Looking for UK info

[andicap]

At the severe risk of jinxing everything, my wife has an excellent chance at landing a job in England, in the southwest in the district known as North Devon with the job in Ilfercombe. We'll know for sure in mid-March after all the immigration paperwork goes through. (I am leelry because two earlier attempts to move -- to Canada and to Saratoga Springs -- blew up after promising starts.)

For the UK residents on here, what is the closest racetrack to that area? (We would look to live in Barnstaple, the main shopping area about 15 minutes away.), a town of about 25,000.

How much interest is there in the UK these days about American racing? Is it rising appreciably due to the importation of TVG signals?

I would also appreciate it if the UK members could PM or email me as I have general questions about living in the country and that particular region.


Thank you. Or should I start saying, Cheers!

[cj]

I will say the dollar does not go very far in England currently. The exchange rate has been hovering around $2 being worth less than 1£.

[BIG49010]

A friend of mine is extremly happy with ATR taking the Big A, and hopes it continues true the entire NYRA year. He loves Betfair also, which we can't use in the U.S. among other things of late. It all sounds good to me, but the grass is always greener, somewhere else.

[zerosky]

Mainly Jumps racing in that area…..Ilfracombe is a resort town a little old fashioned, but very nice.

TVG (minus some tracks) is shown on ATR another channel RacingUK shows selected tracks as well. Not sure how popular US racing is but for those race fans who work during the day an evening’s racing is ideal. It’s certainly on an upward curve, albeit from a small base.

You’ll probably find things expensive considering the current exchange rate.

Best place to start is here http://thebigproject.co.uk/racing/ (http://thebigproject.co.uk/racing/)

Rgds

zerosky

[mudnturf]

At the severe risk of jinxing everything, my wife has an excellent chance at landing a job in England, in the southwest in the district known as North Devon with the job in Ilfercombe. We'll know for sure in mid-March after all the immigration paperwork goes through. (I am leelry because two earlier attempts to move -- to Canada and to Saratoga Springs -- blew up after promising starts.)

For the UK residents on here, what is the closest racetrack to that area? (We would look to live in Barnstaple, the main shopping area about 15 minutes away.), a town of about 25,000.

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Andy, As "zerosky" indicated..."mostly jump tracks in that area". Closest to you are Exeter (30 miles), Taunton (35 miles), Newton Abbot (45 miles), and Wincanton (70 miles). Closest Flat tracks would be Bath (75 miles), and Salisbury (100 miles).
I'd suggest you check out train service from Barnstaple (www.nationalrail.co.uk), not only to get an idea of how convenient (or inconvenient) rail service would be for accessing these racecourses, but for other places of interest where you just might not want to drive.
Lots of people told me they adapted very quickly to driving in the U.K. I never did! Without the trains I never could have travelled the country as I have.

[yesman3000]

:cool: :cool: try this

http://ukracing.net/index.php

[Humph]

I grew up in England and have been to many of the tracks.

As someone said , many of the closest tracks to Ilfracombe are jumps (National Hunt) tracks. Jumps racing is every bit as popular in England as "flat racing".

Tracks such as Taunton, Exeter, Newton Abbot and Wincanton are all within an hour's or so drive of Ilfracombe and are very pleasant places to visit. These tracks are typical English rural jumps tracks and have a very different feel to flat racetracks.

On a different scale but still a jumps track is Cheltenham. YOU HAVE TO GO THERE. It is one off the best sporting venues - all sports - I've visited. They hold a festival there in March and the racing is fantastic.

The nearest flat track to Devon is Bath. Awful place. Bad racing. Avoid.

The best flat racing is held at the big tracks : Ascot, England's best track and 2/3 hours away ; Newmarket, 2 very different tracks and 3/4 hours drive ; Goodwood , extremely pretty track and 2/3 hours away ; York, great track and four hours away ; Epsom, great races at a terrible track and 3/4 hours away.

Enjoy Devon because it is a very pretty part of England, but be disciplined as the gambling laws over there are far more liberal than here - betting shops are everywhere

[betovernetcapper]

You may need a top hat and morning suit.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/berkshire/6259277.stm

[andicap]

I grew up in England and have been to many of the tracks.

As someone said , many of the closest tracks to Ilfracombe are jumps (National Hunt) tracks. Jumps racing is every bit as popular in England as "flat racing".

Tracks such as Taunton, Exeter, Newton Abbot and Wincanton are all within an hour's or so drive of Ilfracombe and are very pleasant places to visit. These tracks are typical English rural jumps tracks and have a very different feel to flat racetracks.

On a different scale but still a jumps track is Cheltenham. YOU HAVE TO GO THERE. It is one off the best sporting venues - all sports - I've visited. They hold a festival there in March and the racing is fantastic.

The nearest flat track to Devon is Bath. Awful place. Bad racing. Avoid.

The best flat racing is held at the big tracks : Ascot, England's best track and 2/3 hours away ; Newmarket, 2 very different tracks and 3/4 hours drive ; Goodwood , extremely pretty track and 2/3 hours away ; York, great track and four hours away ; Epsom, great races at a terrible track and 3/4 hours away.

Enjoy Devon because it is a very pretty part of England, but be disciplined as the gambling laws over there are far more liberal than here - betting shops are everywhere

Thanks, I'll know by mid-March if it will happen.

[Gabriel]

Andicap, I don't know how far Devon is from theese tracks but you just got to go to the Aintree grand national (http://www.racing-index.com/aintree-grand-national.html), over 4 miles if you go to England. It'll blow your mind when you see the size of the fences at the track.. But just as mind blowing is next week at Cheltenham (http://www.cheltenham.co.uk/festival/index.html), it's the crem del la crem of jump racing, a real deal 4 day festival, the higlight of the jump season, the best of irish chasers and hurdlers go accross the ocean to battle it out for the crown of glory. then you have thousands of irish punters who take vacation to go there, it's like a sea of green leprecauns, realy an unbelieveable experience.. In summer is the start of the flat racing on the turf.. Check out this page (http://ch4morningline.blogspot.com/)for the scoop6 and charity bets from channel4 if your lost and don't have much info on who to bet on in the national hunt races..

some pages for devon race tracks below.. all the best Andicap :bang:
http://www.racing-index.com/isearch2/index.php

http://www.equinetourism.co.uk/equineestablishments/pointtopoint.htm

http://www.equinetourism.co.uk/editorial/blackdownhills.htm