To everyone who came to Chepstow, had a bet, watched from home or engaged with the DragonBet Welsh Racing Festival over the weekend: Diolch!.
Whether you were there for all three days, backed a winner from your sofa or shared something that helped spread the word, you played a part. For a meeting that means a great deal to us, that support is hugely appreciated.
Early attendance figures suggest more people came through the gates, which is encouraging. There had understandably been disappointment about the loss of the chase races, but the racing itself gave us plenty to enjoy. Big fields, competitive contests and some impressive performances ensured there was no shortage of spectacle.
The big trainers made their presence felt, and I’ve no doubt we’ll be seeing plenty of the weekend’s runners competing for big prizes as the season unfolds.
Of course, watching an impressive performance and paying for one are slightly different experiences. In the betting ring, we had our share of both.
Friday was lively, as the first day of a festival often is. The more serious punters tend to turn out, and there were some sizeable bets reported on Dan Skelton’s novice hurdle winner Cooltobecareless, backed from 6/4 into evens.
We got a proper bookmakers’ result in the Persian War, where West Hill Verde landed the spoils at double-figure odds and was near enough a skinner in the book. A £3,000 bet at 4/1 on the final winner of the day Real Orange, then put a substantial hole in the profits, but we still finished in the green.
Saturday brought a good mix of regular racegoers and people enjoying a more occasional day at the races. We had an early fright after laying £250 each way at 50/1 on Ian Williams’s Valpovo. He returned at 8/1 and, although ultimately finishing fourth, ran considerably better than our opening price suggested he might.
There are few things that sharpen a bookmaker’s concentration quite like that.
The Silver Trophy went to the Sean Bowen and Olly Murphy partnership for the second year running, while our own afternoon had a nasty sting in the tail. Northern Singer was well backed in the last, and we’d laid 10/3 to a decent bet. She returned at 7/4 and hacked up, never really looking as though she would get beaten.
It’s always nice when a day’s work comes down to watching something you desperately need beaten win with its head in its chest.
Sunday was quieter for us on the rails, as expected, and we lost on the book. A well-known customer had £2,000 on Matty’s Getaway at 9/2, which brought a fairly decisive end to any realistic hopes of a profitable afternoon. We simply weren’t holding enough money to recover from a punch like that.
Over in Tattersalls, however, it was a very different story. Around 4,000 students were in attendance, and the atmosphere was ferocious.
Student days get their share of criticism. Apart from an apparent collective dislike of bras and socks, I think they bring a huge amount to occasions like these.
People don’t visit betting shops as they once did, and many younger people have very little exposure to racing. Getting them through the gates, watching the horses and clearly enjoying themselves is something the sport should welcome.
There’s no better introduction to racing than a day at the races.
Their social media feeds will have been full of the afternoon too: friends, horses, crowds and everything else that makes a day out worth sharing. There’s no better recommendation than one from someone you know, and every one of those posts puts racing in front of people who might otherwise never give it a thought.
They won’t all become racing enthusiasts. But some might. First, we have to give them a reason to come.
From a personal point of view, seeing the DragonBet name come to life at Chepstow is a proud and slightly reflective experience. This is a place woven into our family’s history, somewhere we knew long before there was a DragonBet.
To build something with my brother and see it supporting a meeting like this, at a racecourse that means so much to us, is something I’ll never take for granted.
We also raised £1,000 for Tŷ Hafan, the children’s charity, through a joint effort with Chepstow, with donations each time a Welsh-trained or Welsh-ridden winner came home. Another reason to cheer them on, even when the betting book suggested otherwise.
Thank you, too, to the Chepstow team and everyone whose hard work made the three days possible, and to the owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff who provided the racing we all came to see.
Once again, the festival showed why racing in Wales matters. It brings quality sport, talented people, visitors and business into the country. It gives people a reason to gather, something to enjoy and, occasionally, something to argue about all the way home.
I’d challenge anyone who attended not to have found something to enjoy.
A final special mention goes to commentator Mark Johnson, who managed to correctly pronounce Cefnogi Rasio Ceffylau Cymreig — supporting Welsh racing. An effort worthy of recognition in its own right.
Diolch to all of you, especially those who are or recently signed up to DragonBet . We hope that the festival has given you a flavour of how much racing and bookmaking matters to us.
Long live Welsh racing, and long live DragonBet supporting it.
