jockey Club, the largest commercial horse racing organisation in the UK, which also includes Aintree, Cheltenham, Epsom and most of the country&#8217;s other top courses. At Wincanton, the jump racing season starts on Sat 19 October, with 16 more racedays running through to May, including the <a href="https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/wincanton/events-tickets/badger-chase-day/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Badger Beer Chase Raceday</a> on Sat 11 November, family favourite the <a href="https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/wincanton/events-tickets/boxing-day/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boxing Day Raceday</a> on Tues 26 December and the <a href="https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/wincanton/events-tickets/kingwell-hurdle-day/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kingwell Hurdle Day</a> on Sat 17 February.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-getting-there">Getting there</h2>



<p>Located on the B3081 between Wincanton and Bruton, the racecourse is easy to get to by road and there&#8217;s plenty of free parking. Coming by train? Get off at Templecombe on the London Waterloo line and Castle Cary on the London Paddington line and free buses will whisk you to the racecourse. Give them the heads up if you&#8217;re flying in by helicopter (I am, aren&#8217;t you?) and they&#8217;ll tell you where you can land.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-s-a-social-thing">It&#8217;s a social thing</h2>



<p>Get together with your mates, work colleagues, for a celebration or a family day out in the open air. It&#8217;s something a bit different and exciting, and it certainly makes a change from inviting people round to yours, meeting up in restaurant or going for a walk followed by a pub. Buy individual tickets from £18 (cheaper if you&#8217;re a group of 10+) and kids go free with a paying adult. There are restaurant packages at Chaser&#8217;s restaurant and the Winning Post suite, and private box packages which start from £120, which include meals, betting service, spectacular views of the course and winning post. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-chasers-restaurant-2-1000x666.jpg" alt="wincanton racecourse" class="wp-image-88975" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-chasers-restaurant-2-1000x666.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-chasers-restaurant-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-chasers-restaurant-2-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-chasers-restaurant-2-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-chasers-restaurant-2-788x525.jpg 788w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-chasers-restaurant-2.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-chance-to-dress-up">The chance to dress up</h2>



<p>There may not be pages and pages of dress code like at some racecourses but women can still glam up with high heels, fascinators – the whole shebang – and men get togged up in smarts on big race days; on other days just come casual.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-the-lingo">Learn the lingo</h2>



<p>Break yourself in with the jargon. Horses train on <strong>the gallops</strong>, when they arrive at the start before a race, they&#8217;re <strong>at the post</strong>. Jockeys wear <strong>silks</strong> (the owner&#8217;s <strong>colours</strong>). <strong>Form</strong> is the horse&#8217;s racing record. Bookmakers on the course use a sign language called <strong>tic tac</strong> to communicate with each other. A <strong>bottle</strong> is 2:1 odds, a <strong>cockle</strong> 10:1, and a <strong>Burlington Bertie</strong> is 100:30. <strong>Each-way</strong> is a bet in two equal parts – one backing a horse to win and the other backing it to finish in the first three. <strong>Evens or even money </strong>are betting odds where your stake exactly equals your winnings. The <strong>going</strong> is the condition of the course. In a <strong>blanket finish</strong>, the horses are so close together at the winning line you could slip a guess what between them. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-322225548_578830744055029_2713419150745480073_n-1000x750.jpg" alt="racecourse" class="wp-image-88971" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-322225548_578830744055029_2713419150745480073_n-1000x750.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-322225548_578830744055029_2713419150745480073_n-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-322225548_578830744055029_2713419150745480073_n-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-322225548_578830744055029_2713419150745480073_n-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-322225548_578830744055029_2713419150745480073_n-700x525.jpg 700w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-322225548_578830744055029_2713419150745480073_n.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-download-the-app">Download the app</h2>



<p>Download the <a href="https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/wincanton/plan-your-day/our-raceday-app/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">official Jockey Club app</a> to your mobile for an interactive map of the racecourse and a digital race card giving live up-to-date info on horses and riders, and lots of race tips. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-take-a-stand">Take a stand</h2>



<p>Choose from the Grandstand Enclosure with great views over the last fence (very exciting), café, bar and other food and drink, and the main betting ring. The Premier Enclosure is quieter, with two bars, two restaurants (which you must book beforehand) and a main stand with covered seating at one end and the chance to watch the races from the inside of the track as well as from the Grandstand. The Course Enclosure is open only on Boxing Day but you can bring your dog, and a picnic! </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Scoff and quaff</h2>



<p>Nosh on stuff like fish and chips, hog roasts, burgers, pizza and sandwiches at the mobile stands and restaurants (you must book Chasers and the Winning Post ahead of your visit); bring your own picnic on Boxing Day. &nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-hospitality-food-1000x667.jpg" alt="wincanton racecourse" class="wp-image-88976" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-hospitality-food-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-hospitality-food-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-hospitality-food-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-hospitality-food-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-hospitality-food-788x525.jpg 788w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-win-hospitality-food.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pick-a-winner">Pick a winner</h2>



<p>Horses usually run much the same each time they race, which is one reason they&#8217;re good to bet on, and why studying the form (results of past races) can help pick you pick a winner, although other factors like the fitness, what the course is like, can also influence the outcome.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-place-your-bets">Place your bets</h2>



<p>It&#8217;s not a day at the races without having a flutter, is it? For the full racecourse experience, place your bet (cash or contactless but not Apple Pay) with one of the on-course bookies. Pick a horse by its number, choose what stake you want to put down (there&#8217;ll be a minimum bet) and what type of bet (straight win, each way etc) you want to place. You can also bet via the Tote, which pools together the money from the bets on each race and shares this out to winning tickets, so the fewer people who bet on your horse compared to others in the race, the greater the percentage of the pool you&#8217;ll receive if it wins; at a high street betting shop on the track; or online. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="639" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Horses-over-the-fence-1000x639.jpg" alt="racecourse" class="wp-image-88970" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Horses-over-the-fence-1000x639.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Horses-over-the-fence-800x511.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Horses-over-the-fence-400x255.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Horses-over-the-fence-768x490.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Horses-over-the-fence-822x525.jpg 822w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/dorsetsomerset/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/00-jockey-club-Horses-over-the-fence.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-head-to-the-parade-ring">Head to the Parade Ring</h2>



<p>About 20 minutes before each race horses and jockeys gather in the Parade Ring. Horses will be alert, sleek and shiny; jockeys, wearing the silks or colours of the horses&#8217; owners might be discussing last minute race tactics with the trainers. When the bell rings, it&#8217;s time for horses and riders to head for the start of the race and you to find your place to watch it.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">After each race</h2>



<p>Winning horses and three runners up go to the Winners&#8217; Enclosure to be reunited with their owners and presented with prizes. Jockeys go to be weighed to check their weight is the same as before a race – one of the measures to ensure races are run fairly. Hopefully you&#8217;ll be collecting your winnings and having a celebratory drink and looking towards the next race.</p>


And you’re off! A day at Wincanton races

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